San Antonio, Texas - places bars and hotels

These brief notes are intended to help anyone in a wheelchair travelling to San Antonio, Texas. They are based purely on my own observations so they encompass only places I have been myself. Hopefully if you are a disabled traveler or wheelchair user you will find them useful.

Riverwalk

The Riverwalk area is one of the main tourist attractions of San Antonio (along with The Alamo - which is pleasingly close). It consists of over 2 miles of pleasant water side walking (rolling) with numerous bars and restaurants.

The City of San Antonio has done a pretty good job of making the Riverwalk area wheelchair accessible. However, you do need to plan your route with a little care to ensure you start and end near a ramp or elevator to access the riverwalk. There is a good website with a map ( http://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/maps/index.asp ) that indicates where the ramps and elevators are situated. There is one section (just East of the South Presa bridge) where the water level path comes to an abrupt halt at a gate. However, there is a ramp (some 50yds behind the point where you reach the halt) to a higher level that leads you past this obstruction and down to the river level again. The path can be rough in places, and there is one location where there are water comduits cut through the path whihc makes navigation very difficult (West of the Hyatt Regency on the Northern side of the river).

Most restaurants at the water level have access - again the Riverwalk map will help out here.

Worth a visit and a pleasant way to spend an evening.

The Cove (606 W. Cypress Av)

Eclectic and entertaining bar set behind a laundry and car wash. A great antitode to the tourist traps around the Riverwalk. Roughly finished, wide selection of beer, good food and live music. This place is rough and ready - don't expect white linen! But it is clean and has easy level access. The toilets are accessible with a large cubicle (no grab rails). The only issue might be getting to the toilets between the closely packed lines of tables. Arrive early and sit near the band.

Highly recommended.

Swig Martini Bar (111 W. Crockett St.)

Upmarket bar just by the Riverwalk. There are steps at the Crockett St. entrance, but if you turn into N. Presa there is another alley on your right with level access to the bar. The restroom is large and accessible.

Howl at the Moon (111 W. Crockett St.)

Just beside Swig is the entrance to Howl at the Moon (www.howlatthemoon.com ). There is an elevator up to the first floor (the main bar and entertainment is up here). The table area is difficult to move around in as the tables and chairs are very close together. The restrooms are accessible.

Coyote Ugly (409 E. Commerce St.)

Access to Coyote Ugly is possible from E. Commerce St. There are six or seven steps into the bar, but they do have wheelchair lift although it is not always operational. Better to walk a few step down E. Commerce St, turn right into N. Presa and walk about half a block. There is a small shopping mall on the right, and a path through here to the Riverwalk area behind. (There is a small step and you have to look for the curb cut - but it's there!). Go through the mall and turn right again. This brings you to the back door of Coyote Ugly which has level access. Restrooms are accessible.

Mi Tierra (218 Produce Row)

This mexican restaurant is located in Market Square. there is level access from both front and back, and the restrooms are accessible. The restaurant is large and colorful, and navigating between tables is reasonably straightforward.

Recommended.

Mela (4987 NW Loop 410)

Indian restaurant - excellent food. Easy level access and large accessible restrooms. Large tables, easy to navigate and sit at.

Recommended.

San Antonio, Texas - Hotel (Hampton Inn Northwest/Seaworld))

These notes reflect my experience at a recent stay in this hotel and are intended as notes to assist someone looking for wheelchair or handicapped accessible accommodation and hotels in the San Antonio area. 

Hampton Inn San Antonio Northwest/SeaWorld Area

Level access to hotel from parking lot. Lobby area is accessible. The breakfast food area is accessible but there are a few steps down to the seating area. There is one small table near the reception that is on the same level as the food service area and the staff will reserve this for you if you are in a wheelchair. 

There is an elevator and a handicapped accessible room on each of the five floors. 

The accessible room is barely functional from an access point of view. The main problem is that the bedroom itself is a little small. The space between the end of the bed and the TV stand and furniture is barely wide enough to squeeze through with my wheelchair (27"/68cm wide), scraping the push-rims along both the bed and the chest of drawers. There is no option but to squeeze through this as there is not enough room to stay only on one side of the bed. Once through, the heater/air conditioning presents a problem for turning. Once you have navigated all that, the space on the opposite side of the bed is adequate. The work table is accessible with an easily accessible power socket in the base of the desk lamp. Internet is by wireless (free). 

The bed is a comfortable height. The TV controls were left on the bed along with a lap-desk tray.

The bathroom (you have to squeeze back through that narrow corridor between the bed and the TV to get there) is large. Toilet is raised and the grab rails are well positioned. My room had a bath with well positioned grab rails. The shower hose was hand held, but locked onto a wall mounted holder that was way too high to reach. Towels rack is at a comfortable height for a wheelchair user. 

The sink is very odd. Although there is plenty of knee room, but the sink is set very far back from the front which makes simple tasks like brushing your teeth or washing your hands pretty difficult. 

The bottom line is this hotel is not very welcoming for us wheelchair users and is best avoided if int eh San Antonio area. 

I should clarify that it is the hotel architecture that is not welcoming. The staff are very friendly and helpful!

Aruba - Hotel (Marriott Hotel and Stellaris Casino)

Marriott Hotel and Stellaris Casino

We had an unexpected extra night in Aruba and ended up at the Marriott Hotel Resort and Stellaris Casino. This was due to a flight cancellation, and we arrived late in the evening and left early in the morning so did not experience much of the resort. 

The Marriott is considered one of the finest hotels on the island and is located on Palm Beach on the west of the island and North of the Westin where we had stayed (see here). Access from the front is level and there is no problem moving around the large lobby. 

The Room

We were assigned a handicapped adapted room with two queen beds. The room was reasonably sized, with a large balcony and a partial ocean view. Once we had added a crib into the room, moving around in the chair became tricky - there was just too much furniture. The Queen bed was slightly higher than the wheelchair cushion but presented no real difficulty in transfer. The work desk was easy to sit at and had a panel within easy reach for power, network, and connections to the TV monitor if you wanted to use that for your computer. You need to supply the necessary cables yourself, but this is a nice touch as it allows you to play DVDs on your computer or whatever. 

The bathroom was a comfortable size with knee space under the sink. The toilet seemed to be lightly raised compared to a normal toilet and grab rails were well positioned. Towels were hung on the grab rails within easy reach of a wheelie. Our room had an awkwardly designed roll-in shower. It was located in a walled cubby hole off the main bathroom. The shower hose is  a hand-held with wall-mounted rail at the correct height. There was a fold up sturdy wooden shower seat permanently attached to the wall. The shower controls were easy to reach from the seat. Getting on to the seat could be a bit of a challenge though, as it is impossible to get your chair to 90 degrees to it. However, I was able to angle my chair up beside it at 45 degrees or so and slide onto the seat. Not the easiest transfer. There is nowhere in the shower to place shampoo and soap and so on. 

Other Notes

The pool area has many steps and in a very brief reconassaince I could not see how to access it. We ate breakfast in the restaurant by the pool which is accessible, although the ramp is located a long way from the door and I wheeled right past it without noticing. Toilets by the pool were accessible and had a handicapped cubicle. 

We were at the Marriott for such a short time, and under such stressful conditions, that I did not have time to research any other aspects of the resort. 

Aruba - Hotel (Westin Hotel and Resort)

These notes aim to private guidance for handicapped, disabled or wheelchair users who travel to Aruba or intend to stay in the Westin there. These informal notes are from a trip I took there with my wife adn kids.

Westin Hotel and Resort - Aruba

This is a fine beachside resort hotel in Aruba. We were there on an all-inclusive package deal with the family; me, my wheelchair, my wife and two kids, three years old and under.

Hotel

The hotel has not been specifically designed for wheelchair access and there is a surprising lack of such things as designated rest-rooms in the public areas. Nevertheless, access is good throughout the hotel and I found my stay there very comfortable. Taxis will drive up a steep ramp to the lobby level. There are two ramps in the curb outside the hotel and level access thereafter. In side the hotel all areas have a ramp or lift (elevator). To leave the hotel on foot you can take an elevator to the lower level and exit there (level, no steps, no steep ramps).

Room

We were upgraded from the regular room that we had booked to a single bedroom Ocean view

suite - nice! The hotel website clearly states for each room type whether or not a handicapped version is available. In the case of the one bedroom suites, no such statement is made. Indeed, our suite was not specifically designed to accommodate wheelchairs. However, I had no trouble using it. The door is a regular door (no spy-hole at wheelchair level) and quite heavy. It led to a narrow entrance corridor which led to the living room of the suite. Spacious, with room to move around although there was a little too much furniture for comfort in a wheelchair, especially with the sofa bed made up for the three your old and a crib for the baby. The bedroom was through a double door and again was spacious.

There is no proper work desk and electric sockets were hard to find and down low in the wall. The airconditioning controls are too high for a wheelie to reach.

The bathroom is huge - bigger than some hotel rooms I've been in in Europe. One end has a rack for hanging clothes (at walkie height). There is plenty of space to move about. The sink has room to roll under and is nicely designed. There is a huge roll-in 'double shower". Two shower hoses, one at each end, and grab-rails diagonally mounted on the walls. There is no built in shower seat - a standard plastic shower seat was delivered to the room within minutes of calling house-keeping. The shower hoses are both hand-held versions.

The toilet is unusually low with well positioned grab rails. Getting a chair in at 90 degrees to the toilet for transfer is a bit tricky and perhaps impossible for a power chair.

Towel rails are high - good for walkies but not good for me.

The Weston chain push their "heavenly beds" and, sure enough, they are very very comfortable. However, they

could also be described as heavenly because they are closer to the heavens than most, a good 8 inches (20cm)

above the level of my

wheelchair seat. Getting in and out of bed unassisted is a tricky and precarious task for a T4 para, and near impossible when drunk!

However, any concerns or irritations with the room are completely compensated for by the view. Both the living room and bedroom have a balcony accessed through large sliding doors. The large balcony has plenty of room for a wheelchair and the ocean view is just stunning. We could lie in bed and watch the sunset or sit on the balcony after the kids had gone to bed and drink the outrageously expensive champagne and look out over the ocean.

Prior to this, my top ranked hotel room was the one we stayed in in the Crowne Plaza, Madiera (now called the CS Madiera Atlantic Resort and Spa). See here for my account of that hotel). That room still wins in terms of wonderfully designed handicapped facilities. But the Ocean View Suite in the Westin, Aruba is now my top room for a place that is usably handicapped friendly but with a fantastic view and set of hotel facilities.

The Resort

Let me begin by saying I have no interest in gambling so I spent no time in the casino. I wheeled in to take a look but the smell of smoke drove me out (the rest of the hotel is non-smoking). However the main floor is wheelchair accessible.

The hotel and grounds back right onto Palm Beach. All areas of the hotel are wheelchair accessible. There are three indoor restaurants plus a fourth restaurant that is in the hotel but run independently. The pool area is accessible. There is no easy way to get into the pool although hotel staff are quick to provide assistance. I spent most of my time in the shallow end with my toddler and did some significant damage to the skin on my legs as a result. Be careful!

There is an accessible pool-side bar and outdoor terrace for breakfast and lunch. The toilets near the terrace are not designed for access but the doors are large enough for a wheelchair to get in, and the cubicle is big enough to get a chair into face first. However there are no restrooms specifically designed for handicapped use in any of the public areas that I could find. I was able to use the regular toilets because the cubicles are much larger than normal (at least 30" (75cm) doors), but this might be an issue for some folk.

A wide paved path leads to the beach (very close to the hotel). The beach is deep white dry sand and is impossible to navigate with a regular wheelchair. There are sun shades on the beach (called Palapas) which are given out on a first come first served basis or can be reserved for a hefty fee. Most of these are not accessible by wheelchair, however one or two are near the path and are usable. It is best to scout around on day one and determine which palapa is most accessible for you. If you then talk to the staff in charge of managing the Palapas and explain that you need a particular one because of your disability they will reserve it for you free of charge for the length of your stay. To be fair, let them know any day you do not plan to use it so others can use it as these things are in high demand. The staff will supply loungers, towels, buckets and spades and so on. The beach is lovely and the water looks stunning although I did not make it into it myself. Staff from the poolside bar patrol the beach and you can order food and drink right from your lounger.

Most evenings the hotel sets up a temporary restaurant on the beach for romantic (no children!) meals watching the sun set. They will position a table close to the path and assist (i.e. drag your chair through the sand) you to get there if need be.

As an aside, the staff at this hotel are exceptionally helpful and pleasant and always willing to help - sometimes appearing by your side before you have decided that you need help! I felt very comfortable during my whole time there.

The Island

I'm afraid we were very unadventurous on this trip. With two very young children it suited us much more to stay in the hotel and enjoy the facilities there. So I have little to add about access outside of the hotel itself. See here for more details.

Aruba - General Notes

Getting There

All flights to Aruba will land at the international airport (AUA ). Coming is is a rush as it appears that the aircraft is about to land in the ocean. At the last second the runway appears underneath you and you touch down. 

The staff that arrive to take you off the plane are friendly and appear to be well trained. We had no problems, and our aircraft used an airbridge although I noticed some that did not. 

The airport is modern. The toilets use the American approach of having one accessible cubicle. Works fine. 

Ask the people who take you off the plane to escort you through immigration because they can then use the "express" lane. Otherwise you will spend a long time in line as all US aircraft seem to arrive at roughly the same time of the day!

Once through immigration you exit into a small baggage terminal. There seemed to be plenty of staff to assist. The arrivals hall is also small and outside the airport are plenty of guys hustling for a taxi fare. Taxis come in all shapes and sizes from Vans to SUVs to beat up old cars. I did not spot any taxis that were wheelchair accessible, however there is a service offered by Lite Life Medicab (Hooiberg kavel E 2, Santa Cruz, Aruba. Tel: +297-585-9764). This is a van with a wheelchair ramp at the back. We pre-booked this for transfer to the hotel, and they met us in the arrivals hall. More expensive than a taxi ($50 from the airport to the Westin Hotel versus maybe $25 for a taxi) it is probably worth it for the peace of mind. They take cash only and do not carry change. Having said that, we used a station-wagon for our second hotel trip (the Marriott) and all fitted comfortably. It depends on what your transfer abilities are and how much luggage you have!

When leaving Aruba to go to the US things are a bit complicated. You clear US customs and immigration in Aruba. There can be very long lines here, so the best thing is to ask for assistance to the gate when checking in. Elevators are clearly marked so it is possible to make your own way but can be difficult in the crowds. It appears that all US bound flights leave at roughly the same time! You check-in your bags and then line up outside to go through Aruban passport control. Then you pass through security (usual stuff - shoes off, laptops out of bag etc.) and then enter a shopping and food hall (the food is breath-takingly over-priced). Then (US passengers only) you pick up your luggage again in a small luggage hall and pass through US immigration and customs. You then place your luggage back on a belt (careful - easy to put it on the wrong one!) and pass through security again! Finally you are in a small departures area. This has a few shops and sandwich stalls but is not as comfortable as the hall before US immigration. All this pulling and dragging makes it difficult for us wheelies, hence the recommendation to seek assistance. There are enough restrooms and all have handicapped accessible cubicles. 

The Island

I'm afraid we were very unadventurous on this trip. With two very young children it suited us much more to stay in the hotel and enjoy the facilities there. So I have little to add about access outside of the hotel itself. We ate in the hotel restaurants every night.

The Westin (where we stayed, see here for details) is located on Palm Beach on the west of the island, at one end of the high rise hotel strip. From the hotel a paved path leads all along the beach. Going south leads you to fairly tranquil areas, past a public beach, and a few spots for stunning sunset views. However, it looks like there is more construction planned so it won't be tranquil for long! Going North leads you past the main hotel strip so it can be noisy and crowded although there are many options for activities and food and drink. I did notice that two places (The Radisson  and Playa Linda) had palapas (semi-permanent beach shades built of wood and palm leaves) specifically reserved for handicapped use. 

The paved path runs by the beach all the way to the Holiday Inn resort  in the North and the Divi Pheonix Resort  to the South.

Opposite the Holiday Inn resort is the Paseo Herencia shopping Mall which is modern and accessible. It contains a movie theatre and a selection of shops and restaurants.

I was unable to find a car rental company that would issue hand controls so exploring the rest of the island involves renting a taxi – something we did not do.

The Aruba Tourism board has a good website (www.aruba.com) and, unusually for such things, has a page dedicated to advice for disabled travellers (http://www.aruba.com/about/disability.php)

We also went for a walk on the island side of the hotel. The pavement surface is very variable, sometime smooth concrete and sometimes gravel. There are a lot fo curb cuts to mount the pavement, but they are not everywhere. However, it seems possible to get access to most of the restaurants and shops that I saw. The island infrastructure is a bit beaten up, but is generally good and shows at least some consideration of the needs of wheelies. We did not go to any of the city/town centers so I cannot speak for those. 

The Butterfly Farm

We took the five minute walk from the Westin to the Butterfly farm. The original building was not wheelchair accessible but they retro-fitted very steep concrete ramps. These are really too steep to be negotiated unaided, but with a walkie pushing it is possible to get into the Butterfly Farm shop and garden. Our 3 year old loved it as there are butterflies everywhere. The garden path is hard sand and can be wheeled on with some difficulty.

San Diego, California - Hotel (Town and Country Resort)

Town & Country Resort, 500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA 92108

The hotel is a large (45 acre) site with different buildings. They offer little golf cart like shuttles to get around, but you can't really get on and off one of these very easily if you cannot stand or walk. There are handicapped parking spaces located all over the property so if you have a car you will be able to park close to your room. If you don't, be prepared to wheel long distances! All areas of the resort are accessible, although sometimes you have to look for the ramp. The property map clearly shows the location of all parking spots, accessible restrooms and access routes.

In general, a lot of thought and attention to detail has been spent on making this hotel wheelchair friendly and it deserves praise for this.

This resort has several different types of room. The one I stayed in is in the tower block. This is one of the best ADA compliant rooms that I have stayed in. There are two key slots - one on the door like a regular room, and one in the wall beside the door. If you insert your key in the wall-mounted slot, the door will open automatically. Inside the room, a switch on the wall will open the door from the inside.

The room is spacious although there was too much furniture in it when I arrived. An unnecessary table was removed immediately upon request. My room had a balcony which was accessible. All wall mounted controls (light switches, air-conditioning) are at an accessible height and easy to reach. The bedside light control is on a lead that reaches to the bed so you can turn on and off the light without moving. TV controls were left within reach. The clothes closet has one side for walkies and one side for wheelies with a lower hanging bar.

The bathroom is fully accessible. Mine had a tub with handrails although roll-in showers are also available. All rails were in good locations. Towel rails were low and accessible. Sink had plenty of knee-room. Shower uses a hand-held hose with a wall mounting that was low and could be reached from within the bath (very unusual - mostly they are mounted way too high).

The bed was slightly high but transferring was straight-forward enough.

All in all, the accommodations here, although by no means brand new, set a standard against which all others should be judged.

Dublin, Ireland - Restaurant (Skyview)

Skyview Restaurant, Weston Aerodrome, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland

This surprising restaurant is situated up one level in Weston aerodrome. There is a single step at the front door. A wooden temporary ramp is available to get up this if required. Lift (elevator) in lobby on left. Level access from lift to restaurant which has a fine view of the airfield and the Dublin mountains.

Accessible toilet on ground floor near entrance.

Dublin, Ireland - Restaurant (Canalettos) and Pub (Smyths)

Canalettos, 71 Mespil Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland

Mid-price Italian restaurant. Level access from street. Toilets are up stairs, no accessible toilet.

Smyths, 10 Haddington Road, Dublin 4, Ireland

A genuine old pub that hasn’t changed too much in at least 30 years. As such it retains the grimy charm of the old school Irish pub. Popular with young and old, it has a great mix of people. No food here other than crisps and peanuts!

There are no concessions for wheelchair access. There is “accidental” access. Level access to both bar and lounge from street. Toilets on ground level. Door about 700mm/28”. No accessible cubicle but enough space to get around. Cubicle doors are about 680mm/27.2”.

Worth a visit for the ‘old time” atmosphere. Check out if the toilets work for you before you have too many pints!

Dublin, Ireland - Restaurant (Langkawi) and Pub (Searsons)

Langkawi, 46 Upper Baggot St., Dublin 4, Ireland

Mid-to-upper price Malaysian restaurant. Great food. Level access from street. A tight turn into the dining room would be difficult for some wheelchairs. Several tables in the front section of the restaurant are up one step. Tables in the back section are on one level.

Toilets are downstairs and are not accessible.

Searsons, 44 Upper Baggot St., Dublin 4, Ireland

Large bar serving lunch and dinner food. Popular bar. Level access from street. Accessible unisex toilet located in middle section. You may need to ask a staff member for keys.

Dublin, Ireland - Pubs (Johnnie Fox's)

Johnnie Fox’s, Glencullen, Co. Dublin, Ireland

This is a popular tourist destination and claims to be the highest pub in Ireland. They serve good seafood meals, has a pub section and also a “Hooley” – a special section which features music and dance and dinner for a fixed cost.

The pub is an old traditional building so access is not easy. However, all doors have level access. Inside there are several rooms and moving between them is not easy due to the amount of furniture (and people). The Hooley room is not accessible from the inside (corridors are too narrow) but there is access from the outside. You will need to ask a member of staff to open the door.

There are no accessible toilets. The normal toilets may be usable for some. Level access through a door (about 725mm/29”) leads to a tight corner. Access to the cubicle is through a narrow walk way (about 700mm/28”). The cubicle is not accessible although the door is wide enough to let a chair in. Urinals and sinks can be reached from a chair.

This location is really not very accommodating, but if you can handle some obstacles is worth a visit if you are short of time in Ireland. It provides some sense of Irish music and drinking culture.

Dublin, Ireland - Restaurant (Siam Thai)

Siam Thai Restaurant, Dundrum shopping centre, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland

It’s not obvious how to get to this first floor restaurant but there is a lift (elevator) accessible from the “town square” open area. Level access throughout.

Dublin, Ireland - The Waterloo

The Waterloo, 36 Upper Baggot St., Dublin 4, Ireland

Formerly a wonderful old style Dublin pub, the Waterloo was refurbished in the mid-90s into a huge drinking barn. Serves a wide range of beers and stouts, and typical (pretty good quality) pub food and wine. Level access from street. The bar, and many of the tables are too high to sit at comfortably in a wheelchair. However, if you carry on straight through to the back of the pub there is a circular room with tables perfect for the disabled drunk. Dedicated handicapped toilet is just behind this room. If the pub is very crowded a staff member can let you into the back from the back alley (a bit of a hike).

If you go, check out the wonderful ceiling just inside the front door. It’s all that’s left of the original pub!

Recommended.

Dublin, Ireland - Milano

Milano, Baggot Street Bridge, Baggot Street, Dublin 4, Ireland

10th June 2008

Mid-priced pizza/pasta place. Milano’s is actually a chain with several branches city wide. The Baggot Street bridge branch has level access from the street and a handicapped toilet. There is enough space to negotiate between tables.

Recommended.

Update: 23 December 2008

It is probably worth adding that this is a very child-friendly restaurant. Dublin restaurants as a rule are not very child friendly, certainly when compared to US restaurants. However Milano's is very welcoming with a great kids menu, coloring pencils, warm staff and so on. 

Dublin, Ireland - Getting there

Dublin, Ireland - Getting There

The vast majority of people who fly into Ireland arrive at Dublin Airport. (A small number also arrive at Shannon or Cork airports). Dublin Airport is, by and large, a third world airport that accidentally relocated to a first world country and certainly is a contender for the worst managed, worst designed airport in the Europe if not the world. Oddly though, it’s not too bad at handling “special needs” passengers and the wheelchair traveler.

The staff that operates aisle chairs and the lift-on/lift-off functions at the airport is well trained and friendly. There is one special vehicle for loading and unloading wheelchair passengers in the event that the aircraft is not at an air bridge. Facilities within the terminal are okay – there are handicapped toilets in the baggage hall and at frequent locations in the gate areas. Lifts (elevators) are tiny, and the route to/from baggage can be torturous and long.

Almost all public busses in Dublin are wheelchair accessible. The privately run AirCoach that services the airport and most major hotels is not. So to get into the city from the airport means taking the public bus (slow but cheap) or a taxi. Handicapped accessible taxis are fairly common and if you need one the taxi rank operator will get one for you.

The center of Dublin is fairly easy to roll around, although not all street junctions have curb cuts. Modern hotels are usually accessible – pubs, shops and older buildings are frequently not. Always call ahead for restaurants and pubs to see if they can accommodate a wheelchair.

Sao Jose dos Campos - Hotel (IBIS Dutra)

Arriving
See previous posts on arriving at GRU.

Hotel IBIS - Av. Cidade Jardim, 101 - Jd. Satélite São José dos Campos - SP Phone number: 12-2139-5950 Brazil. Tel: +55-11-3393-7300

There are two IBIS Hotels in Sao Jose Dos Campos (SJC) referred to as Dutra (this one) and Colinas. If you are in a wheelchair go to the Colinas one!

The hotel is bright and clean. There is a steep curb cut at the entrance, then level entrance after that.

Handicapped room is on the ground floor. The room is small and tight, with European style in-built furnishings. Wooden floor, open shelves, low bench, small curved worktop. The room is too small for most wheelchairs. The space between the bed and the wall is exactly 680mm (27.2") which is very tight. You can't avoid squeezing through since there is not enough room between the bed and the wall to stay on one side of the room. If you can squeeze through you are in a narrow area by the work desk that is usable. Not large, but big enough to get around. Power sockets are at worktop level and easily accessible.Wifi Internet. Flat screen TV with controls left on a low shelf. Bed is a Queen size at the same height as a wheelchair seat, so it's an easy transfer. Open wardrobe has low bar for hanging shirts etc. Bathroom door is about 80cm (32in), with a sliding door to maximize space. The door was broken (unable to close it) when I visited. The sink is high but has space for knees underneath.

The roll-in shower has walls on three sides and the wall mounted seat is facing you as you sit in the chair. It is not possible to get "sideways on" to the seat, resulting in a difficult and dangerous 180 degree transfer to the shower seat. This is made more difficult by the hand-rails which are at the wrong height. The shower is a fixed nozzle in the ceiling.

Toilet is accessible but again, the grab bar (which doubles as a towel rail) is at an awkward height and position.

All in all, not a comfortable place to stay.

Staff were courteous and friendly, and the breakfast is good!

IBIS Hotel, Barro Funda, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Hotel IBIS - Rua Eduardo Viana 163, Barra Funda, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Tel: +55-11-3393-7300

The hotel is bright and clean. There is a steep curb cut at the entrance, then level entrance after that.

Handicapped room is on the second floor - lift (elevator) is small but there is enough space even for a large wheelchair. Room is right beside the lift.

The room is neat with European style in-built furnishings. Wooden floor, open shelves, low bench, small curved worktop. Not large, but big enough to get around. Power sockets are at worktop level and easily accessible. Wifi Internet. Flat screen TV with controls left on a low shelf. Bed is a Queen size at the same height as a wheelchair seat, so it's an easy transfer. Open wardrobe has low bar for hanging shirts etc. Bathroom door is about 80cm (32in), with a sliding door to maximize space. The sink is high but has space for knees underneath. Roll-in shower with a permanent hard (fake marble) bench running along one wall. Grab rails for transfer and balance when on bench. Hand held shower rose with wall mounting. Badly positioned grab-rails by toilet, but everything is usable and there is plenty of space to turn around.

Or at least everything was usable when I arrived. On transferring to the toilet there was an ominous crack, then a groan, then toilet, cistern and myself cam crashing to the ground in a cascade of water and shattered porcelain. Although a little heavier than I should be, I am not that big! The toilet appears to have been cracked previously. The hotel were very nice about it, and since I was not injured and was checking out that morning there was little that could be done.

All areas of the hotel are accessible including the restaurant on the first floor (second floor for Americans). Staff were extremely helpful and friendly.

Recommended.

Guarulhos Airport (GRU), Sao Paulo, Brazil

Arriving
Most international flights arrive at Guarulhos (GRU) International Airport. Although looking a bit dated it is clean and well serviced. Ground staff handling the aisle chair were well trained. I was taken off the plane quickly, and transferred to my own chair which had been brought to the air bridge. I flew United from Washington D.C. but on previous trips I have flown KLM from Amsterdam and received the same efficient treatment.

The ground assistant walked me through Immigration (no queues - I was last off the aircraft and everyone had been processed before I got through! I wish US Customs and Immigration were as efficient!), picked my bag off the carousel and walked me out to the taxi rank. The official taxi service for GRU is GuaruCoop (http://www.guarucoop.com.br - there are some pages in English). They do not have adapted taxis - just a range of regular taxis (sedans, station-wagons, people carriers). There is a stand just outside the airport doors where you can buy a ticket with a credit card. You then just hand the ticket to the driver. (You can pay the driver directly with cash also, but it is very reassuring getting a fixed price ticket for your destination in a strange city). The girl at the desk spoke perfect English and there were no problems. For this trip I was staying in a region of Sao Paulo for the first night called Barro Funda. This was about 35mins from the airport and cost BRL82.

I do not know if it is possible to rent cars with hand controls in Sao Paulo (certainly Hertz don't do it) but even if it was I'm not sure that I would drive there. Traffic is chaotic and driving style is exhilarating to say the least. You also have to cope with unexpected hazards such as someone cycling along the median of the freeway!

Hilton Hotel, LAX, Los Angeles

Hilton Hotel, LAX, Los Angeles, CA

Entrance is up a hill from the street, but level access. Check in was fast and friendly. No options offered on room (in fact they said they had only one handicapped accessible room available. As it turned out it had direct access to the pool so I wasn't complaining!). All areas of the hotel are accessible. The bar is up 4 or 5 steps, and the wheelchair access is retrofitted. there is a very steep ramp (about 1:6) which I (foolishly) tried to wheel up. Almost impossible for a manual self-propelled chair. However, there is also a chair lift that the staff can operate if the ramp proves impossible. Once at the bar level, there are further ADA compliant ramps to the various levels of the bar. One very pleasant side effect of the split levels in the bar is that at one end, the bar is a comfortable height to sit at with a wheelchair. So it is one of the few bars I have ever been at where I could actually belly up to the bar and have a beer! The food is pretty good too. 

Room was extra large, King bed, plenty of room to wheel around it. Bed about 2" (5cm) above wheelchair cushion height and I found it tricky to transfer in on and off. Good size work desk, electric socket in the lamp and the desk within easy reach. WiFi Ethernet. The clothes closet was in an awkward to reach place, and the clothes hangers were too high and out of reach. 

Accessible tub, wall mounted shower hose. Plenty of grab rails in the right places, but the inner wall of the tub was almost flush with the bathroom wall making it difficult to use the tub itself as a leaning place. Wall mounted sink with legroom underneath. 

TV controls left by the bed within easy reach. 

John Jay best Western - Palmdale, CA

John Jay Best Western - Palmdale, CA

An overnight visit. Level access into the lobby. I was given a handicapped room - no options with respect to shower, bath etc. The room was reasonably sized, enough space to wheel around. The King Size bed was way too high - about 4" (10cm) above wheelchair cushion height. I was able to transfer in and out but it was not easy and would be troublesome for many.
The work desk was large, but electric sockets were underneath the desk, on the wall, and well-nigh impossible to reach. The wired Ethernet was easy to reach. TV controls were left on top of the TV, I was able to find them by scrabbling about blindly. 

Bath was an accessible tub, and they could have done with an extra grabrail at the end of the path. The shower rose is fixed to the wall and out of reach. It was angled in such a way that it was impossible to get water to hit your body - it was aimed at the wall. Towels were on mid-height shelf, not difficult to reach. Sink unit is separate from the bathroom and had plenty of leg room underneath. 

This is an older, lower budget hotel. It could do with a makeover, but it is clean and the staff are friendly. Okay for a reasonably strong, independent wheelie, but could be problematic for power chair users or quads.  

Hard Rock Hotel - Las Vegas

Hard Rock Hotel - Las Vegas

I was here for just a quick business meeting. Excellent hotel, off strip. There is level access from the taxi/drop-off doors. Valets took my baggage at the door and were very helpful. Check-in was fast and pleasant. They asked if I wanted roll-in shower or accessible tub. I took the tub as that is my preference, but was glad to note that they had the option. In the event, they gave me a roll-in shower but i did not bother to rectify the error.

The room was spacious and well fitted out. Water and a mini-bar was provided (watch the prices!!). The bed was about wheelchair cushion height. Large bathroom, with grab rails in all the right places. The roll-in shower was spacious, with a fold-up seat by the shower controls. Hand held or wall mounted shower rose - selectable by a wall mounted control.  Easy to operate and transfer to and from the seat. Bathroom sink had plenty of legroom underneath. 

The business area was well laid out, with electric plugs and wired Ethernet at table height. Controls for the large flat screen TV were left within easy reach for a wheelie. All in all no problems. 

Like all Vegas casino/hotels, the establishment is large, and wheeling across those deep pile carpets takes it out of you. But all areas seemed accessible. I had no opportunity to check access to the pool, but the spa is accessible and they have a handicapped accessible shower (with shower seat) in the changing area. I had to use the spa to get a massage for an extremely painful shoulder which is still in a bad way as I write this. The massage was great, but its effects, alas, were temporary. The only fault in the spa was the lack of a changing bench or somewhere a wheelie could lie to dress and undress. 

All in all, very impressive. Recommended.

(Note: The theme here, not surprisingly, is Rock. So public areas are noisy and energetic. If this is not your thing, then avoid! The rooms are quiet.)

Dulles Airport (IAD) - Washington DC

On the list of the many things I dislike, I keep a special spot for Dulles Airport (Washington D.C.) At least it gets on the list – there are a few airports that no sane wheelchair user should consider, even for transfers, and they don’t get on my list because they are below wasting the emotional energy on them. (For the record: JFK, New York; CDG, Paris; PHL, Philadelphia – until they sort out the baggage handling and stop losing wheelchairs) To be fair to Dulles (IAD on the airport code list) it makes an effort to be accessible. The problem is that it was designed in the 60s and they had no idea of how it would be used in the 21^stcentury. Principle problems are:

• No mass transit public transport access. So you have to take a taxi or your car (the buses are not accessible)

• If you can afford to leave your car in the Daily (as opposed to the Economy) parking lot you have a huge walk to the terminal

• Once you get to the terminal you have to wheel up a tremendously long slope. There is no elevator.

• The TSA (security) staff is by far the worst that I deal with on the many airports I travel through. Actually, that’s a little unfair. It’s a lottery. Some days they are pleasant, efficient, and effective. Other days it’s the complete opposite. No other airport that I know of has the same bi-polar personality.

• The stupid little “moving lounges” that you have to take to get to the gates.

Okay, ranting aside, and to be fair the airport is pretty accessible. There are accessible buses running from the car parks to the terminal. If you park in the handicapped spots in Daily Car park 1, you can take an elevator to an underground walkway to the terminal. It is, as noted earlier, a hefty walk but there are moving travelators to help you along. Access to the terminal is up a long slope. There are elevators to every floor, and all public toilets have accessible cubicles. The public restrooms in the ticketing/boarding concourse are small and difficult to find. Much better are the ones in the arrival hall located near each entrance. In addition, in the arrivals hall, there are "family restrooms" which are large and accessible. These are located between the entrance to the ladies and gents restrooms. The elevators are sometimes tucked away in odd places, but they are there. From the arrivals they are usually directly opposite the entrance as you wheel yourself up that long ramp. You have to negotiate around the escalators to the departures level to see them. The moving lounges are accessible, and each has two spots specifically dedicated for wheelchairs.

I’m in Dulles as I write this – having kissed goodbye to my beloved family earlier to day and left my wife at the mercy of our children for four whole days…

I will shortly board a United flight to Las Vegas. United, in general, has been pretty good for flying, with just the occasional mess. But nothing terrible (not like US Airways who forgot to load my wheelchair in PHL, or Sabena – now defunct – who crushed it in the baggage gate). We’ll see how things go…

The saving grace of Dulles? Vino Volo.