RESORTS /HOTELS/RESTAURANTS/ ATTRACTIONS REVIEWED FOR ACCESSIBILITY

Fern writes:      She traveled with her mother-in-law, who could not climb stairs, to the Ramada Vacation Suites in Las Vegas.  It has several types of units.  In the main building they have one tiny elevator. Parking is in a structure/garage.   If people call and request another part such as the "villas" (which was a favorite of theirs) ask for the ground floor which will be even more accessible because the parking is directly behind the units and no stairs.  You can use the resort shuttle and request one with a lift for a wheelchair.  You just have to notify the resort before pick-up time.  They also provide closed captioning on TV, blinking lights on the phones, and braille markers where needed.  Any further questions about this resort contact Fern at:  redhead@cybergal.com

Harriet writes:      They stayed at the Reddington Ambassador,Reddington Beach, FL (located just outside of St Petersburg).  The resort has two elevators and wheelchair ramps. They do NOT have a ramp leading to the pool area - there is one step.  Restaurants within 5 miles of the resort that are accessible are:   Schell's, Crabby Bills and Levrocks.  They also visited Wildlife on Easy Street a retirement home for lions and tigers just north of Tampa.  Small children under ten are not allowed in.  They are usually too short and it seems the tigers think of them as "lunch." Their website is: www.wildlifeoneasystreet.com.    They offer a golf cart to get around because of all the walking.  Any further questions on this resort contact Harriet at: CAtraveler1@msn.com

Joyce writes:     The Peppertree at Tamarack in Wisconsin has a disabled parking place.  The one bedrom unit is available for the handicapped but not the two bedroom.   The Peppertree at Laurel Point, Gatlinburg has elevators in their "C" building.  At Cypress Point in Lake Buena Vista, FL the new units, Phase 2, are to have elevators.  Any further questions on these resorts contact Joyce at:  jplus@execpc.com

Carol writes: Lakeland Inn Mall, Lakeland, FL - handicap room, roll-in shower with grab bars and handheld shower, raised toilet with side rails, bathroom door opens out, low hook on door, push button light switch, handset volume on phone.  Olive Garden Restaurant nearby with handicap parking right in front.  Contact carolpaul@comcast.net

Carol writes: Grandview Resort at Lover's Key, Ft Myers Beach, FL - unit 1401 is considered suitable for the  handicapped traveler .  There is a ramp leading to hotel entrance, automatic doors, elevators.  Unit had full kitchen, you could reach microwave from wheelchair, kitchen sink has lever handles.  living room area with pull out sofa bed, large balcony for wheelchair, light switches were low, king size bed (good height for transferring).  Bedroom door slides closed. Bathroom very spacious with large walk-in wall closet-bifold doors. Bath tub with low ledge and grab bar on back wall, shower curtain. Toilet sandwiched between tub and sink vanity. Lots of door handles in bathroom to hang stuff on if you're in a wheelchair.  Phones have large, easy to read numbers.  Drawbacks: no roll-in shower, towel racks too high, rods in closet too high.  Martini Plaza, Estero Blvd  is nearby which is all flat has: Italian Fisherman Restaurant (long ramp w/railing  to entrance).  Also, Fish House in Ft Myers Beach with ramp and handicap parking and Rodes Restaurant in Bonita Springs has ramp and handicap parking.  Contact carolpaul@comcast.net

Carol writes:      Fisherman's Village Resort in Punta Gorda, Fl (near Ft. Myers) is very accessible.  All timeshare units are on the second floor but there is an elevator.  The suites are all two bedroom and very large.  The bath area is very small for a wheelchair. So, this is a drawback.  The bathtub has a low ledge to get your leg over but if you own a clamp on grab bar it would help getting in and out.  There is a large mall below with many shops and restaurants.  Everything is flat or ramped for easy walking or riding in a wheelchair.  Most restaurants have take out if you didn't feel like going out.  You could spend all your time at this resort.  Please see resort reviews for further information or contact me at:  carolpaul@comcast.net

Karin writes:     She highly recommends Disneyworld, Orlando, Fl.   Wheelchairs go to the front of the line.  Everything is flat and very accessible. Disney Vacation Club is accessible and has handicap rooms with roll in showers.  She would not recommend Cancun for anyone in a wheelchair - "just forego it entirely" she says.  Any further questions contact Karin at: FortConner@aol.com

Harriet writes:   The Royal Islander in Cancun really is sensitive to the handicapped.  There are ramps at the entrance and throughout the hotel.  We had the one bedroom and the doorways are wide enough in the bath for a wheelchair to maneuver easily.  The area out around the pool is very wide.    There is an elevator to the beach area.  The Royal Caribbean (sister to the Islander) is also in Cancun.  We didn't see any of the rooms there but the restaurant is on the ground level.  Depending on the mobility of the person, the pools both have wide steps (not just a ladder) with sturdy hand rails.

                            Getting around Cancun itself will be a problem.  A car would be needed.  All the big shopping malls have ramps to enter, but not to the second level.  I don't know if there are elevators.  None of the buses have lifts.  We visited Chichenitza a Mayan ruin outside of Cancun.   It is one of their main attractions.  It is doable if the person pushing the wheelchair is in good shape.  Some of the paths are black topped, the rest are hard packed earth.  Playa del Carmen is a tourist mecca, just outside of Cancun, but it gets crowded and would really be a challenge.  It is also the ferry port for Cozumel which is ok but you have to take the ferry back and forth.   There is a ramp onto the boat.  Isla Mujeres (a 30 minute ferry ride from Cancun) is mostly sidewalks to the shopping areas tucked on side streets. The big draw here is the beaches but pushing a wheelchair on the beach is nearly impossible.   Tullum is out!  There is a road to the site, but once there it is all rough uneven ground.  Market 28 in downtown, where all the locals go, is ok too, all sidewalk but very busy and narrow aisles.   The vendors are much like our flea markets, stalls upon stalls with some eateries.   The problem here is the parking.  We took a cab.

                    We also vacationed at  Freeport Resort Club, Grand Bahama Island.  There are no elevators.  They do have units on the ground level.  Nice walkway around the pool.  The hot tubs are raised so someone who can't walk all will not be able to use them.  The one and two bedrooms are fine but the studio is really small, as soon as you walk in the kitchen is right in front of you, turning a wheelchair would be difficult.   The bath in both the studio and one bedroom is small.  You wouldn't be able to turn the chair around to get to the bathroom.  The Princess Casino has ramps and the International Bazaar ( a shopping place) has all concrete sidewalks.  The Woodbourne North Star is also here in the Freeport area.   There   are ground level units here too.   We didn't stay here, just visited the waterway in the back.  A great view with a beach across the street with an ok path.

                 Another place, the Daytona Beach Resort , in  FL,  has an elevator to all the units.  The two bedrooms have lots of room.    The pool has 4 steps leading up to it.

                In Aruba, the Holiday Inn (not a timeshare) is great for someone in a chair.   There is even a sidewalk path down to the water (mostly used by scuba divers and their equipment).   Divi Village in Aruba has elevators and ramps.  Easy access to the restaurant. Has large steps in the pool with a hand rail.   For more information on any of these resorts contact Harriet at:  CAtraveler1@msn.com

Carol writes:     The Voyager, Treasure Island, FL is an accessible resort.  There are two handicapped parking spaces outside ramped to the front lobby where a glass elevator is located.  The bathroom is long and narrow but wide enough for a wheelchair.  Our one bedroom unit was small but had everything you needed.  A drawback for me was getting up on the platform bed. I used two telephone books to do this.  A person in a wheelchair would have difficulty.  Please see my resort review for further information or contact me at: carolpaul@comcast.net

Carol writes:     The Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon, NY is an accessible resort.  We had a two bedroom and the unit was very large.  There were full bathrooms at each end.  No special accomodations in the bath area. I would suggest a clamp on rail for the tub.  The timeshares are away from the resort itself.   It is flat in the lobby area where there are shops.  Elevators take you to a main dining room and a cafe.  As timeshare users we were shuttled to a back area up a couple steps to eat dinner.  There was eating below which I'm sure you could request if you were in a wheelchair.  Please see my resort review for further information or contact me at: carolpaul@comcast.net

Gayle writes:     The Club Trinidad in Palm Springs, California is one of the smaller resorts.  It has a very active homeowners association and the grounds are well kept. There are two pools, both accessible without steps.  There are several units on ground level and at least 2 of the two-bedroom units are without steps. Other then for the second level units, I don't recall steps or uneven walkways anywhere.  It is conveniently located to all the usual Palm Springs area destinations. We have a daughter with CP, who relies on a wheelchair, so we are very sensitive to the issues of accessiblity.  Any questions on this resort contact Gayle at:  Pgksfich@aol.com

Harriet writes :   The Marriot Ocean Club in Aruba is very wheelchair friendly. The areas to the pool and beach are paved and flat.  The access from the hotel side to the timeshare side is easy to navigate.  On the hotel side there are two handicap spaces, but it would be easier being dropped off at the main entrance then wheeling it from the parking lot.  There are NO handicap spaces on the timeshare side.  It is quite a hike and there is a lot of traffic.  The 1 bedroom unit would be easy to get around in but I have my doubts about entering and turning around in the bathroom.  Even backing in would be difficult.  The balcony is easy to enter and leave.  The restaurants are on the hotel side and there should be no problem there.  The French Steak House is easy access but the dining room tables are close together so a wheelchair is hard to get thru.  Suggest calling ahead of time and mentioning you need a wheelchair accessible table.  Madam Jeanaette's Restaurant is on a wooden path but the tables are outside on gravel. Hard enough to walk yet push a wheelchair.  Too bad the food was excellent.

    The second week of our trip was aboard the Horizon (Celebrity Cruises).  There were a lot of people in wheelchairs but I wondered if some were ambulatory because I don't know how they got in and out of the bathrooms!  The public areas didn't seem to be a problem.

    Our third week was at the Holiday Inn.  Very easy to get around even to the beach.  Again, access to the bathrooms was difficult.  They do have handicap rooms but I wasn't able to see one.  Please contact Harriet at:   CAtraveler1@msn.com

George writes:   The Aubra Inn, Daytona Beach, Florida is a geat accesible timeshare for wheelchairs.  The sidewalks have ramps, restaurants are accessible as are the shopping centers in the area. 

    The Grand Seas Resort, Daytona Beach, Florida and the Grand Shores Resort, North Reddington Beach, Florida are both accessible as to parking and elevators.  Please contact George at: gjcoxjr@earthlink.net

Abby writes:   The Marriott Desert Springs in Palm Beach, California is very wheelchair accessible.  It is a beautiful place and convenient to everything.  We need a roll in shower (which is very difficult to find in a timeshare).  The handicapped units have roll in showers, grab bars, hand held spray, raised toilet seats w/grab bars and a vanity that a wheelchair user can get under.   The pool area is great with whirlpools also that have steps with a railing in the middle.  Phase II units have better accessibility then Phase I.  The timeshare is located right next to the Marriott Desert Springs Resort which is a full service resort where everything is accessible.  Grocery, drug stores etc are all close.

    The whole Palm Springs area is very accessible to someone in a wheelchair.  We go everywhere from the swap meets at the College of the Desert, to the movies, to the McCallum Theatre.  The Living Desert Restaurant and every restaurant in the area is wheelchair accessible.  It is a most wonderful place for a handicapped person and the caregiver too!  People are very friendly and offer to help all the time.  I highly recommend this area to anyone who can afford it.  the one negative thing is that it is expensive.  You can contact Abby at:  dickabby@concentric.net

Harriet writes:  The Sand Pebble, St. Petersburg, FL is geared nicely to wheelchair bound people.  Everything is ramped or flat.  There are four handicapped parking spaces.  The area around the swimming pool is flat  with a wooden boardwalk on both sides of the building leading to the beach.  The bathrooms are large enough to turn a wheelchair around BUT there are no grab bars in either the bath tub or shower.  St. John's Pass is just over the bridge.  I didn't walk around it but from what I observed it would be easy enough to navigate unless it was crowded.  Several interesting shops and restaurants are there.  Any questions please comtact Harriet at CAtraveler1@msn.com

Harriet writes:  Sandy Point, Tobago is definitely not a place for anyone with a walking or respiratory problem.  We had a 2 bedroom unit on the second floor - no elevator.  To make matters worse, the bedrooms are in a loft - another flight of steps.  The bath is on the main floor.  So, if you have to get up during the night, you got it, more steps!  The pool is on the lower level - more steps.  There is a ramp but it is so steep.  I bet its a 45 degree angle!  It is a beautiful island and not too expensive.  Good for ambulatory people but unfortunately almost impossible for others.  BTW we were here on September 11th and were supposed to be home on the 15th.  We didn't get back until the 18th BUT came back first class as they were the only seats available.  First time I could ever sleep on a plane!  Any questions please contact Harriet at CAtraveler1@msn.com

Carol writes:  The Tobago Hilton Resort is geared to the handicapped individual.  Handicapped accessible rooms are on the first floor.  In the rooms are wide doorways, grab bars in the tub and bath area.  There are ramps everywhere around the resort and the staff is very friendly and accomodating.  Beach is not accessible and no entertainment.  Food was excellent.  This is a good resort for a handicapped individual who generally spends most of their time at the resort.  Any questions please contact Carol at:  carol.caruso2@verizon.net

Harriet writes:  The Hotel Fiesta, Costa Rica (II Property) 

This resort is perfect for the wheel chair guest. There are ramps all over. I don’t think it was built with wheel chair guests in mind though. The brick path ways are for supply carts from the kitchen and house keeping, it is a bumpy ride, the bricks are decorative and have round holes in them. On a scooter, no problem. There are two ramps that are steep, my husband took me down backwards. The one pool, ankle to arm pit deep, is poured cement. sloped to look like sand, very easy to push a wheel chair into, assuming the person can get up off the chair and into the water, but no steps to navigate. Another pool has four steps, very wide, no rail, but if one goes in close to the side, you can lean on this wall.

One building has an elevator, the new one, the other doesn’t. We had room 725 looking out to the pool. The even side has a sea view.

  The food here was surprisingly good. Lots of fresh fruit. Great desserts.

The unit was typical of the Carribean. Clean and adequate. Kitchen has fridge, microwave, small toaster oven,  coffee pot and the usual dishes.

  The main entrance has about 12 steps, but when we pulled up and they saw I had a bad foot, they brought a wheel chair down, and took me another way around. They let me keep the chair our whole week.

  We took two tours. One in four wheel drive jeep, to feed white face monkeys by hand!! Ten paces away from the jeep. They supplied a stool for me to sit on. From there we had a very, very bumpy ride to feed the cotomundi again used the stool to sit, the little critters come right up to you. Really great!  The info on this trip is posted at the towel shack, not the tour office. $35 pp about four hours. This is a must do. The other was a tram over the rain forest. They wheel you right up to the tram. I had trouble with the one step from the chair into the tram. I suggested to the manager they supply a step stool. She immediately went to the phone to call the main office. I don’t doubt that they got one the next day! This also is must do.

 There is another trip that we didn’t take since my back hurt. This is a ride on the ferry over to Tortuga Island. Next time.  We will certainly re visit this resort.

  Though October is low season, we had great weather. A local said they haven't had a hurricane in many years, periods of heavy rain in Oct, but no high winds.

 One thing I must mention.  The resort is a 1 1/2 to 2hr drive from the airport. On very bad roads. The van driver tried to avoid most of the worst pot holes, but since it is mostly only two lanes we hit a lot. Not a trip for some one who minds jostling around.

I suggest going the all inclusive, there is one restaurant across the road, the rest you would need a car for.  Any questions please contact Harriet at: CAtraveler1@msn.com