At the Hotel Monterey Group, we strive to ensure that all guests can enjoy their meals with peace of mind, and we make every effort to accommodate food allergies whenever possible. However, because we prepare a variety of ingredients in a shared kitchen environment, it is difficult to completely eliminate all risks related to food allergies. With the safety of our guests as our highest priority, we kindly ask for your understanding and cooperation regarding the following policy.

1. Guests with Severe Food Allergies

For guests with severe food allergies such as those listed below, we respectfully ask, as a general rule, that you refrain from dining at our facility, including use of the breakfast buffet, in order to prioritize your safety.

1. Guests who have previously experienced anaphylactic shock or who have been prescribed an EpiPen
2. Guests who wish to avoid even the slightest possibility of allergen cross-contact

At our facility, a variety of ingredients are handled in the same kitchen and using shared equipment, and we are unable to provide an environment in which allergens are completely excluded. Because even trace amounts may cause severe symptoms, we have determined that it is difficult to guarantee sufficient safety under our current operating conditions. For this reason, we respectfully ask guests with severe food allergies to refrain from using our dining services.

2. Our Approach to Food Allergies

For food allergies reported to us in advance, we will make every reasonable effort, with guest safety as our top priority, to remove the relevant allergen from the primary ingredients used in the dish or substitute alternative ingredients where possible. However, due to limitations in our kitchen environment and preparation process, we cannot guarantee the complete elimination of allergens. Please be sure to inform us of any food allergies at the time of reservation. Requests made shortly before your visit may make it difficult for us to accommodate your request as desired due to safety considerations and ingredient preparation requirements.

Please also note that if changes are requested on the day of dining or new requests are made after preparations have already been completed, additional charges may apply because extra preparation will be required. Depending on preparation status and safety considerations, we may also be unable to fully accommodate your request.

3. Important Information Regarding Our Allergy Policy

We kindly ask for your understanding regarding the following points concerning our facility’s operations and the scope of our allergy accommodations:

• As a general rule, we are unable to accommodate ingredient substitutions requested for reasons other than food allergies, including personal preferences, dietary reasons, or religious reasons.
• Our allergy accommodations are intended solely to help prevent health problems caused by food allergies and to protect the health and safety of our guests.
• In our kitchen, a variety of ingredients — including the nine designated allergenic ingredients (shrimp, crab, walnuts, wheat, buckwheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, and cashews) — are handled in the same preparation environment and using shared equipment.
• Because cooking utensils, equipment, and cooking oil are also shared, it is not possible to completely prevent trace amounts of allergens from unintentionally mixing into food during preparation.
• For these reasons, we may be unable to provide “completely allergy-safe meals” in which all allergens have been removed.

4. Final Decision Regarding Consumption

The final decision regarding whether to consume any food served at our facility rests entirely with each guest. In particular, we ask that you carefully consider the following:

• Please decide whether to consume the food only after fully understanding that, due to the nature of our facilities and kitchen operations, the risk of allergen cross-contact cannot be completely eliminated.
• Please carefully consider the severity of your allergy symptoms and your past experiences. If even a very small amount may cause symptoms, we strongly ask that you do not take unnecessary risks.
• If necessary, we recommend consulting your physician in advance and obtaining professional advice regarding precautions when dining out and whether it is safe for you to consume the food provided.
• If you still have concerns or feel uncertain about safety in any way, we kindly ask that you make a careful decision, including refraining from consuming the menu item in question.

5. Breakfast Information (Buffet Service)

Breakfast at our facility is served buffet-style. Some menu items include allergen labels (pictograms) indicating the presence of the nine designated allergenic ingredients. Please refer to these labels, and if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to speak with a member of our staff. Because shared serving utensils and tableware are used in the buffet area and guests serve themselves, there is a possibility that small amounts of allergens may unintentionally mix in through contact with other dishes or by other means. For guests with severe food allergies, use of the breakfast buffet may involve significant risk. We therefore strongly recommend consulting your physician in advance and considering carefully whether to use the buffet. As a general rule, we respectfully ask guests with severe food allergies to refrain from using the breakfast buffet.