How to Find the Perfect Accessible Holiday Accommodation
Planning a holiday is always an exciting adventure, but for individuals with disabilities, finding the perfect accessible accommodation can add a layer of complexity to the process. Ensuring your holiday stay is comfortable, inclusive, and well-suited to your needs is crucial for a relaxing and enjoyable trip. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you find the ideal accessible holiday accommodation.
Start with Thorough Research
Begin your search by exploring various online resources that specialize in accessible accommodations. Websites like AccessibleGO, Handiscover, and Airbnb offer filters for accessibility features. Reading reviews from other travellers with similar needs can provide valuable insights.
Identify Essential Accessibility Features
Make a list of your specific accessibility requirements or features you may need this will help when searching for properties, although you look on search engines for accommodation using keywords such as Holidays in England with profiling beds this will not always bring up appropriate results as owners may not list themselves or may not have a website. If you can’t find accommodation with the equipment that you need you could consider hiring the equipment through a third-party company such as Mobility Hire, who rent out accessibility equipment with UK mainland delivery, but be sure to speak to the property owners before arranging any hire to make sure that the property can accommodate outside equipment.
How To Make Sure A Property Is Suitable?
When searching for accessible holiday properties a lot of property owners will provide an extensive collection of photos or videos of the property, some owners will go above and beyond and also include an accessibility statement, this statement is invaluable as it helps identify the key areas where accessibility is needed, this could be something as little as door widths for wheelchair users or know how high a kitchen counter may be for those using them from a seated position.
As good as images and videos are you can’t always judge a property’s features and dimensions from a screen, if you find accommodation that you believe is suitable but are still unsure from the description, images or videos you can contact the property owners who will be more than happy to go over the features with you to make sure that their property is suitable for your needs.
Research The Local Area
You’ve found the perfect property, you’re all booked in, and you turn up at the property to find out that none of the attractions or establishments near you are accessible what do you do?
It’s important to research what is available for you while staying in a different area, you can have a look at websites such as Disabilitydays, Accessable & Euans guide to find accessibility information and reviews of locations throughout the UK.
Use The Power Of Facebook
As wonderful as websites and locations are at providing information there is nothing better than a first-hand review.
You can find local groups where you can ask questions to those who live their everyday life traveling through the locations you are visiting but they may not be able to help with the intricate details needed for those with accessibility needs, this is where dedicated facebook groups come in handy, people just like you go through the everyday struggle of finding accessible accommodation or that perfect day out that can accommodate your needs.
If you are currently looking for answers you can join groups such as:
- Accessible, Adapted or Disabled Holiday Lets, Places to Visit & Days Out UK
- Accessible Holidays And Day Trips
- Holiday home for the disabled and their families
These groups are perfect as not only do they have people also searching for places suitable for their needs but they have property and business owners advertising their locations, it’s the perfect place to find answers to your questions.
Have A Back-Up Plan
While new accessible properties are being created every month across the UK, there are still large areas of the UK without suitable accommodation so be prepared to stay further away from the area that you had planned on visiting.
Be prepared to look in different areas, give yourself a radius in which you may be ready to look away from your chosen destination or pick a few other locations that you would like to visit, this way it gives you a wider range of accessible properties available to you, as stated earlier not all properties are found on search engines if you struggle to find suitable accommodation ask on Facebook or local groups to see if there are any recommendations.
Think about what equipment you may be able to cope without, although this should not be an option sometimes you may need to think, I can deal without having a riser chair if the property has a stand aid or, I can deal with having a bath instead of a wheel-in shower if there is a ceiling hoist, this will give you more freedom and options when finding suitable accommodation.
Conclusion
Finding the perfect accessible holiday accommodation requires careful research and communication. By identifying your needs, using online resources, and confirming details directly with properties, you can ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay. Remember, the goal is to create a holiday experience that is inclusive, relaxing, and memorable. Happy travels!
If you have any questions about any of the information raised in this article or would like some advice please send us a message via the Contact Us page
