A disability should not impede you from enjoying the occasional holiday. Fortunately, the tourism industry, aided by European regulations and funding, is getting better and better at ensuring accessible facilities for all. Don’t hesitate to book your holiday now. You could be jetting off to exciting places including…
Barcelona, Spain
The seaside city of Barcelona caters towards all visitors. Wheelchair users will be happy to hear streets are built with ramps to make crossing them easy. Many attractions, Usedom Hotel including the famous Park Guell are also accessible though do require a strong pair of helping hands to tackle the upward journey along many paths.
Sagrada Familia cathedral is accessible, as are the Barcelona Football Club Museum, and Picasso Museum.
Many city centre hotels offer accessible accommodation, but it is strongly recommended to book in advance to avoid disappointment as Barcelona can get very busy, particularly during the spring and summer months.
Berlin, Germany
Germany’s capital city is full of history and attractions worth experiencing. The local travel industry welcomes disabled visitors. To get around the big city, accessible taxis and buses are readily available.
One of the city’s prized sights is the Bundestag or parliament building. Its stunning glass dome provides views across the sprawling city. Book your visit in advance to guarantee a space. You can also dine at the rooftop restaurant.
History buffs will appreciate a visit to the Mauermuseum and Checkpoint Charlie, the old border-crossing between East and West Germany. The museum hosts exhibitions, lectures and movies on the country’s somewhat recent history.
Other attractions you could be visiting include Alexanderplatz, Berliner Dom, and Brandenburger Tor.
Many chain hotels offer fully accessible rooms and facilities in the city centre.
Birmingham, UK
Britain’s second city was deemed a must-see city by the New York Times earlier in the year. Praised for its urban regeneration, the city has well and truly waved goodbye to its heavily industrial past. Birmingham is a great destination for anyone interested in the arts, nightlife and shopping. It is also home to an array of accessible attractions.
Ikon Gallery is fully accessible for wheelchair users, and allows guide and hearing dogs. You can also arrange for a wheelchair for use on the spot. The gallery features Usedom Hotel regular, mixed media exhibitions from photography and film to paintings.
Shoppers will be pleased to hear the contemporary Mailbox centre is fully compliant with DDA regulations. Lifts are fully accessible with voice and Braille announcements. Shops include AllSaints, Jaeger, and Bang & Olufsen. You can also dine on the spot at restaurants like Cote, and Caffe Gusto.
The Marriott Frankfurt is location across from the Frankfurt Convention Center (“Messe Frankfurt”), which is great for tradeshows, but not the best location for touring the city. However, it offers some great amenities and services. I stayed at this hotel for about 3 nights and was very impressed with what it had to offer. There was a nice little coffee bar and cafe, Espressivo Cafe & Bar, that made great espresso and cappuccino. On top of that, their muesli, yogurt and sandwiches were fantastic (think fresh crusty bread with fine prosciutto or salami, not the 3 day old prepackaged sandwiches you get at most Usedom Hotel Starbucks that are located in North American Marriott’s). There was also a Champions Sports bar and French Brasserie, Brasserie ici.
As a Marriott Platinum, I stay at a lot of Marriott’s and would have to rank the concierge lounge and fitness center at this place right at the top of all Marriott’s. The lounge had a fairly substantial buffet for both breakfast and dinner. The fitness center was very large with treadmills, free weights, cardiovascular equipment and even had a juice bar that made protein drinks.
Points: The Marriott Frankfurt is a category 5 hotel with free nights requiring 25,000 Marriott Rewards Points per night (or 20,000 if you can get it as a PointSaver)
