Short answer: do not rely on the word "accessible" on a booking site. Accessibility guides point out that the label means different things at different hotels, so call the hotel, ask specific questions, request recent photos and get the agreed features in a confirmation email. Here are the questions, grouped.
Getting in and moving around.
- Is there a step-free route from the drop-off point or parking to reception, and from reception to the room and the restaurant?
- Is there a lift to the room's floor, and how far is the room from the lift?
- Is there accessible parking close to the entrance?
The room.
- Can we get a ground-floor room, or one near the lift?
- How wide is the room door, and is there space to move around the bed?
- What is the bed height? Hotel beds are often high, which matters for anyone who finds it hard to lift themselves.
- Are twin beds or an interconnecting room available, so a family member can stay next door?
The bathroom, the most important part. Accessibility guides treat the bathroom as the deciding area.
- Is it a walk-in or roll-in shower, or a bathtub?
- Are there grab rails near the toilet and in the shower area?
- Is a shower chair available, fixed to the wall or portable? Can you reserve it in advance?
- Is the flooring non-slip, and what are the toilet and basin heights?
Practical support.
- Can you arrange a wheelchair on request, and early check-in or late checkout for a slower-paced day?
- What happens during a lift failure, alarm or evacuation for a guest with limited mobility?
- Can the kitchen handle simple senior-friendly meals on request?
How to ask. Call rather than only emailing. Ask for measurements and recent photos of the actual room type. Then ask for a confirmation email that lists everything agreed, and reconfirm shortly before arrival, asking that the accessible room not be reassigned. On arrival, walk the route and test the bathroom right away, and report any problem at once.
For your own trips. Booking for parents and want the stay sorted end to end? Send us a trip-planning inquiry and we will line it up.
A Miranda House graduate and lawyer who traded courtrooms for slow travel. Cheshta travels with the batches we host ourselves, with a soft spot for travelling alongside elders.
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