I stayed in a quarantine hotel for two weeks AMA

[Cissyandflora]

I didn’t know whether to make a thread about this but I’ve been thinking that maybe people would be interested to know something of the experience. I was in Sydney and spent two weeks at the end of last year. If anyone has a question I’ll answer it!

One of the things that was really odd and unnecessarily isolating was that when the food was brought round and left outside the door there were two staff members in full PPE walking around with a trolley. When I spotted them along the corridor as I picked up my food I would call out thank you, or hello. And they would ignore me. That was odd.
We were most definitely not treated as guests in a hotel.
I also did occasionally venture out into the corridor which was not allowed. I tried to find life around me but didn’t see anyone.

Gosh I’d struggle with no air con. Good to hear you found the temperature okay.

Interesting to hear how chaotic the airports are in the UK. To be fair though, Heathrow has never been a picture of calm organisation. Nothing like coming off a 15 hour flight to be met with a snaking queue for the ‘other’ passport holders.

Even in February last year when returning to Australia I was met with Police and Border Force staff in masks to have my passport checked and was quizzed about which countries I’d visited. Before getting off the plane we had to wait for a doctor dressed in PPE to come on board and check a sick child with a fever.

@MarshaBradyo

Thanks op really interesting. My family are in Aus so it’s good insight just in case.

I need to travel again this year but I have a large family and need to bring everyone. It’s going to be so expensive to do quarantine so I will have to hope things are resolved and we get over this pandemic.

@Cissyandflora awful that the staff didn’t even acknowledge you!

@bluetongue

Gosh I’d struggle with no air con. Good to hear you found the temperature okay.

Interesting to hear how chaotic the airports are in the UK. To be fair though, Heathrow has never been a picture of calm organisation. Nothing like coming off a 15 hour flight to be met with a snaking queue for the ‘other’ passport holders.

Even in February last year when returning to Australia I was met with Police and Border Force staff in masks to have my passport checked and was quizzed about which countries I’d visited. Before getting off the plane we had to wait for a doctor dressed in PPE to come on board and check a sick child with a fever.

Yes it’s just so different. I was staggered that the U.K. didn’t even have a staff member checking passports! Literally no one. I went through the automatic gate. I was in the airport with the staff from my flight and I was so embarrassed about the U.K. They were shocked too.

[quote FlameHairedRachel]@Cissyandflora awful that the staff didn’t even acknowledge you![/quote]
Yes! Really horrible! And I tried to call out so many times over the two weeks. They just leave the food and knock on the door and they don’t look back. They are in full PPE so not any danger to call out a hello. I know in another hotel the residents were greeted in the morning by someone shouting out good morning and bringing the food.
There was no sense of camaraderie that’s for sure!

Wonder how does the hotel cater for people with special dietary needs? I know one child who only eats their mum's cooking and would starve otherwise.

When I quarantined, at first we got put in a fairly grotty hotel, so completely saturated with disinfectant that it made your eyes sting. The carpet in the corridors squelched when I first got taken to my room. There, my window opened and I was on the ground floor. I could have climbed out if I'd wanted to but probably would have got busted leaving the carpark.

After our first negative test results came back we got moved by ambulance to a much nicer hotel with a window that opened less wide. My husband was put in the room next to me both times. I didn't want to share with him but I don't think it was ever an option anyway.

@RacheyCat

When I quarantined, at first we got put in a fairly grotty hotel, so completely saturated with disinfectant that it made your eyes sting. The carpet in the corridors squelched when I first got taken to my room. There, my window opened and I was on the ground floor. I could have climbed out if I'd wanted to but probably would have got busted leaving the carpark.

After our first negative test results came back we got moved by ambulance to a much nicer hotel with a window that opened less wide. My husband was put in the room next to me both times. I didn't want to share with him but I don't think it was ever an option anyway.

I wondered what happened with couples. I thought they went in together. Your first hotel sounds revolting. I was dreading something like that! I was pleased to pull up outside the Marriott

@truthisalie

Wonder how does the hotel cater for people with special dietary needs? I know one child who only eats their mum's cooking and would starve otherwise.

You would have to order out. The food was prepared by canteens normally supplying airlines. It was not made at the hotel or hotel standard. It was pretty awful.

You could get Uber eats etc. Just depends on your budget. I had overspent and couldn’t justify treating myself. I ordered out just once. It was fantastic!

Thanks Cissyandflora. At least it's possible to order from outside.

@Cissyandflora I quarantined in China, where I don't think couples are allowed to be together.

We had no complaints about the hotels. We actually entered the country on the final day that quarantine was free, so there was nothing to quibble over. I didn't even really care about the standard of the room, I was so grateful to have made it back.

[quote RacheyCat]@Cissyandflora I quarantined in China, where I don't think couples are allowed to be together.

We had no complaints about the hotels. We actually entered the country on the final day that quarantine was free, so there was nothing to quibble over. I didn't even really care about the standard of the room, I was so grateful to have made it back.[/quote]
I can imagine your relief. I had just assumed that couples would share. I don’t think I saw many though. There were definitely a few on the bus that were asked if they together so I thought they’d be sharing the room. Maybe not then.

I was fully prepared to deny being married to DH, if asked. I was more worried that they would put us in together for 14 days.

Could you get booze?

Asking for a friend.

@RacheyCat

I was fully prepared to deny being married to DH, if asked. I was more worried that they would put us in together for 14 days.

Ha yes I’d definitely rather be alone!

Oh I would need booze!
Also I’m always hungry. I guess you just order snacks from somewhere?

And bottled water? I wouldn’t want to drink the Luke warm water from the bathroom.

The lack of fresh air would be awful.

@TheKeatingFive

Could you get booze?

Asking for a friend.

That is interesting. I think I heard that there was a ban on alcohol. I abstain so I’m not actually sure but I think I recall that.

😱 to the ban on alcohol. Maybe it varies by country?

I guess you’d have to look at it as a detox...

@Delatron

Oh I would need booze! Also I’m always hungry. I guess you just order snacks from somewhere?

And bottled water? I wouldn’t want to drink the Luke warm water from the bathroom.

The lack of fresh air would be awful.

There was not enough water provided. Just two small bottles a day. One each with lunch and dinner. And the meals came at any time. There was a two hour window for meals but could come much later. I had to order water and pay for it to be delivered from a shop. In Singapore rhe hotel room had lots of bottled water in the room. About 20 bottles. That was nice.

Oh wow about the lack of water, that is awful.

@Delatron

😱 to the ban on alcohol. Maybe it varies by country?

I guess you’d have to look at it as a detox...

I’m not entirely sure about this. They definitely wouldn’t want drunk guests though. Much harder to control. There was a case of a security guard having sex with a guest in another hotel. He caught the Covid and started a little outbreak.

This terrifies me. The only reason I would have to travel would be if DD (on another continent) was seriously ill or had had a serious accident. Are there any situations where quarantine would be waived, does anyone know?

Well it’s not sounding attractive, gotta say 😆