InterContinental Hotels in Beppu

Overall, I felt the hotel was very nicely done with great local touches while still keeping an international atmosphere. I also wanted to point out the great flexibility of the hotel, allowing me to change my meal reservations from 3 dinners at Elements (I was on a package deal) to one at Elements and combining the remaining two meals at Elements to a dinner at Atelier. This allowed me to not have to dine at the same restaurant as well as opening up a slot for me to explore a local restaurant. However, there were two things that I'd like to point out that the hotel can improve upon. The first is the staffing at the club lounge (and in general) is not enough. There were many moments where I was left to wait, to the point where using standard facilities (like the check-in counter, or breakfast at Elements) would have been a more positive experience. Breakfast on 12/21 was where the understaffing really showed, where it took over an hour to complete breakfast; many guests left in the middle of their meal since service was horribly slow. However, the second point us what I would really want the hotel to work on - CoVID countermeasures. Largely, two things I'd like to point out. (1) Temperature screening us inconsistent. I was checked when I first arrived, but never anytime afterwards (or should I say, the thermometer station was unmanned). (2) During my meal at Atelier, my wife and I noticed that the staff (He was Italian, I think his name is Marco?) preparing the dishes (in the open kitchen) prepping a sauce, tasting it with the same spoon which was quickly rinsed it under the faucet and returned into the mixing bowl. I pointed this out to one of the servers (Japanese male, responsible for serving and explaining the dishes). This is where I felt the hotel can improve on - in detail, three things. (i) The Japanese server proceeded to quietly scold the staff in front of me, I felt that was not a great experience both for myself and the staff. (ii) Nothing was cleared. After the scolding (and then the staff responding back that he did not put the spoon back in) none of the utensils were changed and no follow up. I guess there is no trust in what a customer points out. And finally (iii) I felt that this is at the fault of the hotel for not putting in proper operation guidelines.A person putting together a meal will need to taste it, to make sure it's good. If the hotel were to put in operational guidelines to ensure tasting can be done while still making it very obvious that it is hygienic, I would not have to be writing this email. Needless to say, our dinner experience was ruined that night. I actually shared the above comment with IHG Guest Relations (on 25 Dec), which the agent was extremely prompt on getting back to me and assured that I would get a response back from the hotel about it within 48 hours. Unfortunately, the hotel never contacted me. I then asked guest relations again (on 5 Jan) to follow up with th