Are you tired of seeing the same old places and the same old faces? Do you want to get away but are worried about travel during a pandemic?
In past Valley Vagabond columns, residents have written about trips to Paris, London, Iceland and Prague but for the time being, international travel is a no go for most of us. So, what is someone with a little wanderlust to do?
The answer for some is to travel locally and safely. Our first local destination is Suncadia Resort. On June 5th the resort began welcoming back guests to the Lodge at Suncadia, Trailhead Condominiums and vacation rentals. In their reopening press release the Lodge said;
“Situated on more than 6,000 acres of forested mountain landscape, Suncadia is the perfect escape this summer, offering wide open spaces to embrace the outdoors and a plethora of recreation activities including golf, hiking, biking, kayaking and paddle boarding, to name a few. Suncadia’s number one commitment is the health and wellbeing of the community and looks forward to providing a safe place to explore, reconnect and make memories, when travelers are ready.”
General manager Noni Hughes says they had been anticipating the day when they could welcome back their valued guests and “…want to assure you Suncadia has implemented Hyatt brand protocols, so guests, colleagues and homeowners feel confident and comfortable with their safety. We will continue to encourage social distancing, and in doing so, recommend guests arrive with necessary supplies and groceries for an enjoyable stay.”
Most of their spacious accommodations feature full-service kitchens with all the necessary kitchen appliances, utensils and dinnerware required to serve as a perfect home away from home. Some units have outdoor patios with fire pits, BBQ’s and dining options include daily take-out, food truck pop-ups, the Coal House Caffe and Swiftwater Cellars.
Suncadia also has much room for social distancing outdoors with, “miles of trails and paths for hiking and biking, 1,000 steps, limited recreation rentals such as bikes, kayaks and paddle boards and the Prospector and Rope Rider golf courses.”
I spoke with a local North Bend resident who visited the resort in July and who had a glowing review. Her first observation was that while the resort seemed full there was plenty of room for social distancing. They dined in the restaurants every night, felt that the tables were more than the required six feet and said the wait staff was appropriately masked at all times. She observed them cleaning tables and said time was always taken for the disinfectants to work. No quick cleaning jobs there, all cleaning protocols were observed. Although there was no bar seating when ordering from the bar plexiglass was there protecting both the staff and customers. They sat outside for a wine tasting and were given separate glasses for every new pour.
She went on to say the staff was amazing and the only time she felt somewhat unsafe was in the pool area. Not because of anything the resort did; they require entry and exit from different doors, reservations and limited numbers but because some guests seemed to lose track of where their little ones were in proximity to other guests. A good reminder to all of us that even our littlest people need to keep their distance.
Suncadia abides by Hyatt’s Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment protocols and “the resort has developed a long-term strategy with an increased focus on safety and sanitation. Details on the operational plan can be viewed here.” All in all, it sounds like a good option for those of us who need a little change of scenery in this long period of confinement we find ourselves in currently.
We’d like to hear from other Valley travelers. Where have you been? If you love traveling and love writing – share your travel adventure with us in a guest post. Email us at info@livingsnoqualmie.com to submit pieces or with questions.
