What to Look for in a Handicap Friendly Bed & Breakfast

One of the great things about a bed & breakfast is that they give a more personal feel. You will feel as if you are not part of the masses in a huge hotel, but rather part of the family in someone’s home. If you are in a wheelchair, however, this can be somewhat problematic. Because a bed & breakfast is often a converted home, accessibility is usually not as good. Hence, the key thing to look for in a handicap friendly bed & breakfast is how accessible it actually is. Besides doing that, however, you also have to make the same considerations people without any access requirements have to.

Things to Look for in a Handicap Friendly Bed & Breakfast (B&B)

The first thing you should do is check the B&B’s rating on TripAdvisor. This will give you an opportunity to see what other people have experienced. Try to find reviews from people who are handicapped as well if at all possible. Some of the things to look for in the reviews include:

1. Whether the owners were helpful and friendly, being welcoming to their guests.
2. Whether the rooms were tidy and clean.
3. Whether the location is what you are looking for, such as in a peaceful location or close to amenities.
4. Whether the breakfast was good.

It is unlikely that you find a B&B that only has five star reviews. People love to complain, after all. Make sure you look into how the B&B has responded to those complaints, and whether there seems to be a common theme. One person who did not like the firmness of the bed could just be personal preference, but if almost everybody complains about that, it is likely that the bed is actually uncomfortable.

Make sure, as well, that you look at the photographs on the website to get an idea of what the B&B and the surrounding area looks like. Consider, as well, when those photographs were taken, as the season will make things look very different. A B&B that only shows pictures of their garden, for instance, is a bit suspect, particularly since it is unlikely that you will use the garden in Autumn.

Although last on this list, it is probably the first thing you have to look for if you are handicapped, and that is the amenities they offer for someone with your disability. If the room is not on the ground floor, you need to ask how to access it. Do also find out what the parking situation is and whether there are disabled parking spaces. Ask about the bathroom facilities and what the emergency evacuation procedures are. These are all issues of particular importance to someone who is in a wheelchair in particular.

When you search for B&Bs you may feel quite overwhelmed with the number of choices that are available to you. However, by filtering your results by disability accessibility, you should be able to significantly narrow down your results.