What went on behind the doors of SA’s only regional medi-hotel at the Southgate Motel

The owners of a Mount Gambier motel on the frontline of the COVID pandemic share their experience running the state’s only regional medi-hotel.

Southgate Motel owners David and Kim Pratt ran the Mount Gambier medi-hotel. Picture: Jessica Ball

The initial backlash was fierce as security fences went up and rumours of quarantining international students circled the opening of a medi-hotel in Mount Gambier back in August.

But for Southgate Motel owners David and Kim Pratt, running the state’s only regional medi-hotel has been a positive experience.

The facility had recorded zero cases of COVID-19 when the final of 204 hotel quarantine guests checked out on Friday.

When they signed up, Mr Pratt had his reservations about what a positive case would mean for the motel’s reputation into the future but said the community backlash had completely disappeared.

Southgate Motel in Mount Gambier is no longer being used at a medi-hotel.

“It was a worried there for a bit, but then after about a week or so I thought everything’s so well managed and so forth, that didn’t really bother me,” Mr Pratt said.

“I was somewhat confident that we wouldn’t get a case but we know how unpredictable this virus is.”

While has controversy plagued other medi-hotels, Mr Pratt said there had been no community concern about staff testing.

“I understand, people would think that was silly that they weren’t tested but witnessing it here, PPE was always applied to the letter of the law so the risk factor was extremely low because everybody did everything by the book,” he said.

“The co-operation between SA Health, SAPOL, ADF, security and my staff, all worked really well.

“Even if we did have a strike, the policy and procedures that we had in place would have protected us all.”

For Mr Pratt the most pleasing part was being able to help give those granted compassionate exemptions a chance to visit dying relatives while quarantining in Mount Gambier.

“Safety was paramount, police would escort them and stay with them for the time and then bring them back,” he said.

“A lot of these people wouldn’t have seen their loved ones and who doesn’t want to have ability to say goodbye to people that you love.

“We had people here that had brothers dying and they spent their whole lives together. I just can’t fathom not being able to see your dying brother.”

Mr Pratt said was glad the motel could provide guests a comfortable experience given the circumstances and believed being one of the few to provide guests with menu choices had helped.

“A lot of people said they were dreading it and then that the experience was quite good, far better than what they thought it was going to be,” he said.

With the security fences down, the Southgate Motel is now back to business with the first non-quarantine guests arriving on Monday.

“Bookings have been coming through which is pleasing, being that we have no COVID strikes here probably plays a role into that too,” he said.