Aviation Security officers supervise Rydges hotel guests for a walk at Victoria Park. Photo / Michael Craig
Aviation Security officers supervise Rydges hotel guests for a walk at Victoria Park. Photo / Michael Craig
A woman has described her life in managed self isolation at the Rydges Hotel in Auckland as "wonderful" and "first class".
This is in direct contrast to another man who earlier in the week claimed he was being denied access to daily outdoor exercises and complained of a lack ofsocial distancing when a fire alarm was triggered.
Lynelle Laws, who is one of about 300 people being housed in mandatory isolation at the Rydges said she "couldn't be happier".
Lynelle Laws is one of about 300 in mandatory isolation at the Rydges. Photo / Supplied
"The first classrooms, the very adequate three meals a day, plus morning and afternoon tea, and the managed care has been wonderful," Laws said.
"From Rydges there is a guided walking group every hour, to a grassed area – providing a good hour of exercise."
She said there was also plenty of space in her room for her to exercise in other ways.
Activity sheets are given daily to guests in mandatory isolation. Photo / Supplied
"Yoga groups are also on offer, as is a running ramp. Activity sheets with pen and paper exercises along with internet activity suggestions are given each day," Laws said.
"Health checks are frequent and any other essential needs are enquired about daily, as reception phones us and offers assistance."
She was also full of praise of a hotel staff member who helped her fix the arm of her glasses when it came off and offered to them taken to Specsavers if it needed further fixing.
When the fire alarm was triggered last Saturday evening, Laws said people were monitored by officials from the health ministry to ensure social distancing was kept.
"We witnessed one policeman, after a call on his earpiece, sprinting to support his fellow officers as they pinned a man to the ground and cuffed him," she said.
"It was suggested to us that this man had been hitting out at police."
Police made two arrests that evening - one for allegedly intentionally triggering a fire alarm and another for assaulting an officer.
"As to the rest of our stay, I couldn't be happier ... the managed care has been wonderful," Laws said.
"Attitude is key. I choose managed luxury over having the virus inadvertently bought to this country that has done so well with protecting it's citizens from the devastation caused by the virus and seen in other countries," laws added.
On Sunday, another resident Jon Philip Smith complained about living conditions at Rydges, saying many were getting "fed up" and standards were being lowered to cater to an influx of people arriving from overseas.
A health ministry spokeswoman is encouraging those housed in the hotel to talk to on-site management if they had any concerns.
More than 2000 Kiwis are currently in managed isolation or quarantine at 13 hotels in Auckland and since facilities were first established, at least 25 coronavirus cases have been caught.
