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Accessibility challenges for disabled travelers
Wheelchair-bound global traveler shares his favourites
By: Michael McGrath
One of my most memorable experiences was staying at the magnificent Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Berlin. I had been invited to speak at a global pharmaceutical convention. I felt - and was - treated like a superstar.
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The room was pure luxury and truly accessible; it was spacious with considerable thought put into the layout to facilitate ease of wheelchair manoeuvring. The bed was the best I’ve slept in to date! It had fabulous quality linen, sumptuous headrest comforters and a splendid pillow menu selection for even the most hypoallergenic sleeper.
The piece de resistance for me was the accessible technology in the room. An illuminated azure touchpad was neatly set into a sliding discreet dark wood drawer, forming part of the polished bedside cabinet. This controlled the many variations of room lighting, the operation of the curtains, the integrated music and TV system, room service and of course an alarm system – perfectly considered for the mobility and visually impaired guest.
Despite the fact I am a wheelchair-bound global traveler, I am passionate, some might say obsessively fanatical, about what I refer to as ‘bathroom moments of truth’. At the Ritz-Carlton, the bathing experience surpassed all my expectations, and those of my wife. The non-slip marble tiles provided a secure base for a safe transfer from my wheelchair on to a cushioned shower seat, positioned thoughtfully for effortless reach to both taps and a shower head that offered a plethora of powerful drenching experiences. I also thought the toilet was wonderful, simply because of the obvious thought and consideration that had been applied, not least in terms of the aesthetic design and grab rails that blended beautifully with the stylish décor of the bathroom environ, but also the spectacular attention to detail in terms of overall cleanliness.
The Mount Wolseley Hilton Hotel, Spa and Country Club in Co Carlow, Ireland, is another favourite of mine. Set amidst the gentle rolling landscape and the meandering River Slaney, this charming resort is an eclectic blend of contemporary design and lavish detail set in glorious, peaceful surroundings. There, they immediately made me feel that I had arrived at home. Similarly, at the Princessa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort in Lanzarote the staff went to the exceptional lengths in providing assistance when entering or exiting the large fresh and seawater pools.
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Sometimes it is very simple. The Waldorf Hilton Hotel in London is a good example of how a top property has embraced the term 'accessibility' in its desire to provide an inclusive service for all its customers. There are deaf alerters, vibrating pillows and induction loops as well as a sensitively constructed glass framed accessible lift in the front lobby.
Michael McGrath is the disABILITY Champion for Hilton Hotels UK and Ireland. A highly successful motivational speaker, he co-founded The Muscular Help Foundation, of which is he Executive Director and Co-founder. A talented sportsman, he was diagnosed with the debilitating muscle wasting disease muscular dystrophy when he was just seventeen years old. Twenty years on, he has lost 65% of his muscle bulk and is in a wheelchair. Despite these challenges, he successfully reached the North Pole in April 2002 and in January 2004 the South Pole in Antarctica, making history by becoming the only disabled person in the world to have conquered both Poles. He is married, with a daughter.
www.musclehelp.com
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