Booking Hotel Accessible rooms

My mother-in-law had a shower chair at home after her stroke.
She could be wheeled in (like in a wheelchair) and found this easier than moving about within the shower - but who in their right mind would take their usual wheelchair into a shower???
Some of these are £1000 or more!

Totally agree…couldn’t believe the customer service relations manager when she said this….am feeling guilty that I m complaining about this when my daughter had done her research but now 2days with me standing and top and tailing

We stayed here with my mother-in-law once for a wedding:
burnhambeecheshotel.com/

It was before her stroke so I wasn't looking for grab rails. She was 100 though and traveling all day to get there so we booked a disability friendly room. It was very spacious and had seats in the shower. We paid the same price as we did for our room.
The staff were all lovely.

I called them to discuss what she needed - not far to walk after a long journey, no steps, somewhere to sit that wasn't the bed... I spoke to people at the actual hotel, not the booking line.

I wouldn't hesitate to go back.
Obviously her needs (in retrospect) were minimal (how little I knew) but I wanted her to have a really lovely stay.
From memory I think the shower had two different types in it.

I booked an accessible room at Milton Keynes Premier Inn a few years ago and it was a complete joke! the only accessible aspect of the room was the wider door leading to the bathroom where there was NO accessible shower - just a regular shower over the bath! The bed was so close to the wall that my wheelchair wouldn’t fit alongside for me to transfer to the bed. The corridors from reception were very narrow and trying together through the room door took several attempts. There was a wheelchair lift to the restaurant……..which didn’t work! And no doors were automatically operated…….they all had to be pulled or pushed manually……try doing that when sitting in a wheelchair!

Bea65 - surely if they expected you to wheel in they should provide a shower chair!

I would write to whoever owns it and tell them how much this is NOT a treat!
Your poor daughter too.

Accessible or not most hotels dont have grab rails if the shower is over the bath it that can make it quite difficult when the bath is higher than the floor, it's such an easy addition.

We have had accessible rooms and I dont remember seats its so easily and cheaply provided

Well after complaining, a freestanding Medicare seat was delivered to room much like the one I have at home-felt ‘normal’ again after having a safe shower …
Think hotels need a wake up call when selling rooms as accessible when they’re not ..

Astitchintime

I booked an accessible room at Milton Keynes Premier Inn a few years ago and it was a complete joke! the only accessible aspect of the room was the wider door leading to the bathroom where there was NO accessible shower - just a regular shower over the bath! The bed was so close to the wall that my wheelchair wouldn’t fit alongside for me to transfer to the bed. The corridors from reception were very narrow and trying together through the room door took several attempts. There was a wheelchair lift to the restaurant……..which didn’t work! And no doors were automatically operated…….they all had to be pulled or pushed manually……try doing that when sitting in a wheelchair!

Horrendous for you .. deters you from going away ..
I’ve stayed at Premier inns in Leeds and London and have to say, the bathrooms were huge and had grabrails around toilet seat etc.. and the height and size of bed was very suitable..

Bea thank goodness!
Now you can relax a little and feel more "yourself"
Excellent news!

I prefer to stay at home, everything is here. A stool in my shower, a raised loo seat and my shower over the bath left around 12 years ago with the bath.

Some entrances have one step which I can't negotiate so it is easier to stay here.

This is what deters me from wanting to go away with my DH who is disabled due to a stroke. He uses a shower stool at home supplied by the OT and has grab rails round the loo as well as other aids around the house. Am just thinking it would be too problematic to risk booking an accessible room only to get there and find out it really isn’t.

I would draw up a list of all the things he uses and call the places you are drawn to to see if they can meet his needs.

Then, if they say yes I'd send an email saying something like

"Dear X Hotel, on Wednesday 17th June I spoke to Y who said you would be able to find suitable accommodation for my husband and I.
I explained that, because of his disability he needs a, b and c. I am just wanting to check that these will definitely be in place for our stay.
If so, shall I make this booking directly with you (the hotel) so that no slip-ups occur to spoil our stay"

This way you have covered sll bases as much as possible.

I hope you get to do it, Fallingstar

I highly recommend the Colwyn Bay Travelodge. It has 2 accessible rooms. The rooms are huge and they have actual wet rooms. Big shower area, fold down seat and fabric shower curtains. Higher toilet seat with grab rails. 1 room is on the ground floor and the other is on the 2nd floor. There is a lift but the main internal doors are very heavy. The Receptionist will come and open them for you. The only downside is that there is no restaurant. I would recommend take a car/taxi as Colwyn Bay is built into a hill. The Welsh Mountain Zoo is well worth a visit, although some paths are very steep.
Gosh, I sound like Tourist Information. hugs

Am in NYC now enjoying part 2 of celebration trip and I have a huge shower room with grab rails and seat..🤩
Also a mini fridge under the basin unit for storing meds or …wine 🤗
haven’t come across a fridge in bathrooms before but very helpful and 😃

The problem with advertising 'accessible' rooms is that people have different versions of what they need, and sometimes hotels are surprised that one size does not suit all.

DianneAngel Thanks for the ‘Tourist Tips’ 🤗