If you have purchased tickets for Doe Bay Fest, you will receive an email this week which will explain two options.  Rest assured that one option is to simply request a refund and we will process one.  We know that money is tight for many and some have no choice but to seek a refund.  If you are able and inclined, we ask you to consider applying your credit to be used at Doe Bay this summer or whenever you can return. If you elect that option, the following applies:

• You will be helping Doe Bay stay stable and continue to do what we do and we THANK YOU!
• We will increase the credit by 10% so if you have spent $300.00 on tickets and camping, you will receive $330.00 of credit.
• Your credit will never expire.
• Your credit is transferable if you choose to give the gift of Doe Bay to someone else.

You and I are disappointed by this cancellation, but so are the artists who were part of the unbelievable lineup we had planned.

We love our artists! We are heartbroken at how directly and mercilessly the pandemic has affected them.  It is unclear what music venues will ever re-open and what they will be like.  There will be very few places for musicians to perform live music.  Most of our musician friends lived close to the edge in normal times and we do not want them to give up the dream.

• We are dedicated to providing a place to safely perform live music in the summer of 2020.  The emphasis is on safety.
• Doe Bay is well suited to do this because of the wide open spaces available with dozens of possible outdoor venues.
• We hope to create the possibility of the unscripted moments of Doe Bay Fest occurring every day, all summer; impromptu musicians on the beach, by the campfire, in the Treehouse or out on Meditation Point.
• The experiences will be intimate by design and necessity.  Each venue will have absolute limits on capacity to allow social distancing in excess of the standards in place. Safe enjoyment of music is the standard from which we will not vary.
• We will pay our musicians to perform. They need it and deserve it. We will transport them to the island, house them and feed them.  The financial model for this does not work because we will not charge for performances and the limits on size are too severe.  Maureen and I will underwrite the Doe Bay Summer Music program from July through September.  The Doe Bay artists have given so much to all of us that it is our honor to give a little back.  I was a practicing musician when this new idea called “Disco” started.  We had bumper stickers that said, “Live Music is Best!”   It is still true.
• If you are a musician and are interested in a 5 to 7 day performing residency in July August or September,  please send an inquiry to EVENTS@DOEBAY.com.  We will get back to you.  Email Subject: Summer Music Residency at Doe Bay.

We expect to offer our fully independent (bath and kitchen) cabins and houses for rental beginning June 17th or as soon thereafter as the San Juan County Council can adopt the Governor’s phase III guidelines.

We plan to watch carefully and expand very slowly to allow camping as well as our domes and yurts in late July and August. People who rent a cabin, will be able to add a campsite as long as their campers will share their kitchen and bath facilities.

We do not expect to reach over 60% of our normal capacity this season. That means that that many of our long time guests will miss the opportunity to join us, given the limited availability. We apologize for that. We will take reservations on a first come first serve basis, online, starting Monday June 8th at Noon.

• We will work with each reservation to determine what is best for you and workable for us.  Honoring current reservations is a priority, subject to our new minimal stay structure.
• Further we will give existing reservation holders first priority to make new reservations this week.  Before open up for receiving new bookings on June 8th, we will help you move your reservation if possible.
• If we cannot make a reasonable accommodation, we will process refunds or allow you to maintain a credit for use at Doe Bay at any time.
• Summer Reservation holders will receive an email this week to begin the process.  Please respond promptly.

• New protocols will minimize guest contact with personnel through a streamlined check-in and check-out process similar to our after hours check-ins. Information kiosk on front porch to supplement the welcome package.
• Social distancing measures will be implemented, wellness best practices signs will be prominently posted, Including, in the Doe Bay Store, a you touch it, you bought it reminder to guests that if they should not take something from a shelf unless they are committed to buy it.
• Enhanced sanitization procedures will be in place at the front desk, in the lobby and across guest touch points throughout the property with disinfecting taking place regularly.  Guests will be able to clean after their use nd staff will regularly clean.
• Sanitizing stations or wipes will be available throughout the property.

• Unnecessary items will be removed from guestrooms, such as decorative pillows, bed scarves, paper notepads and pens.
• Housekeeping offerings will be modified, including the elimination of a full cleaning service unless specifically requested and arranged by guests.
• Enhanced and thorough cleaning protocols will be implemented in guestrooms. Guest rooms will not be entered for 24 to 72 hours after check-out, at which time the room, linens and all touch points, for example, faucets, door handles, light switches, thermostats, clocks and hangers will be cleaned with chemicals aimed at killing COVID-19.

By reservation, we will be offering Room Service and Take-Out food options purchased in advance for consumption in your cabin or at designated areas on the grounds. We have made a substantial investment in new picnic tables which will serve as safe eating places.

• When allowed to open, public amenities such as the spa will be cleaned on closely monitored schedules with disinfecting chemicals. Each evening, these areas may also be sanitized with the use of available chemicals.
• Hand sanitizer or wipes will be provided for guests and employees in all public areas.

• Hotel employees will follow strict guidelines, including utilizing personal protective equipment, frequent and stringent hand-washing protocols, and housekeepers/laundry staff will wear both gloves and a mask.
• Employee workstations will be cleaned and disinfected after every shift.
• Employees will be empowered to stay home if unwell, communicate their potential exposure to COVID-19 with management, and will be fully educated on how to maintain a safe and clean home.

Traditionally we have strongly encouraged our guests to go to restaurants, shops and the grocery store in Eastsound or elsewhere on the island. We know that Doe Bay has a following and this was an opportunity to support other Orcas Island businesses in the hospitality and tourist trade, even though they were technically competitors. In the short term, that policy has to change. When you come to Doe Bay, we will expect you to stay at Doe Bay. You should bring what you need in your cabin and for your stay, purchase food from our Café or store and not head to Eastsound. You are encouraged to use the Moran State Park, subject to whatever regulations are in place and to enjoy walking, hiking and bike riding on our end of the island. You are discouraged from interaction with others on Orcas island.

We have always tried to make Doe Bay a welcoming place to all and especially Orcas Island folks. Unfortunately, the entire resort must be closed to the public, allowing only registered guests. We cannot have unidentified people on our property and comply with the governments goal of contact tracing.

A five day stay is the minimum. All reservations will be for 5 days with a 24 to 48-hour cleaning window between guests. This loss of 1-2 days a week has as big impact but it allows us to leave a cabin empty upon departure of a guest and with additional hours to clean and sanitize the unit for the next guest.

I know it sounds seriously uptown for a place like Doe Bay, but we will deliver food to cabins on site by reservation.

The second option is take-out food that you can purchase in advance and pick up for consumption in your cabin or at designated areas on the grounds. We have made a substantial investment in new picnic tables which will serve as safe eating places.

Finally, we will have a very limited number of tables available. Initially, they will be widely spaced tables in our outdoor dining patio and additional adjacent spaces. We may offer a couple of widely spaced inside dining tables if there is demand and our staff and our guests feel comfortable.