Are you unsure of the most accessible places to stay when travelling? Does the thought of staying anywhere other than your bedroom, where you have all your equipment, panic you?
I'm running an awesome social campaign called "Accessible Travel Week" where you can find hints and tips on how to book your dream holiday...
If you want some solid advice that will make finding your perfect accessible holiday accommodation a lot easier, then click here to watch our video on accessible accommodation to get some more actionable advice (there's even a downloadable guide at the end).
Trust me, there is nothing worse after a long, uncomfortable flight to find out that your "accessible" accommodation has a few "small" steps, a tiny bathroom unable to fit your wheelchair in, and an abnormally high bed.
Ideally, you want to be certain that your accommodation can and will cater for your needs. After all, everyone needs a decent night sleep, especially on holiday, right?
In our video on finding the right Accessible Accommodation for you, you will see examples of what accommodations can do and provide for you, in order to make your stay comfortable, simple and stress-free. You'll also see footage of when I visited Holiday Inn, who allowed me to use their accessible rooms to show the kind of adaptations and equipment you can find in good accessible accommodation (such as a ceiling hoist, accessible bathroom and a shower chair).
To watch our video on accessible accommodation, and find out what you should expect from the right place, and how to make sure you get the right accommodation for you, simply click here.
To increase the chances of your holiday being smooth, easy and simple, here are 3 useful tips:
1- Contact the accommodation prior to your stay. This way you can explain your needs and requirements and get confirmation that the accommodation is fully accessible. This also allows you to ask any questions to put your mind at ease.
2- Separate your must-haves from your nice-to-haves. Of course, we'd love to take everything with us, but frankly that is just not possible. This may mean contacting your accommodation prior to your stay and working out what they have available to you (i.e. they may have a manual hoist available for hire, meaning you won't need to take yours).
3- Create a Plan B. Of course, we hate it when things don't go to plan, but unfortunately in some cases, this does happen. Your equipment may break, the hotel may have promised you a piece of equipment which they can no longer provide, or you may have just forgotten something. Research, find and get details of an equipment hire company before you travel.
It's completely understandable to worry about your accommodation, but follow these 3 simple steps, and you'll decrease the chances of something going wrong.
Don't let the fear of things not going the way you planned put you off visiting your dream destination, because the chances are, you will have a stress-free and relaxing holiday.
Martyn
CEO & Co-Founder of Disability Horizons
Co Founder Accomable