Although Bath County has remained the only Virginia locality with no coronavirus cases, the historic property in Hot Springs, Va. was closed for exactly three months before a reopening that saw about 150 guests check in on the first day. Employees who had been furloughed for three months by the county’s largest employer also returned.

With Bath County remaining as the only Virginia locality with no coronavirus cases, one of its biggest attractions was finally reopened on Monday, June 29^th, WSLS NBC 10 of Roanoke, Va. reported.

The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va. was forced to shut down for three months because of the pandemic, WSLS reported.

“We closed the resort on March 29 and now three months later, June 29, we are reopening to our guests,” said Lynn Swann, the resort’s Director of Marketing and Communications.

The reopening’s first day saw about 150 guests check in during what’s typically a busy season for the resort, WSLS reported.

The resort is also reopening to employees, with Swann being one of many who were getting back to work after a three-month furlough, WSLS reported. But being back in business didn’t mean business as usual, she noted.

“Obviously, we’ve made some changes to our arrival experience,” Swann said. “When a guest arrives, it will now be a contactless arrival. [But] the genuine hospitality that our guests are used to will not have changed.”

Adhering to guidelines set by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Omni Hotels and Resorts organization, changes have included barriers separating associates from guests, enforced social distancing, strict cleaning policies, daily health screenings for workers, and limited amenities, WSLS reported. Some services are not being offered, and many are available by reservation only to restrict capacity.

Still, The Homestead’s reopening is good news for the entire area, as the resort is Bath County’s largest employer, WSLS reported.

“It has a huge impact on the livelihood of this area,” Swann said.

C+RB reported in 2018 on the renovation of the Homestead Resort’s iconic William Flynn-designed Cascades golf course (https://clubandresortbusiness.com/restoring-the-grandeur/), one of two 18-hole courses on the property.