Polo Towers – Las Vegas, Nevada

Posted on September 16, 2016 by papawheelieblog

We stayed in a wheelchair accessible room at the Polo Towers for the first time many years ago and recently stayed again for one week in August of 2016.

THE GOOD

The Polo Towers is conveniently located right on the strip between the MGM Grand and Planet Hollywood. There were lots of places to eat in front of the Polo Towers in a Hawaiian market of sorts, including a popular Chili’s restaurant.

Our room was a two bedroom, two bathroom unit with a living room, sofa bed, full kitchen, kitchenette and two balconies. One bedroom and one bathroom were fully wheelchair accessible.

Accessible Bedroom

Accessible Bathroom

Wheel-In Shower with Built-In Shower Bench

Wheel-Under Sink in Accessible Bathroom

There was a handle on the bathroom door to make it easier for people with limited upper body mobility to shut the door.

For Closing the Pocket Door on the Accessible Bathroom

There was a door in between the second bedroom and the main living area that could be closed or locked for additional privacy. The bed in the second bedroom was a murphy bed, so it could be folded up to create additional living space. There was a small kitchenette on this side and a second bathroom (the door was wide enough to get in, but the bathroom itself was not accessible).

Second Bedroom, Murphy Bed

Second Bathroom – Not Accessible

Second Bathroom Shower – Not Accessible

Kitchenette in Second Bedroom

The kitchen in the main living area was modified with lower counter tops and a wheel-under sink.

Kitchen with Wheel-Under Sink and Lower Countertops

There was a Room Valet panel on the wall in the accessible bedroom, living room and accessible bathroom with several cool features. You could turn it on to receive visual alerts when the phone rang, when the doorbell was pushed, for a wake-up call or when the fire alarm went off. You could also set the bed to vibrate for these same alerts (I know what you’re thinking but this would be really handy if you were sleeping and couldn’t see the visual alerts!).

Each room had a closet, a dresser, TV, in-room safe and coffee maker.

Main Closet

The entire hotel was accessible, including the entrances, exits, main lobby, washrooms on the main floor, fitness area, splash park and the roof-top pool area. There was a large cold pool and a smaller hot tub. Both pools were equipped with a lift.

Cold Pool Lift

Hot Tub Lift

View of Pool Area – Hot Tub is in the Back Behind the Blue Cabanas

There was an observation deck at the end of the pool area that was up a few stairs, however, there was an ADA lift so that people who could not climb the stairs could still get up to look around. This space provided a beautiful view of the strip at night!

ADA Lift to Access the Observation Deck

There was an amazing splash park in the back of the hotel, which was great for kids of all ages. Because of the shape of the hotel, the splash park stayed shaded all day long, which was perfect for everyone. Even though it was 40 degrees Celsius outside, the temperature in the splash park was quite comfortable. There was a shallow kiddie pool, sprayers, a play structure with slides and lots of room to run around. For the parents, there were several comfortable loungers along the sides, tables and chairs and a vending machine.

Play Structure

Kiddie Pool

Sprayers

There was no casino at this hotel. For some, this might be considered a drawback, but for us it meant a much quieter place to retire to and a smoke-free environment to walk through and sleep in each night.

I cannot forget to mention that his hotel had free laundry machines on every other floor! I walked up one floor and had full access to the machines for as long as I needed them. There was enough laundry soap provided in our room for one load and there was a vending machine in the laundry room from which additional soap could be purchased.

THE BAD

The view from our room was facing the front of the building, which was not a great view. We could see people coming and going and see the MGM Grand in the distance but otherwise there wasn’t much to look at.

Our room did not have a bathtub. The accessible bathroom had a huge wheel-in shower and the other bathroom had a shower as well (note that the glass door on the other shower didn’t open or close properly, which was a bit dangerous for the kids). We managed fine but I really prefer hotel rooms that have a bathtub for the kids.

The kitchen was not set up for guests with kids. The knives and all of the sharp implements were located in a cupboard that was very easily accessible for small people. As soon as we discovered this, we had to empty out the cupboards and move all of the sharp things to the top of the counter!

Yikes! Not a Great Location for Knives When Kids are Around!

The Wi-Fi in this hotel was atrocious! They provided us with a password and log-in information for the free Wi-Fi when we checked in but the signal strength was terrible and every time we lost the connection, we would have to go through the log-in process all over again. It was so unbelievably bad it was practically unusable.

My husband got stuck in the lift between the pool area and the observation deck one night. He got part-way up and then it stopped working. He was able to access the emergency phone to call the hotel staff and I pulled the emergency release button to get him back down to the ground. The hotel sent a maintenance crew up and they worked on it for about 30 minutes to get the lift up and running again.

THE UGLY

The furnishings in our unit could have used an update. The couch in the living room, in particular, had a panel on the front that kept falling off exposing a bunch of sharp staples that little people could easily scratch themselves on. I kept trying to re-attach it to the couch but had little success.

Living Room Furniture was Old and Outdated

This Panel Kept Falling Off the Couch Exposing a Bunch of Sharp Nails and Staples

One of the toilets in our room was not working properly. It stopped flushing several times and we would have to call the front desk to request that someone in maintenance come and fix it. The first time this happened, we had just gotten back to our room and had a message on our machine saying that housekeeping noticed that one of the toilets wasn’t flushing properly and to call if we wanted maintenance to come and fix it. So what did we do? Naturally, we tried flushing the toilets. The one in the accessible bathroom overflowed everywhere and covered the bathroom floor in water. We called down to request that someone come and fix it and despite the fact that it was leaking everywhere, they said it would take about 30 minutes to get someone to our room (this was about 10pm). They did send someone up with a bunch of towels though!

OVERALL

I would definitely stay at the Polo Towers again. I think most of the bad elements were specific to our room and we probably would not have that same experience again. The proximity to the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood was a bonus and the splash park was unbeatable for the kids. They started every day running around in there and had so much fun.

The hotel was clean and quiet and our room was huge considering what you would get at a normal hotel in Vegas. The two bedrooms worked out great and having two bathrooms and a kitchen was ideal. I think Polo Towers is a great option, particularly if travelling to Vegas as a family.

Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel – Calgary, Alberta

Posted on October 2, 2015 by papawheelieblog

This hotel is located in the downtown core at 110 9th Avenue SE. I stayed at this hotel many times as a child when it was operated under a different chain and I had fond memories of it, so we decided to stay here with our kids in September of 2015. The hotel recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation in the spring of 2015 so I thought now would be a good time to check it out.

THE GOOD

The location of this hotel was great – right across the street from the Calgary Tower and accessible to the Calgary Convention Centre and the Glenbow Museum. There were shops and restaurants nearby and you could easily walk to the LRT from this hotel.

The staff at the hotel, for the most part, was very pleasant and friendly.

The nightly rate at this hotel was very reasonable. We paid $130 for one night while many of the surrounding hotels go for about $200 a night.

There were blackout blinds in the room that were operated by pushing a button on the wall. Needless to say, the kids had fun pushing those buttons and watching the blinds go up and down.

View of the Room and the Blinds

When you swiped your card to get into the room, the door opened on its own. This is really nice for wheelchair users as you don’t have to try to manoeuver on the carpet to open the door. There was also a button on the inside that you could push to open the door when you leave the room – very convenient.

Button on Inside of Door

Visually, the decor of the hotel and the look of the rooms was appealing. The layout of the bathroom inside the room was good and there was a true wheel-under sink, a wheel-in shower with built-in bench and a toilet with one grab bar.

Wheel-Under Sink With Good Clearance

Toilet With Grab Bar

Wheel-In Shower With Built-In Shower Bench

Room Had a TV, Mini-Fridge, Iron, Ironing Board and In-Room Safe

View From Our Room – 3rd Floor

The hotel had a fitness room on the third floor that could be accessed by someone in a wheelchair (this was at the bottom of the steps that led up to the pool). There was an accessible bathroom outside of the fitness area.

Fitness Room – 3rd Floor

Free Weights – No other Accessible Equipment

Bathroom Located Outside of Fitness Area

THE BAD

Ok… get ready…

The accessible hotel room we stayed in on the third floor smelled like sewage. As soon as we walked in, the smell hit us like a ton of bricks. It seemed to emanate from the drain in the bathroom but, regardless of where it came from, it smelled disgusting and it was really difficult to ignore.

We requested two cribs when we booked this room and they told us it would be no problem. When we checked in, they told us they had no record of the request on the reservation and that they likely didn’t have any cribs available, let alone two of them. I told them that they would need to let me know because if they didn’t have cribs, we would have to stay elsewhere. The person checking us in assured me that they would find some cribs for us and bring them up to the room. By the time we got back to our room after dinner, there were still no cribs. We called down to the front desk and they again told us that they had no cribs. We told them they would need to find some or re-locate us to a different hotel and they again assured us that they would find some. At about 10:30 pm, waaaaaay past the kids’ bedtime, they brought two playpens from a hotel across the street (Hotel Le Germaine) and it took me and the staff member who brought them about 30 minutes to assemble them (the rails weren’t locking properly).

We checked out on a Sunday morning and the standard hotel check-out time was at noon. Starting at about 9 o’clock, housekeeping began knocking on our door asking what time we would be leaving. They knocked a total of 3 times between 9 and 10:30 asking when we would be gone before I finally told them that we would be there until we left and asked them to stop knocking on our door. Luckily we were already awake but I would have been really angry if that had been my one chance to sleep in.

There is no self-parking at this hotel. You can drive around and find a public parking lot or pay for the valet parking that is available at the hotel.

THE UGLY

And… it gets worse…

When I went to shower in our room, I noticed something all over the walls of the shower. I got in to take a closer look and – yep – it was hair! Long pieces of black hair left behind by the last hotel guest. If the housekeeping staff didn’t even see this it definitely makes you wonder what else in the room was not cleaned…

Not My Hair! Yuck!

The pool and fitness centre were located on the third floor. The pool was up a flight of stairs but there was a lift for wheelchair users for access to the pool area. We called the front desk from our room and they sent someone up to operate the lift.

Lift to Access Pool Area

When we got up to the pool area, I have to say, I was shocked by the condition of the pool. The entire swimming pool was covered with a slimy pool liner and there was about a 2-inch strip of grime along the waterline all the way around the pool.

View of the Pool

Here’s a Closer Look – Note the Grime Along the Waterline

The steps into the pool had obvious signs of mould on them.

These Are the Steps Leading into the Pool. Gross.

The kids wanted to go in, so I took them for a quick dip and I kept getting big chunks of hair stuck on my hands – disgusting!! I honestly felt like I was jeopardizing my health by being in that pool. The hot tub was better than the pool but it was difficult to enjoy the entire area given its state of repair.

Hot Tub

The front desk staff told us to call the emergency phone when we were ready to go back to our room and they would send someone up to operate the lift for us but – SURPRISE – the emergency phone at the pool area did not work. I had to walk down to the fitness centre to find a working telephone. If I hadn’t been there, my husband would have been pretty much screwed.

Trip Down the Stairs

As soon as we got to the hotel I started coughing, my nose was running and I was sneezing like crazy. I figured all of the travelling had finally caught up to me and that I was getting sick. Interestingly though, as soon as we left the hotel, I was completely fine – no sneezing, no runny nose, no coughing… Something at this hotel had a major effect on my allergies, which rarely flare up anymore. You could smell a lot of things in the air here between the sewer smell and some type of chemical smell which seemed to be coming out of the carpets. I have never stayed anywhere before where this was an issue but it is clearly an issue here. Anyone with allergies should beware!

OVERALL

I can sum up this hotel in one word – RUN!!! Multi-million dollar renovation or not, this still needs a ton of work and, in my opinion, it is not worth risking your health to stay here.

Days Inn & Suites – Strathmore, Alberta

Posted on September 26, 2015 by papawheelieblog

We have stayed at this hotel multiple times over the years and have found it to be a clean, comfortable and convenient choice. It is located at 400 Ranch Market on the southern side of Strathmore, just off of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). The hotel is right next to Walmart and a host of other shops and restaurants. Our latest stay at this hotel was in August of 2015.

THE GOOD

The wheelchair accessible rooms we have stayed in have always been located on the ground floor. They come with a king-sized bed, wheel-in shower with a portable shower bench, wheel-under sink (kind of) and a toilet with grab bars. The rooms also have a mini-fridge, microwave, iron and ironing board, tv, desk and a chair for lounging in.

King-Sized Bed

Toilet With Grab Bars

Wheel-In Shower with Portable Shower Bench

Wheel-Under Sink

Desk and Corner of Hotel-Supplied Crib

The room rate comes with an extensive free breakfast which includes hot breakfast options (eggs, bacon, etc.) as well as cereal, toast, muffins, fruit, yogurt, etc.

The hotel has a great pool and hot tub. There is also a waterslide in the pool area that is perfect for kids (young and old). The slide isn’t too fast, so even the little kids enjoy it. There is a large, shallow platform in one end of the pool for the really little ones to sit and splash around in.

There is ample parking at this hotel, with accessible parking spots located right beside the door.

THE BAD

The wheel-under sink in the accessible room is almost wheel-under. They had the right idea, but the bottom part of the sink is just a touch too low for my husband’s legs to get under. It might be okay for you if your chair is lower than his.

Low Clearance Under the Wheel-Under Sink

We have never had an issue requesting two cribs and getting them at this hotel, but the cribs they have are very small and they are hard metal. This is good for sanitary reasons (assuming they are wiped clean after each use) but they are not very comfortable for sleeping.

THE UGLY

I haven’t noticed anything ugly about this hotel.

OVERALL

Every time we have stayed here, we have found the staff to be pleasant and accommodating. The rooms are clean and relatively comfortable and the location is easy to access off of the highway. The price for one night is reasonable in the $130-$140 range. Considering that the room rate includes a great free breakfast and the hotel has a nice pool with hot tub and waterslide, this remains one of the best places to stay in Strathmore.

Norwegian Epic – Norwegian Cruise Line

Posted on January 10, 2015 by papawheelieblog

We sailed on this boat for two weeks in October of 2010 when it was only a few months old. It was the third largest cruise ship in the world at that time, but has since been bumped down to the fourth largest cruise ship in the world (the top three all belong to Royal Caribbean).

Norwegian Epic

On our cruise, the ship left from the pier in Miami, Florida. The first week, we stopped in: Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico before heading back to Miami. The second week we stopped in: St. Maarten; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas and then returned again to Miami. We had a balcony suite on the very back of the boat.

THE GOOD

The Norwegian Epic is a HUGE ship, which we thought was good because there were so many things to do. Once everyone got settled in, we didn’t notice that there were approximately 4000 people on board.

We stayed in a wheelchair accessible room at the very back of the boat. We wanted the back of the boat because we thought it would offer the best view. When sailing away from the ports, we got to take in all of the scenery and the views of the sunsets were out of this world.

Beautiful Views of the Sunsets from Our Room at the Back of the Boat

Our Room Was in the Middle Just Above the Big Rectangular Window

Our room was quite large compared to the non-accessible rooms on the boat. There was ample room to wheel around. The bed was a king-sized bed and it was very comfortable. The decor on this boat was very tasteful (some boats have a lot of crazy colours but this was very modern).

Wheelchair Accessible Room on Norwegian Epic

Wheelchair Accessible Balcony Suite at Back of the Boat

The balcony could easily be accessed in a wheelchair as they built a small wooden ramp on the outside to create a smooth transition.

Outside on Balcony – Small Ramp to Ease Transition

The bathroom in our room was very compact (as all of them are on the boat) but it had everything we needed. The shower and toilet were in a separate room of their own. The toilet came equipped with grab bars on all sides of the toilet (and behind) and a plastic, raised toilet seat. The shower was small but functional and had a built-in shower bench that folded up and out of the way when not in use. The shower controls could easily be accessed by someone sitting on the shower bench.

Toilet in Accessible Room on Norwegian Epic

Toilet in Wheelchair Accessible Room on Norwegian Epic

The sink was outside in the main area of the room, which was nice as it could be used even if someone was in the bathroom. It was small but it was wheel-under. The height of the counter was good for those in wheelchairs (although basin-type sinks can be trickier to use when you can’t stand over them).

Wheel-Under Sink

Those who have been on cruises before will know that cruise ships are a great way for those with mobility issues to travel. They are generally completely accessible and the Norwegian Epic is no different. Other than some of the activities on the boat (rock climbing wall, waterslides, etc.), there was no area of the ship that was not accessible. Even at the back of the boat, where the main elevators didn’t run, we located a wheelchair lift that gave us access to every level.

Wheelchair Lift at the Back of the Norwegian Epic

Wheelchair Lift

There were several pools and several hot tubs on this boat and one pool and one hot tub were equipped with a pool lift.

Pool With Lift

Hot Tub With Lift at the Back of the Boat

The other pools could be accessed by someone in a wheelchair if you felt comfortable bouncing down into the water. The other hot tubs could not be accessed as they were all raised and required the ability to navigate a number of stairs.

View of Additional Pools

Access Into Other Hot Tubs Was Via Stairs

Access Into Other Hot Tubs Required Ability to Navigate Stairs

The main areas of the Norwegian Epic were all accessible. Most cruise ships have very narrow hallways but, on this ship, they were not too bad. The only real problem we ran into navigating the hallways was trying to get around the housekeeping carts in the middle of the day.

Hallways

The buffet area was huge and could easily be navigated in a wheelchair.

Buffet Area

The food on the Norwegian Epic was amazing. Norwegian Cruise Line does freestyle cruising, which means you can eat whenever you want. The food at the buffet was exceptional and there was always a good selection available. A few of the specialty restaurants required reservations, but for the rest of the eating establishments, no reservations were required. The specialty restaurants not only had good food but they offered beautiful views. They were definitely worth experiencing. The food served on the Norwegian Epic was far better than anything we have experienced at an all-inclusive resort.

There were a lot of activities available on this boat. The evening entertainment included a magic show, comedy show, dinner theatre, dance party, the Blue Man Group show, impersonator show (Legends), movie night, sports night, etc. During the day, there were pool activities, waterslides, a rock climbing wall, ping pong, an arcade, a bowling alley, a basketball court, a climbing cage, etc. There was a huge gym on the boat, a walking/jogging track and a spa. Really, I wish we had had more days at sea so we could have spent more time exploring and relaxing on the boat.

Larger Rock Climbing Wall

Shorter Rock Climbing Wall

Waterslides

Basketball Court (This Was Taken on a Rainy Day. Most Days it Was Really Hot up There).

Video Arcade

Kiddie Pool Area and Waterpark

THE BAD

Although the size of the boat was a good thing for us, as we were on it for two weeks and we never got bored, it could be a bad thing if you have a hard time getting around. Cruise ships are primarily carpeted (with the exception of the pool deck and buffet area) and it can be really tiring wheeling down long hallways when you have to wheel on carpet. Given the size of this boat, you could be faced with having to make quite a trek to the buffet area or to one of the specialty restaurants depending on where you are coming from. This is something to keep in mind. Sometimes we went up to the pool deck to make our way to the other side of the boat just because it was easier and quicker to wheel across the floor on that deck.

There was a casino on this boat, which is a good thing for most people. We aren’t much into gambling so we don’t give it much thought either way. The only thing that did bother us was the smoke emanating from the casino at night. It was really strong on that floor and wafted up to the floor above it as well. They did make a real effort to use deodorizers and air purifiers but the smoke around the casino area was noticeable.

Casino

We had one unusual experience on this trip that has never happened to us before. While the boat was sailing, a bird flew into our room through the balcony door and we couldn’t get it out! It resulted in some hilarious antics on our part, and eventually we were able to help it find the door again, but we spent a few crazy hours ducking and diving and running around the room trying to convince it to go back outside.

Bird That Decided to Join Us in Our Room

For the second week of our cruise we had an issue with the heating and cooling system in our room. The ventilation system was continually blowing hot air. Given that the temperatures outside were extremely hot and humid, this got to be very uncomfortable. They tried multiple times to fix it and ended up having to order a part, which they were able to pick up at a port on our second last day on the boat.

By far, the worst part of this boat was the vibration and noise it made when it docked at the ports. I am not sure if this could only be heard or felt at the back of the boat, but we would be sleeping soundly early in the morning and when the ship began docking at a port (usually around 7am, but sometimes earlier) the whole room would start to shake and the boat would make a horrible noise. It was so unbelievably loud that it was impossible to sleep. We are not morning people at all and every day that we were not at sea, we could count on this rude awakening.

THE UGLY

We had a really strange room steward for the two weeks that we were on the boat. When he noticed that my husband’s tires were leaving marks on the new carpets in the room, he taped white plastic all over the carpet with duct tape to help protect it. He seemed much more concerned about the cleanliness of the carpet than about how crazy it looked or how it would make my husband feel. I am sure he was trying to avoid having to shampoo the carpets at the end of our stay, which was totally understandable, but when we came back to our room and saw the plastic everywhere it kind of made us feel like we were in a contamination zone.

THE PORTS

If you go on this same itinerary, you might want to know a little bit about the accessibility at the ports.

Costa Maya – There was very little to see at the stop in Costa Maya and it was insanely hot there. There were some shops right at the port where we wandered around but they had the usual souvenirs. You would have to look for an accessible excursion here if you wanted to see something interesting.

Roatan – Roatan was relatively accessible, however, we felt pretty unsafe walking around there. We left the shopping area at the pier as we wanted to find some local crafts, but after walking through several dark, back-alley shops and being followed and harassed by small children needing money, we made a quick exit back to the boat.

Cozumel – Cozumel was great for accessibility and it was a fun stop. We had a really good day there walking around and were able to see lots of different places and do a ton of shopping for family back at home.

St. Maarten – St. Maarten was fairly inaccessible. We were able to get on a water taxi to the downtown area so that we could walk around a little bit but there was a lot of cobblestone, very narrow sidewalks and a lot of uneven pavement.

St. Thomas – We were unable to get any form of accessible transportation in St. Thomas or find anyone willing to take us on a tour so we spent the day wandering around the shops at the port. There were quite a few shops there, but nothing overly exciting.

Nassau – We were not able to find a wheelchair accessible cab in Nassau but the cab drivers were all willing to help carry my husband into their vans. We took a cab over to Atlantis and walked around there for most of the day. Beware that it is crazy expensive there but it was fun to see. We also explored the straw market in Nassau, which was a little tough to navigate in the wheelchair due to narrow aisles, but it was a good place to shop and chat with local people.

Miami – Miami was very accessible. We took a cab to South Beach and enjoyed walking up and down Ocean Drive. We were surprised to find that there were mats laid out along the beach for wheelchair access and there were beach chairs available at the Beach Patrol Office. We wished we had had more time there so we could have spent more time on this beautiful beach.

Wheelchair Beach Access in Southbeach, Miami

OVERALL

For wheelchair users, you can’t go wrong on a cruise. It is a great way to see more of the world with very little hassle. No matter how inaccessible the various ports might be, you always get to go back to your room at night and you know that you have what you need there.

The real luxury of a cruise is that no matter what type of vacation you like to have, whether you like to be busy and see everything and try every activity or whether you like to sit on a lounge chair in the sun sipping on drinks all day long, you can do it on a cruise. There is truly something for everyone.

Hotel Le Germain Calgary – Calgary, Alberta

Posted on November 22, 2014 by papawheelieblog

We stayed at this hotel in December of 2011 for my sister’s wedding. It was a beautiful hotel with a very unique style. The wheelchair accessible room was large and well-equipped for anyone with mobility issues.

THE GOOD

The decor at Hotel Le Germain Calgary is very modern and you can tell that they have put a tremendous amount of thought into the design. The room felt more like a trendy apartment than a hotel room.

Our wheelchair accessible room came with two queen beds, a desk area, a flat-screen TV, and a huge closet area. I’m not sure why I thought this in the dead of winter, but I recall being tremendously excited that the windows actually opened.

Two Queen Beds, Desk Area and Flat Screen TV

The bathroom in our room was huge and had a toilet with grab bars, wheel-under sink and wheel-in shower. The fixed shower head was a cool rain-shower type shower head but a wheelchair user would likely need to use the handheld shower head closer to the controls.

Wheel-Under Sink and Wheel-In Shower

The suspended toilet seat was a bit different but had grab bars both behind and beside the toilet seat. If you travel with a padded toilet seat, I’m not sure that it will fit on this design, but you could rent a commode from one of the many healthcare stores in Calgary, if necessary (most will drop off and pick up any rented equipment at your hotel if you ask them).

Toilet with Grab Bars

At the entry of the hotel room, there is a huge walk-in closet area. The rods are lower and within easy reach for someone in a wheelchair. Given that we were here for a wedding, it was really nice to have a lot of room for hanging up our dressy clothes and a lot of space to get ready in.

Closet Area – Lowered Closet Rods for Easy Access

The lounge area near the lobby of the hotel, Central 899, has a very cool atmosphere. They have beautiful, modern lighting and comfortable chairs and it stays pretty busy there for a hotel lounge.

The hotel is right in the heart of downtown Calgary. It is within walking distance of the Calgary Tower, the EPCOR Centre for the Performing Arts, the Glenbow Museum, the TELUS Convention Centre, and Stephen Avenue. You will have no trouble locating nearby accessible shopping, restaurants, cafes and bars.

THE BAD

One unfortunate detail about this hotel is that the lounge area on the main floor, Central 899, is down about four steps and there is no wheelchair access to this area. You will have to ask for assistance to bounce down into this space if you want to have a drink here or hang out with friends.

The parking situation in downtown Calgary is always bad, but at this hotel there is no good place to stop to unload your vehicle. You really have no choice but to use the valet parking service as otherwise you are stuck trying to unload on the side of a very busy street.

THE UGLY

There is definitely nothing ugly about this chic hotel.

OVERALL

This is a beautiful hotel right in the heart of downtown Calgary. They have clearly spared no expense on the design of the hotel. The rooms are well-equipped and stylish in the sense that the accessibility features blend seamlessly with the overall design. The hotel itself would be perfect in terms of accessibility if the lounge area on the main floor was also wheelchair accessible.

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Rancho Mirage, California (Palm Springs) – Westin Mission Hills Resort Villas

Posted on October 18, 2014 by papawheelieblog

We stayed in a one bedroom, one bathroom villa at this resort for a week in 2010. We had never been to Palm Springs before but had heard good things about the shopping. We booked this place without knowing anything about it, just hoping it would be okay, and we were very happy with what we saw when we arrived.

THE GOOD

If you are looking for wheelchair accessible accommodations in Palm Springs, there are probably lots of nice places to choose from. We chose the Westin and found it really exceeded our expectations. The unit we stayed in was unit 3819, a non-smoking unit on the main floor. There was parking for our rental car right outside of our unit.

We entered the unit into the kitchen but there was a stackable washer and dryer just inside the doorway off to the side (super convenient!). The kitchen was accessible, complete with a wheel-under sink, and had a fridge, dishwasher, stove and microwave.

Accessible Kitchen

Wheel-Under Sink in the Kitchen

The kitchen led into the dining room area, where there was a table that seated six people. It wasn’t a huge space, but it was big enough that a wheelchair could get around the table and the table was high enough that a wheelchair could get underneath.

Dining Room Area

The living room area was beside the dining room. It had lots of seating, a TV and a fireplace. The couch in the living room was a pull-out sofa, so this room could sleep four if two people wanted to use the sofa bed.

View of Living Area from the Door

Living Room and Fireplace

The living room patio doors opened out onto the private deck area. There was a patio table with chairs and a barbecue outside on the deck. The bedroom also had patio doors that opened out onto the deck. Both sets of doors in the below picture were connected to our unit.

Outside View of our Main Floor Unit

View From Our Patio

The bedroom was comfortable and a good size. There was a king-sized bed, a TV and a fireplace in the bedroom. There was also a large closet next to the door that has lowered railings for ease of use.

Bedroom with King-Sized Bed

Closet in Bedroom with Lowered Railing

The bathroom in this unit was really something. I always love places that have both a wheel-in shower and a bathtub and this one had both and both were nice! The wheel-in shower had a built-in shower bench which was close enough to the controls that a wheelchair user could use them on their own.

Wheel-In Shower with Built-in Shower Bench

The jetted bathtub was huge and one nice feature is that you could watch TV from the bathtub if you opened up the shutters in between the bathtub and the bedroom.

View From the Bathtub

There were two wheel-under sinks in the bathroom and a toilet with two grab bars. The mirror over the counter was the perfect height for wheelchair users and able-bodied users. Overall this bathroom was perfectly equipped for wheelchair accessibility.

Two Wheel-Under Sinks and Bathtub

Toilet with Grab Bars

The outside grounds at this resort were really beautiful and well-maintained. Everything was green and there were fountains and little ducks everywhere. The pathways around the resort were all paved and easy to wheel on. There were a few wooden bridges that went over top of the water areas, but they were flat bridges and could be easily navigated in a wheelchair.

Beautiful Fountains Everywhere

Beautifully Manicured Grounds

The pool area was large and we found it easy to find a spot to sit in the shade. There was a pool lift at the pool. We didn’t make use of it, but we did see it and if you look in the back of the middle of the below picture, you might be able to see it. There was a really cool hot-tub area here too hidden inside some rocks and we made use of that even though there was no lift for the hot tub. We asked for help to get in and out and the other guests were more than happy to assist.

Relaxing Pool Area – With Pool Lift

While in Palm Springs, we took in the shopping at the outlet mall (Desert Hills Premium Outlets) and in the El Paseo Shopping District. Both areas were accessible and easy to get around in. The outlet mall is absolutely massive, so do take note of where the washrooms are as there aren’t that many and they seem hard to find when you need them. El Paseo was fun to walk around in but is very expensive.

We also took in the Palm Springs Street Fair or VillageFest, which takes place every Thursday night. There was a ton of food, artwork, crafts and entertainment and it was a fun atmosphere. This is definitely worth doing in order to see a lot in a short amount of time.

I also have to mention that we ate at a Mexican restaurant called La Casita, which was arguably some of the best Mexican food we have ever had. The decor leaves a lot to be desired, but the food is amazing. This place is definitely worth looking up if you are in the area.

THE BAD

We had never been to Palm Springs before and had no idea what to expect. Now, having been there, I feel like there isn’t a lot to do there other than shopping and golf. The outlet mall is good but it is really too large to explore in one day. There are definitely some deals to be had, but trying to see it all is pretty exhausting.

We don’t golf, so we failed to appreciate the beauty of the multitude of golf courses here.

There aren’t a lot of restaurants or shops close by to this resort. You definitely need to have a rental car if you are staying here. There is a restaurant by the pool at the resort but it is only open select hours and the food is just so-so. You will find lots of restaurants and grocery stores in Palm Springs, but you will need to drive there.

The location of this resort is very quiet, but it isn’t right in Palm Springs. It is about a 15 minute drive from the airport and from downtown Palm Springs. It takes about 30 minutes to drive to the outlet mall, although it’s a very easy highway drive to get there.

Wide Highway on the Way to the Outlet Mall

Wind Turbines All Along Highway

THE UGLY

There was nothing ugly about this resort.

OVERALL

Overall, this resort is a beautiful, wheelchair accessible place to escape to. If you enjoy shopping, golfing or gambling, there are lots of attractions here to keep you occupied. Otherwise, you can take in the scenery, relax by the pool, enjoy the hot temperatures and try some good local restaurants.

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Excellence Riviera Cancun – Puerto Morelos, Mexico

Posted on October 6, 2014 by papawheelieblog

We stayed at the Excellence Riviera Cancun for 1 week in mid-March of 2012 in a wheelchair accessible swim-up room. We stayed in Room 1002 in Building 1 and the swim up rooms there were very private.

THE GOOD

I feel torn writing this review because for those not in wheelchairs, this is a very beautiful resort with a lot going for it. The food was really excellent – probably better than at any resort we have stayed at in Mexico or elsewhere. I really enjoyed that they had a lot of healthier and vegetarian alternatives. The buffet was full of fresh fruit and salad and there were tons of salad toppings. There were also healthier alternatives available on the menus and they tasted very good. There was 24-hour room service with decent food and none of the restaurants required reservations.

The pools were very nice, the rooms were clean and there was a (very) mini bar in our room that got stocked with water, pop, beer and a few chocolates each day. All of the staff were pleasant and willing to assist. The sand on the beach was amazing. It was fine, fine white sand that a lot of people said was just like Cuba.

Beautiful White Sand on the Beach

The resort felt very safe although guests did not have to wear wrist bands and the beach was open to the public. There was entertainment every night and most afternoons and the hotel provided a sheet every day of the next day’s activities, restaurant hours, etc.

Theatre for Entertainment

There were lots of people at this resort who had stayed here before, so they must be doing something right.

In terms of accessibility, there was an accessible bathroom outside near one of the pools and inside near the main bar. There were tennis courts you could access in a wheelchair if you were able to travel over a little bit of cobblestone. There was a big gym that you could get around in as long as you could get over a small step at the door. You could get in to the spa area in a wheelchair (although I’m not sure about the treatment rooms). The three stores/shops were accessible and all of the restaurants, other than the Basmati restaurant, were accessible. Although they do not have a pool lift, there was a ramp into one of the pools, which might be helpful if you have a chair with which you can wheel in to the water (they do not have one on-site). We found it was fairly easy to just bounce in to the pool near the stairs.

Ramp into Pool

We had a great experience doing a shopping tour of Playa del Carmen. The bus driver and tour guide carried my husband on and off the bus, which was amazing. Playa del Carmen was worth seeing, especially at night. Although some of the shops are not accessible, many are and the main road (although a bit bumpy in spots) is easy to navigate in a chair.

THE BAD

Despite all of the good things about this resort, I would have a really hard time recommending it to anyone in a wheelchair. There was no wheel-under sink in the bathroom (which they did tell us before we got there) and the mirror above the counter was too high for someone in a wheelchair to see into.

No Wheel-Under Sink and High Mirror

The toilet was low and was in a separate room with the shower, so there wasn’t a lot of space to maneuver a wheelchair in there. The shower had a built-in bench that was made from tile and was very small (very slippery and very difficult to stay on when wet).

Toilet and Shower Were in a Separate Room – Not Much Room to Move Around in There

Very Low Toilet with Grab Bar

Very Small Shower Bench

The bed was very high and difficult to get in and out of and there wasn’t much room next to the bed for a wheelchair.

Very High Bed

Although the jacuzzi tubs were nice, there were no grab bars near them. My husband managed to get into the tub in the room without too much trouble but we just about killed ourselves trying to get him back out.

Jacuzzi Tub Inside Room

Outdoor Jacuzzi

The pool area had a lot of step bridges to get from one side to the other and those in wheelchairs could not cross them. There was only one long way around the pools for those in wheelchairs, which was extremely annoying.

There are Step Bridges Like This All Around the Pool Area – No Way for a Wheelchair to Easily Get From One Side to the Other

The Basmati restaurant was not wheelchair accessible and all of the tables in the other restaurants were low and difficult to wheel under.

They did not have a beach chair for going on to the sand. They did have some wooden planks that extended out on to the sand so that you could at least wheel onto the beach but it would be nice if they had a way of getting closer to the water.

This is as Close as a Wheelchair Can Get to the Ocean

There were a lot of stairs at this resort but there were also three elevators that, if operable, would make it fairly easy to get around. Unfortunately, two of the three elevators were not in service while we were there and when we inquired as to when they would be fixed, we were told that they had no idea.

This Was the Sign on Two of the Three Elevators

I believe all of the wheelchair rooms are together in one building on the main floor and are all “swim-up rooms”. There is a step off of the deck onto some rocks and then onto grass and then about 20 feet of grass to get to the pool.

View of Patio in Swim-Up Room

Loungers Outside of Patio in the Swim-Up Room

My husband had a very tough time getting off of the patio and over the rocks to reach the lounge chairs, so the maintenance staff installed a small ramp to help him get over the rocks.

They Installed This Little Ramp for Us to Make it Easier to Get Off of the Patio

In a chair, you would have a tough time getting in and out of the pool in front of your swim-up room. There are no platforms in the pool and no stairs on that side of the pool to bounce down on.

If you call the hotel in advance of your trip, they will tell you that it is fully wheelchair accessible, but this is not the case. We spoke with a few other people at the resort in wheelchairs who were also struggling with the lack of accessibility.

In terms of overall negatives, the resort felt understaffed. We often sat outside of our swim-up room or by the pool for 2 or 3 hours without anyone coming by to ask us if we wanted something to drink. This may have been because we chose the quieter pools to sit in, but still… The service in the restaurants, in general, wasn’t great. They were often slow to clear plates and it felt like there was only a couple of people serving large sections. We often had to ask for more water, more buns or had to wait quite a while for someone to come and take our order.

There was one morning where we had the do-not-disturb sign on our door and someone from the front desk called us to tell us something because they didn’t want to knock. There was another morning when a staff member knocked on our balcony door when we were sleeping to tell us about some work they were doing outside. These are things that definitely wouldn’t happen at most resorts.

The other guests hoarded these blue pool floaties even when they weren’t using them and it was frustrating trying to find one that wasn’t spoken for. Also, people left towels and other belongings on chairs and sun beds all day long and it made it difficult to find places to sit in the shade. We often struggled to find a place to sit and then watched the chairs next to us remain empty with towels on them all day.

THE UGLY

They have a great concept with the “X-box” which is a small closet in your room that can be accessed from the hall where you leave your dirty dishes after you order room service. The idea is that you don’t have to open your door to place the dishes out in the hall and the hallways don’t end up cluttered with dirty dishes and half-eaten food. The dishes in our X-Box piled up over several days, however, and we finally had to call and ask someone to come and take the dishes as they were smelling up our room!

OVERALL

Overall, if you are able-bodied, I think you will really enjoy this resort. It is an adults-only resort with a beautiful beach, great food and a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. If you are in a wheelchair, I would phone around and find something better for wheelchair access. Even with all of the good things this resort has going for it, the accessibility issues are so significant that they will seriously detract from your ability to relax and enjoy yourself.

Travel Tip: The roundtrip transfers that come with your vacation package (if you book a package) are not accessible. We complained to the resort that it was discriminatory to offer transportation that was not accessible and they offered us complimentary transportation with Cancun Accessible. They picked us up in a van at the airport and took us to the resort and picked us up at the end of our stay and took us back to the airport. They were efficient, had lots of room for the chair and all of our luggage and travelling with them made our transfers pretty easy and stress free. Their website is: www.cancunaccessible.com.

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Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa – Maui, Hawaii

Posted on September 30, 2014 by papawheelieblog

This resort is perfect for those looking for a relaxing, wheelchair accessible holiday on Ka’anapali Beach in Maui. This resort has everything a wheelchair user could ask for!

THE GOOD

The grounds at this resort are completely wheelchair accessible, with nice, concrete paths throughout the resort for wheeling on.

Wheelchair Accessible Grounds

There are two pools at this resort and the bigger pool is equipped with a wheelchair lift that works great! It is really easy to work the lift – even without any assistance. You just transfer on and rotate the lever and it slowly lowers you around into the pool. Getting back out is done the same way in reverse. It has a very smooth motion and is in a slightly secluded location, so you don’t feel like everyone at the pool is staring at you while you transfer on and off.

Pool Lift

The pool has a bunch of giant bean bags that you can sit on and float around on. There is a lazy river design to the pool and we found it very relaxing floating around on the big bean bags soaking up the sun. It is also really convenient that the bathroom by the pool with the lift is wheelchair accessible.

Accessible Bathroom by the Pool

This resort has a beach wheelchair on-site and the staff is more than happy to help you get in and out of it and across the sand to the water. They enthusiastically pushed my husband to the water’s edge and came back to get him when the tide got a bit high for his liking!

Beach Chair at the Sheraton

The Sheraton is located on the beautiful Black Rock, which is known for its world-class snorkelling. We didn’t try any water sports, but the staff at the hotel was keen to take my husband out snorkelling if he wanted to go. I really regret not doing this as it is supposed to be amazing.

There is a nightly cliff diving ceremony on Black Rock that is quite something to watch. When you are staying at the Sheraton, you can view the entire thing from the comfort of your lounge chair by the pool (which is where this picture was taken from).

Beautiful Black Rock in the Distance

The gym is wheelchair accessible, the tennis courts are accessible and although we didn’t use the spa, we did walk into it to take a look around and it appeared to be wheelchair accessible.

Accessible Tennis Courts

The room we stayed in was completely wheelchair accessible with two balconies looking out onto the courtyard/pool/ocean. Our room was classified as a “partial ocean view” which had a lovely view of the ocean.

Partial Ocean View

The room was very spacious with lots of room to move around. The bed was comfortable and there was a large flat-screen TV and mini-fridge.

Interior of Room Facing Out One of the Balconies

Interior of the Room Showing Both Balconies

The bathroom was equipped with a wheel-under sink and a wheel-in shower with a built-in shower bench.

Wheel-Under Sink and Wheel-In Shower in Bathroom

There were also grab bars behind and beside the toilet.

Toilet with Grab Bars

The Sheraton is located at the end of the Ka’anapali Beach strip and it seemed to have a quieter, older crowd. There is a cement path that goes all the way down Ka’anapali Beach and we walked it/wheeled it several times. There are lots of great restaurants worth trying along the way.

View Down Ka’anapali Beach from the Top Floor of the Sheraton

Whalers Village is a short walk down the beach and it is also completely wheelchair accessible. Whalers Village has shops, a small food court and an interesting whaling museum that is worth checking out.

We took a helicopter tour of the island of Maui while we were there. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters has a wheelchair lift that will allow you to get in and out of the helicopter with ease. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the beautiful island of Maui from the sky.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters Lift – Very Easy

Amazing Sights from the Helicopter

Amazing Views from the Helicopter

If you are considering going to Front Street, GO! There’s so much to see and you will have no trouble getting around in a wheelchair. We had a fantastic time walking/wheeling around this area, visiting the art galleries and the shops. The largest Banyan Tree in the United States is located at the end of Front Street and it is definitely worth seeing. You may have some trouble finding a wheelchair accessible washroom on Front Street, but ask around. We finally found one in the old courthouse behind the Banyan Tree.

The Banyan Tree

Travel Tip – Prior to travelling, we arranged for a rental car to be available for us at the airport in Maui and when we inquired about hand controls, they told us they would install them in it for free. Even though my husband only drove once while we were there, it was worth it to have them installed so that we would have the option.

THE BAD

The main downside to this resort was that the wireless internet coverage was spotty, but I understand they were installing wireless in every room the week after we left. I sure hope they did as I spent a few nights reaching over the balcony trying to get a better connection.

The restaurant at the hotel, Black Rock Steak & Seafood, is quite pricey (although most restaurants in Maui are), so we drove to Safeway for groceries and filled the fridge in our room with food for the week.

THE UGLY

There is really nothing ugly about Maui…

OVERALL

If you’re in a wheelchair and you are considering Ka’anapali Beach in Maui, you really can’t go wrong with the Sheraton. It is pretty tough to find a place with a pool lift and a beach chair and this place has both and staff that is nice enough to help you with whatever you need. This resort is quite peaceful (maybe due to its location) and it is not overrun with kids like some of the other hotels on this strip. While we were there, we toured all of the hotels on the Ka’anapali Beach strip and we both felt that if we had it to do over again, we would stay at the Sheraton. It is a large, beautiful resort with a great beach and it is absolutely perfect for wheelchair accessibility.

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Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre – Jasper, Alberta

Posted on September 26, 2014 by papawheelieblog

It is actually really difficult to find a wheelchair accessible hotel in Jasper, Alberta but the Sawridge Inn meets most of the important criteria. We stayed in room 279, which faces the interior of the atrium area on the second floor of the hotel.

THE GOOD

The bathroom in this room has been beautifully renovated, complete with a wheel-under sink, grab bars by the raised toilet and a wheel-in shower with a shower bench. There is ample room to move around in this bathroom. It was obviously recently renovated as it looks very modern and clean.

Beautiful Wheel-In Shower With Built-In Shower Bench

Raised Toilet With Grab Bars

Wheel-Under Sink

The room is on the small side, but after we moved the ottoman out of the way, we still had enough room to set up two playpens for the babies. The bed is comfortable and there is a large TV. The room definitely has a cozy, rustic sort of feel to it.

Cozy Room

The lobby is accessible and there are elevators that will allow you to access the different floors. We stayed on the second floor, which is entirely non-smoking.

Hallway on Second Floor

There is a nice atrium area in the centre of the hotel. Yes, it is a bit dated, but it gives the place a nice open feel.

Atrium Area in Centre of Hotel

I believe the restaurants are all accessible (although we only tried one – Hearthstone Lounge – and the food was average for the price).

This hotel is the first one in a row of hotels as you enter Jasper from Edmonton. It is about a 10 minute walk to the main part of downtown, but it really doesn’t feel very far and we had no issues walking/wheeling there. The good thing about the location of this hotel is that there is nothing on the east side but wilderness and you might be more likely to spot some wildlife because of this. It also appears to be a very quiet location.

THE BAD

The only detail the bathroom overlooks is that the shower head is too far from the shower bench, so someone in a wheelchair probably cannot use the shower alone unless they place the shower head on the floor of the shower before they get seated and don’t mind that they can’t hang it up anywhere while they shower.

The windows to our room faced the interior of the hotel. Because of this, we had to keep the blinds closed all the time because anyone walking on the stairs or walking down the hallway could see right into our room. Make sure you ask for a different view if this is not what you have in mind.

View From Our Room Windows

I did not use the spa nor did I ask if the spa was wheelchair accessible but the fitness room is not accessible. It is a very small room without any room for a wheelchair to move around in.

THE UGLY

From an accessibility standpoint, the main drawback is that the pool, spa and fitness centre are down a big flight of stairs. If you are in a wheelchair, you can only enter this area through a back door to the hotel, however, there is no curb cut at the back (so be prepared to have to bump up and over the curb of the sidewalk). It is really unfortunate that this is the only wheelchair access to the pool area as it is a decent pool and hot tub – but who wants to have to go back outside and wheel around the entire hotel to the front lobby when they are in their swimsuit and wet from the pool!

OVERALL

Overall, this hotel met our needs quite well. We wanted somewhere we could relax for a few days that had a good accessible bathroom. This hotel was quiet, clean and comfortable.

If you have never been to Jasper before, be prepared that a number of the stores downtown are not accessible. The main street is older and most of the shops and restaurants have a few steps to get in. There is a newer street just behind the main drag though and most of the shops and restaurants on that street are accessible – including the candy store, which is AMAZING!

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Papa Wheelie

Travelling the World on Wheels

Tag Archives: special needs

Polo Towers – Las Vegas, Nevada

Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel – Calgary, Alberta

Days Inn & Suites – Strathmore, Alberta

Norwegian Epic – Norwegian Cruise Line

Hotel Le Germain Calgary – Calgary, Alberta

Rancho Mirage, California (Palm Springs) – Westin Mission Hills Resort Villas

Excellence Riviera Cancun – Puerto Morelos, Mexico

Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa – Maui, Hawaii

Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre – Jasper, Alberta

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