
Tresco Island Coronavirus Information
Wellbeing, happiness and peace of mind has always been at the heart of our island. Now, that’s more important than ever before…
Below, we’ve gathered together information on our Coronavirus response – from our latest updates to our flexible booking guarantee and how we’re keeping our guests, team and wider community safe as we gently ease out of restrictions over the coming months.
We'll update this page regularly, so do check back for the latest information as we adapt and evolve our response to this ever-changing situation.
Latest Update: 25th February 2021
We're looking forward to brighter times ahead and welcoming you back as we gradually ease out of lockdown over the coming weeks.
Following the government's Roadmap announcement on 22nd February, we plan to reopen our self-catering cottages and Sea Garden Apartments to single household groups and support bubbles from 12th April 2021. The New Inn bedrooms will reopen from 17th May. From this date, our self-catering cottages will also be open to groups of up to 6 people, or more people provided you are from two households only. All these dates are, of course, contingent on the progress through the government's Roadmap plan.
If you have an existing reservation with us that can no longer go ahead, we will be in touch over the next few days to discuss your options. Our team are working their way through affected bookings in order of arrival date and will be in touch as soon as possible. You don't need to do anything - and we would ask that you wait for our call or email. That way, we can help everybody as quickly as possible. We are not currently able to respond to incoming calls or emails.
If you're unsure if your booking is affected, or have another question, please check the information on this page before contacting us. There's a full list of Frequently Asked Questions below, as well as an outline plan of what will be open on the island as we follow the government Roadmap. If your question is not answered on this page, please do email us, but please bear in mind it will be several days before we are able to respond. We cannot accept incoming calls at this time.
If you're looking to make a new reservation, please note that we are experiencing exceptional demand and cannot take bookings by phone or email at this time. Our online booking system is live and updated in real-time. If you cannot find availability, please check back regularly as properties may be released due to amendments or cancellations. You can book ahead for 2022, or you may like to explore our autumn and winter availability and Offers and Breaks.
We'll update this information over the coming days as we receive further information and clarity. For now, it's enough to know that there are brighter days to come. Stay safe and take care; we can't wait to see you soon.
Those lockdown dreams of Tresco are one step closer...

Book Ahead with Confidence
Never has it been more important to have something to look forward to – a light on the horizon to help us through the storm. However, we understand things don't always go according to plan, so we've taken the worry out of booking a holiday with our simple Coronavirus Flexible Booking Guarantee.
If your holiday has to be cancelled due to government Coronavirus restrictions, we'll transfer your reservation to a future date, up to the end of 2023, subject to availability and variation of tariff. The balance of your holiday is only due one week prior to arrival for all stays starting before 21st June. For full details, please take a look at our booking terms and conditions.
You can also book your travel to the islands with confidence with Penzance Helicopters' Coronavirus Booking Pledge. If government Coronavirus restrictions prevent you from travelling as booked, you’ll be able to transfer your flights to a future date within the next year for free or choose a full refund.

Gently Unlocking Time To Be
As we follow the Government's Roadmap and gently find our way back to a more normal way of life, we will always put the health and happiness of our guests, team and wider island community at the heart of everything we do.
Below, we've outlined when we hope to reopen each area of the island, and the restrictions that are likely to apply at each step of the Roadmap. Of course, if restrictions are eased more quickly and it's safe for us to do so, we may be able to open things sooner than expected. Naturally, if the Roadmap progress is slower than hoped, we might have to delay things a little.
Step 2 (12th April 2021) | Step 3 (17th May 2021) | Step 4 (21st June 2021) | |
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Notes | All areas open are for use as a single household or bubble indoors, or in a group of 6 people or 2 households outdoors. All dining is table service only | All areas open are for use in a group of 6 people or 2 households indoors, or in a group of no more than 30 outdoors. All dining is table service only | It is hoped all restrictions on numbers will be removed for all facilities after this date |
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Cottages | Open to single household groups or support bubbles | Open to groups of up to 6 people, or more people provided you are from two households only | Open as usual |
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New Inn rooms | Closed | Open | Open as usual |
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New Inn dining | Open through the day and evening for outdoor dining | Open through the day and evening indoors and outdoors | Open as usual through the day and evening |
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The Ruin | The Ruin open for lunch on the terrace daily. The Beach Hut open through the day. | The Ruin open for lunch and dinner indoors and outdoors. The Beach Hut open through the day. | The Ruin open as usual for lunch and dinner. The Beach Hut open through the day. |
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Ruin & New Inn Takeaway | Available each evening | Available each evening | Available each evening |
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Flying Boat Café & Deli | Closed | Open through the day | Open as usual through the day |
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Garden Café | Open through the day for outdoor dining | Open through the day indoors and outdoors | Open as usual through the day |
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Hell Bay Hotel non-residents dining | Closed | Open through the day indoors and outdoors. Crab Shack closed. | Open through the day as usual. Crab Shack reopens. |
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Tresco Stores | Open with some restrictions instore. Online shopping & delivery available. | Open with some restrictions instore. Online shopping & delivery available. | Open as usual instore. Online shopping & delivery available. |
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Lucy Tania, Gallery Tresco & the Garden Shop | Open with some restrictions | Open with some restrictions | Open as usual |
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Tresco Island Spa and Sea Garden facilities & treatments | Closed | Open with some restrictions | Open as usual |
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Outdoor pools & tennis courts | Open with some restrictions | Open with some restrictions | Open as usual |
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Tresco Boat Services | Limited scheduled trips | Limited scheduled trips | Full scheduled service |

Your Questions Answered
In order to help everyone as quickly as possible, we're not able to answer incoming calls or emails at this time. We realise this might be frustrating, but we are trying to prioritise helping those guests whose bookings are impacted by the government's Roadmap announcement.
We hope the Frequently Asked Questions below will give you the information you need. If not, please email us and we will respond as soon as possible - but please note this may take some time.
We will reopen our self-catering cottages from Monday 12th April for single household groups or support bubbles. The New Inn bedrooms are planned to reopen from Monday 17th May, when we also hope it will be possible for up to 6 people or two households to share self-catering accommodation. From 21st June we hope all accommodation will be open as usual.
Of course, our accommodation will reopen in line with the government Roadmap, and as such, all dates are subject to change. Please check back here regularly for updates.
We’ve outlined what we expect to be available at each Step of the government Roadmap above. For further details, please see the individual pages of our website. All these plans are subject to change; we suggest checking back regularly for updates.
If you are booked to stay in a cottage before 12th April, or The New Inn before 17th May, your accommodation will not be available. As this is due to government Coronavirus restrictions, you can transfer your reservation to a future date up to the end of 2023 under our Coronavirus Flexible Booking Guarantee, subject to availability and variation of tariff.
You do not need to do anything at this stage; please wait to hear from us. We are working through bookings in order of arrival date and will be in touch as soon as possible. We would kindly ask that you do not try to call or email us, as this will delay our small team working to contact everybody.
As the property is available, you are welcome to still travel if you can do so as a single household or support bubble.
If you would rather not travel, we will happily re-advertise your property and provided the property is re-let we will refund your deposit paid. We are currently waiving the £50 administration fee usually applied to re-let properties.
Otherwise, our standard terms and conditions of booking apply.
Our teams across the island will be working hard to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all our guests, adhering to all government guidelines and doing all we can to keep our guests, team and island safe. We will also be doing all we can to ensure the experience is as close as possible to the usual Tresco experience, within the government guidelines at the time.
Once government restrictions on travel and accommodation are lifted, our standard terms and conditions of booking apply.
The government Roadmap indicates shielding will no longer be required after the end of March 2021, so our standard terms and conditions of booking apply.
With the announcement of the Government roadmap, we are reverting to our regular terms and conditions. For stays with an arrival date on or after 21st June 2021, your balance is due 8 weeks before arrival. For bookings with an arrival date prior to this, your balance is due 1 week before arrival.
You must not travel to the Isles of Scilly if you or someone you live with has experienced Coronavirus symptoms in the last 14 days, tests positive or have been told to isolate by NHS Test and Trace.
You will need to provide evidence of a positive test result or Test and Trace notification. We will then happily transfer your booking to a future date up to the end of 2023 under our Coronavirus Flexible Booking Guarantee, subject to availability and variation of tariff.
If you cannot travel due to government restrictions, your booking is protected by our Coronavirus Flexible Booking Guarantee.
If your holiday has to be cancelled due to government Coronavirus restrictions, we'll transfer your reservation to a future date, up to the end of 2023, subject to availability and variation of tariff. Our standard booking terms and conditions still apply for all other changes and cancellations.
All bookings are currently protected by our Coronavirus Flexible Booking Guarantee. If your holiday has to be cancelled due to government Coronavirus restrictions, we'll transfer your reservation to a future date, up to the end of 2023, subject to availability and variation of tariff. Our standard booking terms and conditions still apply for all other changes and cancellations.
At this time, we are unable to accept incoming calls, and emails will take longer to answer than usual, as our team works to assist those with existing bookings. You can make a booking online. Please note we do have very limited availability, but the booking system on our website is live and correct. If you can’t find availability straight away, please check back soon.
Bookings are currently protected by our Coronavirus Flexible Booking Guarantee. If your holiday has to be cancelled due to government Coronavirus restrictions, we'll transfer your reservation to a future date, up to the end of 2022.
However, our standard conditions of carriage still apply for other changes. Therefore, we strongly recommend taking out comprehensive travel insurance and carefully checking the policy wording to ensure you are fully protected.
We have seen unprecedented demand for stays on Tresco so have very limited availability for 2021 at present. Our website is correct and shows our live availability across all cottages, apartments and bedrooms on Tresco updated in real-time.
Do check back regularly, as accommodation may become available due to Timeshare relets, cancellations and amendments. Alternatively, you may want to try searching for availability over the autumn and winter months, or in 2022.
Throughout the pandemic, we've put the health and happiness of our guests, team and wider island community at the heart of everything we've done. We'll be following the Government Roadmap and adhering to all the guidelines throughout as we all pull together to find our way out of this storm once and for all.
Inevitably, the measures we've put in place will mean some changes to the usual Tresco experience, but we will always stay true to the things that make this place unique. Peace and tranquillity. Warm welcomes and familiar faces. Wide-open spaces and time to be.
Our risk assessments and procedures are extensive, but we’ve highlighted some of the key changes below so you can feel confident in visiting while keeping yourself, our team and island community safe - and we'll keep evolving and adapting our approach as things change. Don't forget to also check the measures in place on transport to the islands with Penzance Helicopters and Isles of Scilly Travel.
Plenty of Space: Life on Tresco is all about great times in the great outdoors and making the most of our boundless open spaces, but when we are indoors, we’ve ensured there’s plenty of space for everyone. Tables have been distanced in our restaurants, group numbers are kept in line with the government Roadmap, and across the island, you’ll find gentle reminders to give one another plenty of room. There’s no need to visit the Island Office to ‘check-in’ and on departure, your bill can be settled online. Of course, we’re still on-hand by phone and email throughout your stay.
Working Together: We’re getting through this tough time by working together; by everyone doing their bit to keep each other safe – and it’s the little things that help the most. You’ll find plentiful supplies of hand sanitiser and soap throughout the island – please do use it liberally! We’ll also ask you to wear a face-covering in all public areas of the island, including our stores, boats, shuttles and in our restaurants until you’re seated.
Careful Cleaning: Anna and her formidable housekeeping team have been working harder than ever to keep us all safe. Throughout our accommodation and public areas, we’re cleaning more often and more thoroughly using a high-performance sanitiser. We’re paying particular attention to things like door handles and remote controls, and we’ve removed most of the usual paperwork in your accommodation (any what remains is single-use).
Eating Out... Or In: Good food has always been one of the most enjoyable things about any holiday on Tresco – and we don’t think anything should change that. We’re carefully following all the government Roadmap and industry guidance with things like outdoor dining, group sizes, Test and Trace systems, distance between tables and face coverings for our teams and guests until seated. We’ve also been creative, with takeaway options at The Ruin and The New Inn so you can enjoy your favourite dishes wherever you choose.
Safer Shopping: We’ve limited the number of people in Tresco Stores at any one time, and alongside the obvious things like hand sanitiser and face coverings, we’re being careful to clean more regularly and more thoroughly, so you can shop safely in store. If you’d rather keep your distance, you can now shop online for delivery to your cottage, both before and during your stay. Contactless payment methods can be used throughout the island.
Wellness in Every Way: It’s more important than ever to look after body and soul, so we’re making sure our wellness spaces are available wherever possible. Our spa facilities, indoor pools and treatments will reopen at Step 3 of the government Roadmap as it's not possible for us to manage these safely in accordance with the rules of Step 2. Our outdoor pools and tennis courts will be available from Step 2.