Wheelchair Accessible Accommodation
During the planning of my adventures, one of the biggest frustrations is trying to find suitable wheelchair accessible accommodation in Australia and overseas.
Many motels advertise as having wheelchair/disabled access, however the unsuspecting traveller soon realises the term ‘wheelchair accessible or disabled’ means a solitary handrail in the toilet, and little chance of getting a wheelchair into the bathroom without taking the wheels off.
I thought I would share some of the places I have stayed at while travelling. Although I do stay in accommodation that is not necessarily wheelchair accessible and even camp when needed, in this instance I have only included links to accommodation that is designated as ‘wheelchair accessible’ with suitable access into the room and bathroom facilities to manoeuvre a wheelchair into the shower. Of course in your planning you will need to verify if the facilities are suitable for your needs as room access may have changed.
Hopefully this will be a good start point.
I have also included a rating to indicate the ease of access/function in each accommodation.
1 = Awesome, 2 = good, 3 = workable
Happy adventuring!
Australia
Tasmaina
The Waterfront, Wynyard
Rating 2 – the room isn’t very big from memory
Glenn Moore Units, Hobart
Rating 1 – units are specifically designed for wheelchairs
Victoria
Big 4 Riverside, Swan Hill
Rating 2 – fantastic wheelchair accessible unit, unfortunately there is a 50mm step (sliding door track) from the deck into the unit.
Aspen Sprigs Farm Stay, Porepunkah
Rating 3 – two cottages are wheelchair accessible. Small ramps are used to negotiate the steps however they are a little steep
Bright On Track, Bright
Rating 1
Lake Hume Tourist Park, Lake Hume
Rating 1 – great wheelchair accessible cabin with a queen bed.
Leongatha Caravan Park, Leongatha
Rating 2 – the park has no wheelchair accessible cabins but if you are inclined to camp, the toilet block has a good accessible shower and toilet.
Rating 3 – the room has a queen and single bed however the access around the beds and to the bathroom was limited. The bathroom door couldn’t open fully as it hit the bed.
Opening the entry door into the room is difficult as the small ramp has no landing.
New South Wales
Maidens Inn, Moamma
Rating 2 – public disabled shower facilities are excellent for campers. Disabled Units are available however I never checked them out.
Terralong Terrace Apartments, Wollongong
Rating 1
Euston Club Resort Motel, Euston
Rating 2
Red Earth Motel, Broken Hill
Rating 1
Maclin Lodge, Campbelltown
Rating 1.5 – The front door access is on a slope making it harder to open the door and roll in
Ibis Budget, Gosford
Rating 1 – Spacious room and bathroom, the whole building has good access
Appartments Inn Byron, Byron Bay
Rating 3 – Great spacious room and huge bathroom however, access into the room is poor with a short concrete ramp and a 25mm step over the sliding door track. Access into the building has similar issues. If reception is closed the only access is via a side access door with a 70mm step to negotiate.
Kidman Wayside Inn, Griffith
Rating 3 – the room is small with a queen and single bed. Opening the entry door into the unit is difficult as the ramp has no landing.
Queensland
Airlie Beach Hotel, Airlie Beach
Rating 1
Seaview Motel, Cooktown
Rating 2
Burleigh Beach Tourist Park, Burleigh Heads
Rating 1.5 – It is a great wheelchair accessible unit, lots of room, however the 12mm step into the shower lets it down. This step makes it difficult to roll a commode with small wheels into the shower
Birdsville Hotel, Birdsville
Rating 2 – they have a couple of wheelchair accessible rooms. The Queen & single bed room from memory is a little small.
Rating 1 – the 2 bedroom family unit is much bigger and very good for accessibility.
Northern Territory
Darwin Central Hotel, Darwin
Rating 1 – rooms are spacious, great location
Western Australa
Kimberley Grande Hotel, Kununurra
Rating 2 – small step over the sliding door track to get into room
Carnarvon Motel, Carnarvon
Rating N/A – it has been renovated since I stayed last but was accessible then.
Comfort Inn, Mandurah
Rating 3 – small room, water kept going hot then cold.
Lake Kununurra Caravan Park
Rating 2 – good wheelchair accessible unit, although there is a 35mm step (sliding door track) from the deck into the unit.
Rating 1 – Drysdale is extremely isolated in the middle of the Kimberley but has a fantastic wheelchair accessible unit with two King Single beds and a huge w/c accessible bathroom.
The only obstacle is a small 30mm drop from the ramp onto the dirt ground, however the whole area is dirt with no paths apart from the bar and eating area.
Rating 2 – the camp ground also has a good wheelchair accessible bathroom with shower and toilet in the main block. Accessing the path around the toilet block from the dirt ground could be little difficult as it is uneven.
Rating 1 – excellent wheelchair accessible unit with a queen bed. The entire complex is wheelchair friendly.
South Australia
Port Lincoln Hotel, Port Lincoln
Rating 1
McLaren Vale Motel & Apartments, McLaren Vale
Rating N/A – it has been renovated since I stayed last
Big 4 Renmark Riverfront Holiday Park, Renmark
Rating 2 – fantastic wheelchair accessible unit, unfortunately there is a 50mm step (sliding door track) from the deck into the unit.
Goolwa Tourist & Camping Park, Goolwa
Rating 1 – fantastic wheelchair accessible unit, the 50mm step (sliding door track) from the deck into the unit has a small ramp installed for access
International
Thailand
Dusit Thani Laguna, Phuket
Rating 2 – The disabled room is spacious with more hand rails in the bathroom than a ballerinas studio. A 75mm step is at the entrance to the unit, however the engineers made me a small ramp so I could negotiate the step. You may need to asked them to make one. Good access around the resort.
Ibis Bangkok Riverside Hotel, Bangkok
Rating 2 – The room is small but suitable. The bathroom was good except for a marble shower seat that made showering on the commode a little difficult
Dhara Dhevi, Chang Mai
Rating 3 – The room was very spacious, however the bathroom wasn’t specifically designed for wheelchairs but it was workable.
Malaysia
Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
Rating 2 – The disabled room was good, however the bathroom was small.
Strawberry Park Resort, Cameron Highlands
Rating 2 – Access into the room was difficult as it ramps up to the door. The room was very spacious, however there is no heating (reception has no heaters. I asked!) and it gets cold as it’s high in the mountains.
Golden Sands Resort, Penang
Rating 1 – Beware, the alcohol is watered down!