Disabled access is a human right and it’s important that people with disabilities are allowed to travel freely. Unfortunately, booking an accessible hotel can be a minefield and there’s lots to consider — from ground-floor rooms to what the spa and pool access is like. To make things easier we’ve rounded up the best hotels with accessible rooms across the UK so you can comfortably make a decision about your future travel plans with confidence.
Main photo: Marriott Hotel, Birmingham
1. The Rosewood, London
My experience of this luxury London hotel was nothing short of perfect. Accessible suites have large rooms with separate living space and bedrooms; beds are lowered so it’s easier to transfer out of a wheelchair and into the bed itself — there’s nothing Rosewood hasn’t thought of when it comes to accessibility. And any visit to The Rosewood is not complete without a trip to its Holborn Dining Room; fully accessible, the dining room claims to be home to the best pies in London.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
Advertisement
2. Bodkin House Hotel, Petty France
Situated in the idyllic Cotswolds, this historical building presents the perfect weekend retreat for couples or friends. Traditional-looking bedrooms that fit with the hotel’s exterior are combined with modern comforts to create a tranquil place to relax and sleep. Fully wheelchair-accessible, this hotel is one of the rare historic buildings that provides access for all needs. There are easy-access bathrooms and staff are more than capable of providing the best experience when staying with a mobility aid. Breakfast and dinner are served in the beautifully rustic restaurant and bar — the fish and chips, gloriously battered and crispy, come highly recommended after a long countryside stroll.
Spa N
Pool N
Price £
3. Marriott Hotel, Birmingham
Located in Edgbaston, the Marriott Hotel in Birmingham is ideally positioned for everything from business meetings in the city to a weekend away shopping with friends. Close to the ICC and the O2 Academy, the hotel has superb rail links meaning your onward journey is as easy as possible. Rooms are fully wheelchair-accessible, with handrails in the bathroom and lowered sinks. A heated indoor pool provides relief for aching limbs and tired bodies and a superb spa offers a multitude of treatments definitely worth indulging in.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
• Best things to do in Birmingham
4. The Hadley Hotel, New Barnet
Advertisement
Situated in the furthest reaches of north London, the Hadley Hotel is an ideal escape from city life without having to travel too far. Free parking at the hotel means no lengthy walks or wheels to access the hotel, instead giving you plenty of space to unpack a mobility aid or take your time in getting to the front door. The bar of the Hadley Hotel is exquisite — low mood lighting and dark features create a great setting to enjoy a negroni or two in. Braille, lowered sinks and higher raised toilets make the Hadley ideal for disabled guests and a spa and beauty parlour on the lower ground floor mean you can spend some time being pampered to perfection.
Spa Y
Pool N
Price £
5. Yotel, Manchester
Formerly known as the QBIC, Yotel is one of the coolest UK hotels I’ve ever come across. Quirky art, trendy lighting and a bar rival some of the best cocktail venues in the city and you’ll find yourself right in the heart of Deansgate in Manchester. For disabled guests, the hotel is wheelchair-accessible with ground-floor access to wheelchair users and lofty rooms to accommodate service animals. Deansgate itself can be slightly tricky to navigate due to old roads and cobblestones, but rest assured that the hotel provides a slick and easy access base whatever your needs may be.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
• Best things to do in Manchester
6. The Caledonian, Edinburgh
Advertisement
Part of the Waldorf Astoria collection, this central Edinburgh hotel is situated in the city’s West End and has superb views over the castle. The hotel spa is one of the best in the country and is accessible and easy to navigate for disabled people. The Guerlain Spa, the first in the UK, provides an array of treatments and staff are more than accommodating to make sure your every need is catered for. When it comes to breakfast, those with allergies and intolerances need not worry as The Caledonian serves a vast array of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £££
• Best things to do in Edinburgh
7. Wivenhoe House, Essex
Situated in the north Essex countryside and in an ideal location for access to the University of Essex, Wivenhoe House is a striking, accessible hotel that offers everything in the way of family retreats to weddings and other events. With gorgeous gardens to walk service dogs and explore the greenery, the hotel has vibrating pillows for guests who are deaf or have visual impairments. Nearby Colchester station is fully wheelchair-accessible but the hotel provides free parking with disabled bays close to the entrance if you would prefer to drive.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
Advertisement
8. The Llawnroc, Cornwall
The Llawnroc is the perfect place for a holiday stay in idyllic Cornwall, being just half an hour from the Eden Project and providing stirring sea views. There are acres of space for service animals and disabled parking means you won’t have to walk or wheel far for access into the hotel. The hotel has two wheelchair-accessible toilets on the ground floor, and large print menus and other literature for those who have sight impairments.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
• Best things to do in Cornwall
9. Leonardo Royal Hotel, London
Within easy reach of accessible stations such as Tower Hill and Liverpool Street, the Leonardo Royal Hotel is fully wheelchair-accessible, with staff unable to do enough for you to cater to your access needs. A glorious spa is the focus point of this hotel, perfect for a relaxing break after a busy day of meetings. A heated indoor pool, sauna, beauty treatments and even virtual golf mean you can enjoy yourself without even leaving the hotel.
Advertisement
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
10. Frensham Pond Hotel and Spa, Surrey
The disabled-access rooms at Frensham Pond in Farnham are roomy and light, creating ease for either manual or electric wheelchair users. Power points by the bed mean electric mobility aids can be easily charged and a fully accessible bathroom with lowered sinks, higher toilets and wet room-style shower make bathing and changing a cinch. Try the prosecco afternoon tea, taken by the water’s edge; there are striking views all year round and service animals will appreciate the space to stretch their legs.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £
11. Maldron Hotel, Belfast
There’s nothing the Maldron Hotel in Belfast hasn’t thought about. Its website details some of the most extensive accessibility information I’ve ever come across, making it easy to plan ahead. From the width of their lifts to lower hanging rails in wardrobes, the hotel caters to every accessibility need and leads the way for other hotels across the country to follow suit. Menus can be displayed in large print, there are raised numbers and braille on lift facilities and baby changing is also available for parents who have accessibility needs.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
• Best things to do in Belfast
12. Celtic Royal Hotel, Gwynedd
Once visited by Queen Victoria, this historical hotel in northwest Wales is truly modern when it comes to wheelchair access. A wheel-in shower and grab rails in the bathroom mean bathing doesn’t get much easier and wheelchair ramps throughout the hotel lend to smooth transitioning around the venue. Service dogs will enjoy mooching around the surrounding gorgeous countryside and you can take a dip in the swimming pool or relax in the sauna before dinner in one of two wheelchair-accessible restaurants.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price £
13. The Dixon, London
The Dixon used to be an old police station but has been converted into a fully wheelchair-accessible, modern hotel right by Tower Bridge. There are two large meeting rooms and staff are more than welcoming when it comes to showing wheelchair users and disabled people around the impressive space — whether you’re there for work or pleasure. Lifts provide access down to the restaurant and charging points in the bar mean electric mobility aids can be charged quickly and easily. The Dixon also goes above and beyond when it comes to allergies and food intolerances.
Spa N
Pool N
Price £££
14. Innside by Melia Newcastle
Perfectly located for all the highlights Newcastle has to offer — the buzzing nightlife, the beautiful quayside and the arts and culture scene — the Innside has fully wheelchair-accessible hotel rooms that include bathrooms with grab rails, lowered sinks, emergency cords and hotel signs and features in braille for those who are blind and partially sighted. Modern and trendy, the rooms come with the option of a striking view of the river Tyne. While the Innside does not have a spa, it does have a gym, which is accessible for disabled guests to use — if you can pull yourself away from the comfortable beds, that is.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
15. Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa, Newmarket
Head to Suffolk to relax at the Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa, where patient staff will help you in any way possible. As well as accessible rooms, there’s an incredible spa offering (including wheelchair-accessible treatment rooms and shower facilities). Stroll around the flower-filled grounds, and starfish later in the huge beds.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
16. Glasshouse Retreat, Upminster
Wellness comes on tap at this accessible detox destination. As well as a pool hoist and wheelchair-accessible facilities, there are in exercise classes that are adapted to your needs; plus there’s a a chance to enjoy some downtime in the spa, which has heated pools and accessible treatment rooms. Given it’s vegan, as well as caffeine and alcohol-free, Glasshouse Retreat is the place to seriously switch off.
Spa Y
Pool Y
Price ££
Take me there
Yet to book your trip? Here are the best places to stay from Mr & Mrs Smith and Expedia.
Sign up for the Times Travel Newsletter here.
