Ablutions

By public opinion, the ablutions are the most important facilities in any caravanning and camping resort!

In a recent poll of over 10 000 caravanners and campers, we found that every one stipulated that the ablution facility was at the top of the list of their requirements. Hygienically clean, spacious, ease of accessibility, privacy, hot water, well lit, the list goes on and on.

When a prospective camper arrives at your park, the first facility looked at by the wife/girlfriend is the ablution facilities. This is without fail stop number one! If your ablution facilities are not up to scratch, they will inevitably compare your facilities to those of the neighboring resort!

Without a doubt, your ablution facilities should be your pride and joy. Here so much comes into play, that the “Perfect” ablution is a rarity. The most practical advice that I can offer any resort owner with regards to his or her ablution facilities, is: - tonight or tomorrow morning, take a change of clothes, your towel, soap, toothbrush and go use your own facilities! Do this every so often. You will then get to know and feel what you are offering to your guests.

In the Tourism Grading Council's criteria, we have stipulated that separate bathroom facilities preferably be provided for males and females. There should be a reasonable number of male and female ablution facilities (shower or bath, toilet and washbasin) for the maximum number of guests the park can accommodate. As a guideline it is recommended that there must be at least one male and one female shower or bath, toilet and washbasin for every 10 sites (that accommodate a maximum of 6 people per site).

The equation will differ a bit when it comes to ‘family and private' bathrooms, a facility that is becoming more and more popular nowadays, but the above guideline will still be a good bet. I personally think that we have allowed a bit too much leeway with the above guideline, but this was the general consensus of the working group. Obviously if your ablution facilities are taking strain, you will have to re-think the maximum number of guests you allow in your resort. The Assessor during his assessment will talk to guests with this regard. It does not make sense from an economic and a customer service level, to overload your ablution facilities.

Naturally all toilets, washbasins, showers, baths and other plumbing must be in good working order, free from trapping surfaces e.g. cracks, chips, broken toilet seats and so on.

Your ablutions must be cleaned daily with a suitable disinfecting/sanitizing chemical solution. Obviously, the recent weather will be taken into account, and/or if the grass has been newly cut. Unlike hotels and guesthouses, visitors to a caravan park inevitably have to walk over open ground or sites, and a “dirty floor” is one that the dirt and grime has been allowed to accumulate over a period of time, not simply mud or grass cuttings that has been brought in during that day. The assessor will not be unduly influenced by the location and usage of the parks facilities simply because of the weather or recently mowed lawns.

All facilities, including private ablutions where provided, will be assessed. If the assessment visit is been completed outside of the main season/s, there may be blocks that are not in use. These must all be seen, but sensible allowances will be made in relation to cleanliness i.e. where leaves have been blown in, and plans are made to thoroughly clean the facilities before the season starts.

Where more than one ablution facility, including private ablutions is provided in a park, the assessment of each facility will be averaged out to arrive at an overall grading: i.e. where different standards are present, an average score will be applied, unless there is significant difference between the highest and the lowest score, in which case the lowest score will apply.

Starting with the fixtures and fittings: The better the quality, the higher your ratings will be.

	The premises must have good, clear and adequate signage both inside and outside the premises.
	Each toilet, bath or shower cubicle should provide privacy for the user.
	Hot water must be available at all times. A consistent flow of both hot and cold water must be maintained as more and more guests make use of the facilities. There is nothing more uncomfortable than running out of water (the water pressure drops) when another person turns up a tap next to you. A consistent water pressure is imperative in the ablutions.
	Water drainage must be very good especially in the shower cubicles. The shower drain must have a protective grid over the water outlet. Duckboards, if kept spotlessly clean are recommended. Duckboards are a prodigious collector and accumulator of grime, especially underneath, and unless kept spotlessly clean from the word go – do not even consider buying them.
	All communal bathrooms must preferably be equipped with hand soap (liquid or bar) and hand drying facilities (paper towel, towel on a rail, hot air dispenser) at washbasins. This is a pre-requisite for four and five star resorts. Hygiene should be an important consideration when determining which soap and drying facilities are most appropriate.
	Ample clothes hooks and if possible a towel rail should be provided. The towel rail or appropriate clothes hook should be placed as close as possible to the shower cubicle or the bath. There must be adequate ventilation and lighting, and preferably, at least one clothes hook must be installed in each of the toilet units.
	Access to a dry area in which to hang clothes, and to get dressed should be provided. If possible, there must be a stool and/or bench in each shower/bath cubicle. This is a pre-requisite for four and five star resorts.
	Good quality wall covering must be used, be it tiles, wallpaper, paint or specialist wall coating. This must be kept clean at all times.
	If wall tiles have been used, they must be in a good condition. There should be no visible cracks, broken or missing tiles, and the grout must be in excellent condition. The condition of the tiles and grout tells the visitor how much pride you put into your ablutions. Grout that is stained and showing algae, along with broken or missing tiles offers a poor and shabby impression of your ablution facilities.
	Dust and cobwebs creeps in all over the place. Hair and grime accumulates in plugholes, behind doors, toilet bowls and below vanities. Get rid of it frequently – good housekeeping is therefore required. Your cleaning staff must be well versed and trained in keeping these areas clean.
	A high degree of cleanliness will be expected, and attention to detail including all visible areas, all areas above and below eyelevel, the floor, walls, ceilings, doors, behind doors, seating, ledges, counters, mirrors, lights and fittings.
	High ledges, partitions, window ledges in shower and toilet cubicles will be looked at.
	Your flooring can be any “fit-for-purpose” flooring, must have a non-slip surface and must be free from stains and must be easy to clean. Hygiene and guest safety should be considered when evaluating flooring. Special attention must be given to the areas behind doors, around the wall skirting and behind and below toilet bowls, washbasins and vanities.
	The urinals, toilets and toilet seats must be in good condition, free from cracks and must be odor free. Special attention must be placed on the men's urinal, and if possible, deodorant and air freshening devices or arrangements must be in place.
	A toilet roll holder and toilet paper must be supplied in each toilet unit. This is a minimum requirement! Campers hate it when they are supplied with a roll of toilet paper at the reception when they arrive. Some resort owners make a “song and dance” with regards to the amount of toilet paper used and bought. If this gets to you, add a Rand a day to your tariff per person, and you will actually make money on toilet paper! If toilet paper is not supplied in the toilets, your resort does not comply with Minimum Requirements, and CANNOT be graded! Don't force guests to use non-appropriate paper – i.e. newspaper etc.
	A covered sanitary bin must be provided in each of the female toilets, as well as near the washbasins and baby changing areas if provided.
	Mirrors should be fitted over each washbasin, with vanity units with seating preferably in the female ablution with electrical outlets conveniently placed for hairdryers. It is recommended that at least one full-length mirror is installed in the ladies ablution if wall space permits. A must for five star resorts.
	The ablution facilities must be well ventilated and well lit. Covered fluorescent lighting is preferable, and is a pre-requisite for four and five star resorts. The light switch must be conveniently placed at the entrance to the ablution doorway. Good natural lighting and ventilation is a must in ablution facilities. Extractor fans keep ablution facilities well ventilated and should always be considered.
	The windows should be either tinted or opaque to offer maximum privacy.
	All doors to family bathrooms, communal showers, toilets or bath cubicles should be lockable from the inside of the cubicle with either a key, bolt, chain or hook to offer privacy.
	Facilities for the disposal of chemical toilet waste should be provided, unless prohibited by the relevant local authority – in particular all new “purpose-built” 4 and 5-star parks must provide this facility. The chemical disposal facility must be separate from the toilet facilities, although they may be adjacent to toilet buildings. The provision of a hose must be made at the disposal facility, and it is up to the park owner to ensure that the current regulations are adhered to.