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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The Mirage – Las Vegas, Nevada

Posted on November 8, 2014 by papawheelieblog

We stayed in a wheelchair accessible room at The Mirage for the first time in 2009. We actually booked a cheap package on-line and then called the resort to request that a wheelchair accessible room be set aside for us. This usually works okay in Vegas because they have a lot of wheelchair accessible rooms (so don’t be afraid to scope out cheap Vegas deals on-line).

THE GOOD

The Mirage is one of our favourite hotels because of its central location on the strip and its pleasant atmosphere. I really like all of the greenery and the sound of the water inside The Mirage as it feels kind of tropical.

Interior of the Lobby at The Mirage

The Mirage is completely wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair users will have no trouble getting into or accessing any of the shops or restaurants here. We particularly like the layout of The Mirage because you don’t have to walk a mile from the lobby area to get to the hotel rooms.

In our standard room, there was a comfortable, king-sized bed, a desk, a TV, two chairs and a mini-bar.

King-Sized Bed in Wheelchair Accessible Room

Interior of Wheelchair Accessible Room at the Mirage

TV, Desk and Mini-Bar

The bathroom was spacious, but not huge. Our room had a wheel-under sink, toilet with grab-bars and a bathtub with a portable shower bench. Most of the accessible rooms at The Mirage have bathtubs, not wheel-in showers. I understand that they do have a few rooms with wheel-in showers, so if you absolutely require one you should probably book with The Mirage directly to ensure you get what you need.

Wheel-Under Sink and Toilet with Grab Bars

Bathtub With Portable Shower Bench

Wheel-Under Sink and Bathtub

The pool area at The Mirage is quite big although it is really busy and it was difficult, at times, to find a free lounge chair. There are lots of waterfalls and palm trees, which help to create a nice outdoor ambiance. We didn’t see any pool lifts at this pool and it was so busy that we didn’t try to get into the water. It was a good place to kick back for a few hours and do some people watching.

Mirage Pool and Palm Trees

Mirage Pool and Waterfalls

The Mirage has upgraded its volcano show in recent years and it is actually pretty cool to watch now. There is loud drum music that accompanies the flames that shoot out of the water. It goes off every half an hour in the evening and is worth catching at least once when you are in Vegas.

Mirage Volcano Show

Mirage Volcano Erupting

There is lots of good food available at The Mirage. The California Pizza Kitchen (one of our favourites) is located just off to the side of the casino. We also tried a place called BLT Burger that serves all kinds of milkshakes. They will also combine a variety of weird milkshake flavours if you ask, so you can really go wild (Twinkies, Nutella and toasted marshmallows milkshake, anyone?).

THE BAD

The view from our room was bad. Not only did we not get a strip view but we got the concrete jungle view on the opposite side. It’s not as though you spend a lot of time staring out your window in Vegas, but still. This is almost as bad as it gets.

View From Our Room

One issue that we have encountered a few times now is that some of the elevators outside on the strip can be out of order. There are several pedestrian walkways that cross over top of the strip or that connect one hotel to the next. To get to the top of the walkways, you either need to head up the escalator (if there is one) in your chair or access the elevators. Nothing in Vegas is that close so when you get to the other side of the walkway and realize you can’t get down in your wheelchair because the elevator is out of order, it is a big pain. We have even been in a situation once where we took an escalator up to get to a walkway and when we got to the other side, the elevator was out of service. So we walked back to where we had come up and there was no down escalator and no elevator, only stairs. So… we were stuck… We had to convince several guys to carry my husband down a huge flight of stairs. This is something to watch out for as the elevators are out of service from time to time and it is possible to get up without being able to get down.

THE UGLY

The only thing I really do not enjoy about Vegas and the Vegas hotels is that smoking is allowed in the casinos. California Pizza Kitchen is one of our favourite restaurants in Vegas, but it is located on the edge of the casino in The Mirage. When you are dining at CPK, it is impossible to escape the smell of the smoke and, for me, it certainly detracts from the ambiance.

OVERALL

The Mirage is a great, family-friendly resort. It is situated in a convenient central location on the strip, between Caesar’s Palace and Treasure Island. There is lots of good food on-site and it is right next door to The Forum Shops at Caesar’s (some of the best shopping on the strip). The standard wheelchair accessible rooms are nothing fancy, but they are comfortable and they meet basic accessibility requirements. Who spends time in their room in Vegas anyway?

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Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort and Private Island – Montego Bay, Jamaica

Posted on October 27, 2014 by papawheelieblog

We stayed in a wheelchair accessible, swim-up room at this resort in 2009. We had never stayed in Jamaica before so this was our first experience with the wonderful people there. We ended up at this resort because we really wanted to try a swim-up room. My husband really liked the idea of being able to transfer into the pool in the privacy of our own patio and this turned out to be the perfect thing for us.

Swim-Up Rooms At Night

THE GOOD

The resort itself was mostly wheelchair accessible. Our room was very beautiful and you could wheel right out onto the deck through the patio doors. The patio was a really peaceful area where we had breakfast many mornings and sat and read our books.

Interior of Wheelchair Accessible Swim-Up Room

Wheelchair Accessible Threshold from Inside to Outside

Because the pool was right there, we could sit with our feet in the water, sit on the stairs or go right in for a swim and then come back and lay down on the patio. The pool that ran in front of the swim-up rooms was only used by the people staying in those rooms, so it was very quiet and very peaceful.

It Was Easy to Bump Down Into the Water in the Privacy of Our Patio

Steps from our Patio into Swim-Up Pool. The Lounge Chairs Could Easily Be Moved Around.

Very Peaceful Pool Outside of Swim-Up Rooms

The bathroom in our room was very spatious. One of my frequent complaints is that wheelchair accessible rooms almost never come with a wheel-in shower AND a bath tub, but this one came with both! The bath-tub was a huge, jetted tub and it was perfect for relaxation.

Beautiful Jetted Tub

The toilet area in the bathroom was very accessible. The toilet was ready to go with a plastic toilet seat and grab bars both behind and beside the toilet.

Accessible Toilet With Grab Bars

Our room, because it was one of the swim-up rooms, came with the butler service. We felt very weird about that at first, but we ended up having two girls as butlers who rotated their shifts. They were so adorable and took amazing care of us. They would bring us our favourite drinks when we were sitting on the patio, they would reserve chairs for us on the beach, they made all of our restaurant reservations for us and walked us to dinner every night to ensure that we wouldn’t have to wait in line. They brought us snacks to our room every day and stocked our fridge with whatever we wanted. When we didn’t feel like going out for breakfast, they would bring whatever we wanted to our room and set it up for us on the patio.

Breakfast on the Patio

When my husband needed help going somewhere or getting into the ocean, they called all the big men on staff to come and carry him around. They were just so cute and they made our stay extremely relaxing and stress-free. If you are in a wheelchair or have other mobility issues, you should definitely consider paying for a butler suite as you will have access to help whenever you need it. These rooms are also larger and will give you more room to move around in.

Interior of Wheelchair Accessible Room

The beach at this resort was great as you could wheel straight on to it and the sand was pretty well-packed so you didn’t immediately sink into the sand. The resort did have a beach chair on site that we used to push my husband across the sand and into the water. The staff was really great about helping me get him in and out of the ocean. They were happy to carry him in and stand by for a signal indicating that he was ready to get out.

View From Our Beach Chairs

The fitness facility/spa was not accessible but they built a ramp for us so that we would be able to use it. The gym was quite large and there was a nice variety of equipment in there. We signed up for couples massages at the spa even though the room for them was down a flight of stairs. They helped us get down and back up the stairs without any trouble and getting onto the massage table wasn’t too difficult (and the massage therapists were amazing).

The majority of the restaurants were wheelchair accessible. The French restaurant had a small step down into the restaurant, which could be quite easily navigated by someone who could navigate a small curb. There was a restaurant located on a private island as well. We had to get there in a boat which was not accessible, but the staff was more than happy to carry my husband on and off. We also found out, quite by accident, that the private island had a nude beach.

Private Island

There was live music and entertainment at the resort every night. There was a barbecue on the beach one night and a buffet at the resort one night with a huge chocolate fondue fountain. The entertainment crew was very energetic and really wanted everyone to have a great time. My husband mentioned to them one night how much he loved the music and the next night, they showed up with a bunch of CDs for him full of Soca and Reggae music.

I really can’t tell you how incredible the staff was at this resort. As an example, my husband popped a tire one afternoon on a piece of glass and someone was right there helping him into a replacement chair for the day. When they didn’t have the right glue to patch the tire on-site, one of the staff members told us he was driving it to the airport to get the right glue to patch it. When he brought it back, it was as good as new and when we offered to pay him for it, he absolutely refused to accept anything.

THE BAD

Initially when we arrived, they tried to put us in a totally inaccessible room which was not what we booked and which would not have worked for us whatsoever. After about 5 hours of waiting, some phone calls back and forth with our travel agent and supposedly moving 2 other couples into different rooms, they moved us into the wheelchair accessible, swim-up room that we had booked. The staff was very apologetic about it and very easy to deal with but having a mix-up with your room never gets your vacation off to a good start. It is probably a good idea to call and confirm your room before you head out.

In terms of accessibility, be aware that the sink in the bathroom wasn’t quite wheel-under. They tried, but the vanity was too low and you couldn’t quite fit your knees underneath.

Not Quite a Wheel-Under Sink

The shower was a wheel-in shower with one awkwardly-placed grab bar. They provided us with a shower bench, which actually broke as soon as my husband transferred onto it. There was a built-in shower bench, but it was too far from the shower controls for someone sitting on the bench to reach. It would be ok if someone was with you who could turn the water on and off and angle the shower head, but it was pretty inconvenient.

Wheel-In Shower with Portable Shower Bench

Buit-In Shower Bench is a Long, Long Way From the Shower Controls

Be aware that the bed was so high that anyone in a chair would have extreme difficulty getting into it. We mentioned this to the resort and they ended up building my husband a platform and bringing it to the room. They took a bunch of measurements of his chair and then showed up with this platform later in the day, all sanded and painted and ready to go.

Platform They Built so Wheelchair User Could Get Into the Bed

In terms of food, it was just so-so. It wasn’t bad but don’t expect to have the best food of your life. The room service food left a lot to be desired, but it was available and arrived fairly quickly. The restaurants requiring reservations were definitely the best bet in terms of quality and flavour. The French restaurant had nothing vegetarian on the menu but the chef came out to talk to me about what I might like and I ended up having the best meal of the week there.

The transportation to and from the airport was not wheelchair accessible. We had to book our own transportation (however, after we asked, the resort did agree to cover the cost). The transportation to and from the other Sandals resorts was also not accessible. We did get over to Sandals Montego Bay one night to check it out (by asking some people to carry my husband into the van) and found it to be completely inaccessible. There were stairs everywhere and we couldn’t even access one of the restaurants.

THE UGLY

The mosquitoes drove us absolutely insane! The staff went around the resort every afternoon with smoke machines trying to get rid of them but the mosquitoes were so, so bad. I had to buy a big can of OFF from the gift shop and practically bathe myself in it. We came home absolutely covered in mosquito bites.

OVERALL

The bottom line is that this resort is not perfect, but few places ever are. The one thing you will never be able to beat about Jamaica is the hospitality of the people and the relaxed atmosphere. Nothing in Jamaica ever feels rushed. It is a wonderful place to go if you need some SERIOUS relaxation. We still talk about how this was the most relaxing week of our lives.

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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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The Palazzo – Las Vegas, Nevada

Posted on October 11, 2014 by papawheelieblog

We had the good fortune of staying at this hotel in July of 2012. We have stayed at many different places on the Las Vegas strip before but we always kind of dreamed of staying at The Palazzo one day. When we were looking for a hotel for this trip, we found a good deal at The Palazzo and decided to treat ourselves to a room here for a couple of days. And I’m glad we did! It was amazing!

THE GOOD

At The Palazzo, all of the rooms are suites and they are HUGE! When we first walked into the room, we were absolutely blown away by its size. There is a king-sized bed, full-sized living room, table with chairs, desk with every kind of plug-in you could ever need for work (complete with phone, printer and fax machine), dresser and two nice, flat-screen TVs. I don’t think the accessible rooms are any bigger than the standard suites as the standard suites are so huge, a wheelchair would have no trouble getting around in one.

Comfortable King-Sized Bed

Huge Living Room Area With Full-Sized Sectional Sofa

Flat Screen TV and Dresser

Desk Complete With Workstation

The bathroom was perfectly accessible and beautiful. The sink was wheel-under with lots of counter space. And yes – that is a TV you see in the bathroom!! The area around the toilet is huge and there is lots of room to maneuver. There are two grab bars by the toilet, one beside and one behind. There are some accessible rooms at The Palazzo with a bathtub and some with a wheel-in shower, so make sure you request the wheel-in shower if you need one.

Wheel-Under Sink

Toilet With Two Grab Bars

For me, the coolest thing about the entire room was that the blinds were controlled by remote!! There was a sheer layer and a blackout blind layer and it was so fun to watch them open and close! (I know, the small things make me happy!)

Remote Controlled Blinds

Our room was facing the opposite direction from the strip and we had an amazing view. We looked out over a golf course and seeing all of that green in Vegas was pretty amazing.

Beautiful View From Our Room

The hallways in the hotel are very wide and although they are carpet, they are quite easy to wheel around in.

Nice, Wide Hallways

If you have been to Vegas before, you have probably seen the lobby of The Palazzo. It is really stunning. The pictures absolutely do not do it justice. There is also great shopping at The Palazzo and it is connected to The Venetian so you can shop in both hotels without ever having to brave the Vegas heat!

Stunning Lobby

There are a number of pools at The Palazzo and they are situated in different areas. The great thing about this is that you can choose to sit in the shade or in the sun. As the sun moves, you will find lots of people re-locating. There is no pool lift that we saw but the pools were very easy to bounce down into and there were shallow areas around several of the perimeters that were easy for my husband to sit on. There were also lounge chairs in the shallow part of the water that made it easy to lay back and soak up some sun.

One of The Palazzo Pools closest to the Azure Lounge

One of The Palazzo Pools Closest to the Entrance for the Azure Luxury Pool

We don’t usually use the gym in Vegas because we end up doing so much walking/wheeling, but we did head to the gym at The Palazzo. We were completely shocked to find a wheelchair-friendly arm ergometer! This is no cheap-o arm crank either. It comes with a TV for you to watch while you cycle. Crazy!

Wheelchair Friendly Arm Cycle

In the canal area of The Palazzo and The Venetian, there is a gondola attraction where you can sail along the canal in a gondola while being serenaded by a singing gondolier. There is wheelchair access to the gondola. We didn’t try it out but we did see the area where the wheelchair would enter and exit the “ride”.

THE BAD

I can’t really say anything bad about The Palazzo itself as it is such a beautiful hotel. In the shopping area where the canal is, however, there are several foot bridges that able-bodied people can cross, but they are not accessible. This is slightly annoying as wheelchair users basically have to pick a side and stick to it all the way along the canal. At the end, you can double back and see the shops on the other side, but it would be nice if you could go back and forth somehow like everyone else.

About Vegas in general, smoking is still allowed in all of the casinos. I find the smell pretty overwhelming as, where we live, smoking is banned in all inside establishments. Fortunately, the hotel rooms and the shopping areas do not smell like smoke, so it is fairly easy to avoid if you walk quickly through the casinos.

THE UGLY

There is nothing ugly about The Palazzo!

OVERALL

Overall, this is one of the most beautiful properties on the strip. We felt very lucky to have experienced it, if only for a couple of days. The entire hotel has a relaxed, peaceful atmosphere about it and there are almost no crowds here. The food is great, the shopping is great, the location is great and you cannot beat the accessibility in this hotel or in Vegas in general.

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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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Residence Inn Calgary Airport – Calgary, Alberta

Posted on September 25, 2014 by papawheelieblog

We absolutely loved our stay at this hotel! We actually tried to book at an adjacent hotel but were upgraded to a suite at the Residence Inn as the other hotel was under construction. We ended up in a wheelchair accessible suite on the main floor with two bedrooms (one accessible and one not) and two bathrooms (one accessible and one not), a kitchen and a living area.

THE GOOD

The room we stayed in is absolutely perfect for someone in a wheelchair, complete with a wheel-under sink, wheel-in shower, built-in shower bench, grab bars by the toilet and even a wheel-under sink in the kitchen. The kitchen has a full-sized fridge, dishes, utensils and a dishwasher. It is really well-equipped to make for a very comfortable stay.

Toilet with Grab Bars

Wheel-In Shower With Built In Shower Bench

Wheel-Under Sink in Bathroom

Kitchen - The Cabinets Under the Sink Open Up And it Becomes Completely Wheel Under

Kitchen – The Cabinets By the Sink Open Up And it Becomes Completely Wheel Under

The beds are very comfortable and they are covered in nice clean, white sheets. There are ample comfortable pillows on both beds.

Accessible Bedroom – Very Comfortable Bed

There is a lot of closet space, an iron and ironing board and a free safe in the room.

Closet Space and Free Safe

The second bedroom in our suite also had its own bathroom. It has a normal toilet and a bathtub with grab bars. I always get very excited when we find a room that has a bathtub as well as an accessible shower as so many accessible rooms have no bathtub. And I love my baths!

Second Bathroom

We stayed at this hotel for one night on our way to Mexico and one night on the way back and the hotel offered us free parking for two weeks! If you have any idea how expensive airport parking is for two weeks, you will recognize this as a huge bonus.

The night we arrived, we were surprised to find out that the hotel was hosting a complimentary dinner for all of the guests and the food was great (chicken fingers, salad, potatoes, fruit, etc.). In the morning, the hotel offered a complimentary breakfast (eggs, toast, hash browns, yogurt, cereal, etc.).

The staff we encountered at the front desk, the bell staff, the management and the breakfast staff were all extremely pleasant and helpful.

The room was very clean and they provided very new looking playpens for the babies to sleep in (all set up when we got there with clean sheets).

The airport shuttle was not wheelchair accessible, so the hotel graciously offered to pay for us to take a wheelchair accessible cab to and from the airport. Between the wheelchair, the two babies and all of the luggage we had, we couldn’t all fit into the accessible cab… so the hotel paid for us to take two separate cabs on the way to the airport and on the way back to the hotel when we returned. Seriously. I have never experienced such customer service anywhere else – EVER.

THE BAD

Absolutely nothing.

THE UGLY

Are you kidding me? This place was amazing!

OVERALL

I wish I could have stayed at this hotel longer. We had a fantastic experience and, despite not liking to visit the same place twice, I would stay here again in a heartbeat.

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Papa Wheelie

Travelling the World on Wheels

Tag Archives: wheel-under sink

Hotel Le Germain Calgary – Calgary, Alberta

The Mirage – Las Vegas, Nevada

Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort and Private Island – Montego Bay, Jamaica

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

The Palazzo – Las Vegas, Nevada

Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa – Maui, Hawaii

Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre – Jasper, Alberta

Residence Inn Calgary Airport – Calgary, Alberta

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