Annapolis Bed and Breakfast has Declared War on the Virus

In Maryland’s Capital City, under the same watchful eyes of the legislators who are making hard COVID calls about how businesses can manage their own day to day operations, is the small family-owned INN at Horn Point. Fighting back to survive the pandemic, the INN is employing a battery of front line weapons found in few other public buildings, and these specialized tools appear to be conspicuously absent in most if not all other lodging facilities.

While it is more than hopeful that every business in the state is following the minimum guidelines and has long since ensured compliance by following CDC, state and county mandates and COVID regulations. These basic procedures of mask/glove wearing, social distancing and in some
cases, temperature checks only guard against the spread. The INN at Horn Point owners, Cory and Carol Bonney go above and beyond minimal recommendations.

“Ensuring a COVID free environment for us and for our guests is our family’s first priority,” reflected owner Cory Bonney during a recent interview. “We realized that if we didn’t make absolutely certain that our Bed and Breakfast was safe for guests, we would never
recover from the losses that we had endured earlier this year.” After extensive research, which included scientific reports, articles by industry experts and test results from myriad products,
Carol Bonney purchased portable and medical grade UVC lights and medical grade air purifiers for the business. The couple added these measures to the INN’s already robust sanitation and cleaning protocol. “We were fortunate to already have a UVC ‘air scrubber’ built in to our HVAC system prior to any consideration of a need of this type,” Mr. Bonney reports, “all we have done differently with the “air scrubber” is to run the circulation system 24/7.”

Within a short time of a guests’ departure from the property, we ventilate the room with outside air, followed by a 30-60 minute treatment with the HEPA 13 medical air purifiers. The room is subsequently stripped and the UVC lights are positioned.

While the constant air circulation and air purification products treat the inside air continuously, the portable UVC equipment is placed in the guest room between every turn over.

Carol Bonney’s intensive research in to these portable light products lead her to a “not inexpensive” and separate testing method for the scientific effectiveness of the units. When beginning this disinfection method, each departing guest room, and the INN’s public space, was tested for the best positioning of the UVC lights, as well as being measured to determine the length of time that the unit should emit virus killing light for most effective outcome.
“This equipment, when properly used, will kill both airborne and surface bacteria and will absolutely render harmless (up to 99.99%), any known virus, including COVID 19.

While admittedly, these extra steps are not required by any organization or state mandate, “but”, Cory Bonney adds, “we want to be absolutely certain to do all that we can to safeguard those who are depending on us to make their trip as safe as we can“. “We are not aware of any other lodging facility in Annapolis, in the state…..in fact, that is using this equipment. When regularly
reading hospitality industry articles (restaurants, bars, B&B’s, hotels, AirBnB), other than hospitals, “we have not seen or heard of a single local business that is following a regimen, with an arsenal like ours, anywhere”, Bonney concludes. “We are choosing to do all that we can to ensure safety of our guests and our family. This is our responsibility during these unprecedented times.”