mikegarside478854
Sept 2025
2
Brilliant location for accessing a range of attractions but not a friendly hotel for wheelchair users
There is accessible car parking in front of the hotel but everyone seems to use it. Accss to the hotel is via a ramp to avoid the steps. You need to have fairly stong arms to manage it.
The staff were really welcoming and helpful. One offered to carry our luggage to our room and everyone tried to help to the best of their ability but the design and state of the hotel didn’t help them
On arrival we were allocated one of two twin bedded accessible rooms with a roll in wet room in the annexe – room 301. The annexe is very quiet being away from the main hotel but you must use two lifts and go along several corridors (one with steps but with a wheelchair lift) to access the room or the hotel facilities. If you are a wheelchair user you need a partner to operate the chair lift. We were given the key so my wife could operate it. It is only up about six sterps. We were also allowed to drive round the back of the hotel and access the room on the correct level. There is accessible parking just out sie the door into the room. Make sure the access pass you are givben works ours didn't. Room 301 was gloomy there being no ceiling lights only 2 bedside lights, a table lamp and a (broken) standard lamp. There is no air conditioning in any of the rooms. The beds were very low only 17 inches high and as a wheelchair user with weak legs I had great difficulty in transferring from the bed to my wheelchair. The wet room was brightly lit and with a nice shower, raised toilet and a wash basin with an indented front so you could get close to it in a wheelchair. However, that evening the hot water was only warm after running it for 10 minutes. We then discovered that the wheelchair lift was broken and the only way to access the rest of the hotel was to drive the car round. I reported these things to the duty manager who was able to repair the lift himself and get the light and water fixed the next day.
The pub restaurant is a well lit area with a range of ‘pub grub’ which is ordered from the central bar or through the app. and served at your table. It was lovely to find that the tables were cleaned with something that did not leave that sticky feel to them. Breakfast is in the same location but you must wait to be seated. Having been bombarded online and in telephone calls from head office to buy food vouchers (which are brilliant) it was disappointing to find that many of the staff appeared not to know how to scan them. Breakfast has a range of hot and cold foods. A very helpful server, Caroline, told us that you could order fried or poached eggs if you asked the server when they seated you -otherwise, it was a slice of scrambled eggs. Caroline also helpfully explained how to get to Toton Lane park and ride for the trams. Breakfast was a stressful meal as workmen started drilling at 08:30 in the morning which was so loud as to defeat conversation. It seemed this had been a feature for some time as the health and wellness centre is being up graded. This was early in September and I think there should be a warning on the web site.
We used the swimming pool which was great with a working hoist on the pool side. If you want o have a quiet swim pick a time when it is adults only. This is especially important if you use a wheelchair as you will be changing in the family changing area. You are expected to change in the shower cubicle (which gets sopping wet) on a bench facing the toilet. This is the only room with grab handles. The shower seat has been set so high on the wall that the seat slopes at about 20 degrees. I am 6’ 4” and could barely touch the ground. I showered and then used one of the family cubicles to dry off but there are no supports in any of them.
The hotel is very close to the Toton Lane park and ride for the trams. These are brilliant totally wheelchair accessible and a day ticket costs £5. The location of the hotel is good for a whole range of attractions but service can be hit of miss and car parking can be an issue.
There is accessible car parking in front of the hotel but everyone seems to use it. Accss to the hotel is via a ramp to avoid the steps. You need to have fairly stong arms to manage it.
The staff were really welcoming and helpful. One offered to carry our luggage to our room and everyone tried to help to the best of their ability but the design and state of the hotel didn’t help them
On arrival we were allocated one of two twin bedded accessible rooms with a roll in wet room in the annexe – room 301. The annexe is very quiet being away from the main hotel but you must use two lifts and go along several corridors (one with steps but with a wheelchair lift) to access the room or the hotel facilities. If you are a wheelchair user you need a partner to operate the chair lift. We were given the key so my wife could operate it. It is only up about six sterps. We were also allowed to drive round the back of the hotel and access the room on the correct level. There is accessible parking just out sie the door into the room. Make sure the access pass you are givben works ours didn't. Room 301 was gloomy there being no ceiling lights only 2 bedside lights, a table lamp and a (broken) standard lamp. There is no air conditioning in any of the rooms. The beds were very low only 17 inches high and as a wheelchair user with weak legs I had great difficulty in transferring from the bed to my wheelchair. The wet room was brightly lit and with a nice shower, raised toilet and a wash basin with an indented front so you could get close to it in a wheelchair. However, that evening the hot water was only warm after running it for 10 minutes. We then discovered that the wheelchair lift was broken and the only way to access the rest of the hotel was to drive the car round. I reported these things to the duty manager who was able to repair the lift himself and get the light and water fixed the next day.
The pub restaurant is a well lit area with a range of ‘pub grub’ which is ordered from the central bar or through the app. and served at your table. It was lovely to find that the tables were cleaned with something that did not leave that sticky feel to them. Breakfast is in the same location but you must wait to be seated. Having been bombarded online and in telephone calls from head office to buy food vouchers (which are brilliant) it was disappointing to find that many of the staff appeared not to know how to scan them. Breakfast has a range of hot and cold foods. A very helpful server, Caroline, told us that you could order fried or poached eggs if you asked the server when they seated you -otherwise, it was a slice of scrambled eggs. Caroline also helpfully explained how to get to Toton Lane park and ride for the trams. Breakfast was a stressful meal as workmen started drilling at 08:30 in the morning which was so loud as to defeat conversation. It seemed this had been a feature for some time as the health and wellness centre is being up graded. This was early in September and I think there should be a warning on the web site.
We used the swimming pool which was great with a working hoist on the pool side. If you want o have a quiet swim pick a time when it is adults only. This is especially important if you use a wheelchair as you will be changing in the family changing area. You are expected to change in the shower cubicle (which gets sopping wet) on a bench facing the toilet. This is the only room with grab handles. The shower seat has been set so high on the wall that the seat slopes at about 20 degrees. I am 6’ 4” and could barely touch the ground. I showered and then used one of the family cubicles to dry off but there are no supports in any of them.
The hotel is very close to the Toton Lane park and ride for the trams. These are brilliant totally wheelchair accessible and a day ticket costs £5. The location of the hotel is good for a whole range of attractions but service can be hit of miss and car parking can be an issue.
