Isabelle Maheux is an employee of Le Soleil d’Or hotel-restaurant at Vimoutiers in l’Orne that it has managed for twenty years. It is the only hotel establishment since the closures of the La Couronne and Domaine du Lac hotels. The health crisis linked to the coronavirus pandemic, it is suffering the consequences with the administrative closure of its restaurant which is also the main part of its activity.
However, “In my situation and with state aid, I have nothing to complain about”. It is also authorized to remain open for the reception of customers within the framework of its hotel activity which records a drop in attendance of the order “By 30%. I still have a working clientele, people on the move ”, comments Isabelle, however, noticing that “Representatives have become rarer in recent years. They only travel once a year to see their client. Everything is done through the internet ”.
Two partial unemployment workers
Usually his establishment employs two other employees. “They are on partial unemployment. I am too, but only in part because I take care of the hotel. I am optimistic in nature; there’s no point in moping. But fortunately I have this activity. Not to stand still, for morale is important. In business we are used to seeing and receiving people, to have contact ”. The hotel, without the restaurant part, is not easy for customers either. Isabelle adapts and to make life easier for them “Dishes, microwave oven, fridge, kettle, without supplements, because it is complicated enough like that for everyone”.
Not allowed to serve
Breakfast is offered “In the form of a self-service buffet because we are not allowed to serve them. On the other hand, they can help themselves. They then go back to their room with their tray ”. In terms of health protocol, “In the hotel industry we already have one to respect, so that doesn’t change our habits much except the difference in the products used and all the contact points that I clean twice a day instead of once”.
A reopening in serenity
The manager took advantage of the closure of the restaurant to renovate the room. She hopes for a recovery as soon as possible but also prefers “Wait as long as it takes for reopening to take place peacefully without customers being afraid of contaminating themselves”, as had been the case between the two confinements and where, finally, “During the five months of opening, I only worked really well during the months of July and August”.
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