Maskless quarantine hotel guests ‘hug and party in smoking area’
‘Rebel guests’ at a quarantine hotel have been using the outdoor smoking area to party into the early hours, it has been claimed.
Travellers self-isolating at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow hotel are said to have been spotted drinking and sharing cigarettes.
Some were also seen hugging each other without wearing face coverings, according to reports.
Guests are said to have joined a WhatsApp group to ‘arrange meet-ups and coordinate smoking breaks’.
The group has apparently been set up for ‘inmates’ at the hotel who dubbed it ‘HMP Radisson’.
A security guard at the four-star hotel reportedly told the Mail on Sunday: ‘It’s a shame that one group of guests has ruined it for everyone.
‘But it got out of hand last night. There were at least 11 of them drinking and partying for like, two hours.’
Hotel bosses are said to have warned guests they are only allowed to leave their rooms for 15 minutes, with an escort.
But letters informing guests that smoking is ‘not a reason to go outside’ were pushed under hotel room doors earlier this week, the paper claims.
It also apparently said guests ‘will not be allowed outside to exercise’ during their stay, with smokers told to order ‘nicotine substitute products’.
But one guest, believed to be a South African key worker, branded the move ‘ridiculous’ and that they are ‘all tearing up the letter, saying they ‘do not consent’.
‘Everyone is losing their minds,’ they said. ‘It’s a bloody nightmare, they are trying to crack down and make smokers survive on nicotine replacements, it’s horrible.’
One guest at the same hotel went on hunger strike after claiming he was being held ‘under duress’.
Travellers have been ordered to quarantine in a hotel if they have visited one of the Government’s 33 red list countries – including southern Africa, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates and South America – for 10 days, at a cost of £1,750.
Guests face an additional £1,200 bill if they test positive for coronavirus, under the rules introduced a fortnight ago.
A hotel spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘At Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow, we take our role in assisting the UK government with its hotel quarantine programme very seriously – to help provide a safe and comfortable experience for travellers.
‘All staff at our properties have been trained in the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol which includes mandatory use of PPE along with sanitation and hygiene procedures, as well as regular training for all staff on these procedures.
‘Our team is working in partnership with the UK Government-contracted security staff at the property to help keep guests safe and secure.’
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