Find Handicapped-Accessible Hotels in the UK

According to recent statistics, the United Kingdom is home to approximately 11 million disabled individuals. In addition, many more handicapped tourists visit the UK every year. So, is it any wonder why the disability law dictates that one in 20 hotel rooms in the UK must be handicapped accessible?

To date, London offers about 1,100 wheelchair-accessible rooms, which seems too few when you consider that between 550,000 and 770,000 disabled individuals use wheelchairs in the UK. Because of that reality, as well as the expected influx of tourists for the 2012 Olympics, the London Development Agency (LDA) is said to be spending $20.6 million to improve facilities. The LDA is encouraging existing hotels and those being constructed to increase their handicapped accessibility, as well.

Know What to Ask When Booking Your Room

When traveling to the UK and requesting a handicapped accessible hotel room, you’ll need to understand what that term “handicapped accessible” actually means. At CheapHotels.org, you can find out which hotels offer the following handicapped accessibilty features. When booking your hotel, ask specific questions such as: “Are the doorways wide enough for a wheelchair? Is there a wheelchair ramp at the main entrance and at the onsite restaurant? Does the shower have grab bars? Is there a roll-in shower that will accommodate wheelchairs? Is there a shower chair available?”

Hotels offer various features for disabled individuals, including:

• Wheelchair accessibility: Refers to the capabilities of a building to offer individuals that utilize a wheelchair or other mobility device the ability to maneuver and access the building without any interference or trouble.
• In-room accessibility: Means that a room can accommodate customers who have disabilities with features such as: widened doorways for wheelchairs, higher toilets, grab bars in the bathtubs, a larger bathroom, etc.
• Special equipment for the deaf and/or blind: Refers to auxiliary aids and services such as: readers, taped texts, TTY telephone, Braille materials, acquisition or modification of equipment within hotel room, and other similar actions.
• Handicapped parking: Means that there are designated parking spaces very close to the hotel and all onsite buildings for disabled individuals to park their cars or vans.
• Roll-in shower: Refers to a shower that is wide enough for a wheelchair to roll into and out of without any hindrance.
  
  Bottom line, you cannot be afraid to make a special request that would make your stay much easier for anyone in your party who has a disability of any kind. If a brighter lamp would help someone with impaired vision, ask to have extra lighting in your room. If you have a blind individual traveling with you, make sure the restaurant and room service menus are available in Braille. Most hotel employees are more than happy to help accommodate your needs.