Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort and Spa

25135 Park Lantern · Dana Point, California 92629 USA

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These notes are intended to provide guidance for wheelchair users considering this hotel. If you are looking for comments on the hotel experience see tripadvisor. Conclusion: A lovely resort, fully accessible despite many different levels, let down by a bed in the accessible room that is too high to use.

The hotel has a fine location at beautiful Dana Point. It is located high on a bluff with a steep set of steps leading to the beach and harbor area below.  The hotel is on many levels with steps but all areas of the hotel are wheelchair accessible - although you may have to follow a convoluted route to get to some places!

There are three steps up to the entrance, with gently sloping ramps on both left and right. The front doors are automatic. The reception area is fully accessible. Off reception is a bar/cafe area up a couple of steps, with an outdoor seating area with fabulous views. Both are accessible via ramps but it is kind of hard to find them. Best to ask a staff member to show you.  The restaurant is one floor down, accessible via lift (elevator).

All areas of the grounds, including the swimming pool, seemed to be accessible. The pool has a lift chair attached to one corner to enable transfer in and out of the pool.

The wheelchair accessible room I booked had two double beds since I was travelling with my family. The room was a long way from the elevator over thick pile carpet which made wheeling difficult. The room itself was very large with plenty of space around and between the beds. Sliding doors opened onto a balcony and there was no trouble wheeling over the small lip to access it.

The work desk was a comfortable size and help.  The power sockets were below the work desk and a little awkward to reach, but not impossible. The closets, minibar and coffee maker were all accessible although the mini-bar dry goods and menu were out of reach. The TV remote was in a cradle in front of the TV and easy to reach. A/C controls were also at a good height. The bed was nearly impossible to get into. There is a trend at the moment for very high beds. This one was way too high for a comfortable transfer and the act of getting into bed was exhausting and risky. The room lights could not be controlled from the bed.

The bathroom was very large, the shower enormous! The shower had a fold down seat and the controls could easily be reached from that seat. There was a single hand held shower hose on a wall mounted rail. The toilet had plenty of circulation space around it suitable for anything from a 0 to 180 degree transfer, and well positioned grab rails. The sink had plenty of knee room and was easy to access.  A large mirror gives a decent view of your upper body but it is not tilted making it difficult to get a full length view. The towels are hung on a bar in the shower and are accessible from a wheelchair. 

We had two minor problems with the room - not worth complaining about at the time as we were only staying one night. However, when we mentioned them on checkout they immediately waived the resort fee as a courtesy gesture.  This is a lovely hotel, with great facilities and service. However I don't think I can recommend it, or use it again myself, simply because of the ridiculously high beds. Is there an ADA guideline for bed height?  If not, there should be!

El Segundo (Los Angeles, LAX), CA, USA - Hotel (Hilton Garden Inn)

The Hilton Garden Inn LAX/El Segunda is located almost two miles from LAX (Los Angeles International airport) in the business district of El Segunda. These notes are intended to assist wheelchair users considering using the hotel. I do not review hotel facilities except where they impact wheelchair users since there are plenty of sites on-line (e.g.www.tripadvisor.com)  that cover that stuff! This hotel is within easy striking distance of LAX and has free self-parking which is a big advantage in this area.

Level access from parking lot through automatic doors. The lobby and restaurant are fully accessible.

My room on this occasion was a king bed, ADA accessible, with bath. The room was very large with plenty of space to maneuver and just enough furniture. Very comfortable to move around.  The workdesk was of a good size and height and easily reached by wheelchair. Two sockets were mounted on the wall at table height and easy to use. Wired Ethernet in the room worked well (free).

The bed was slightly higher than the wheelchair but still relatively easy to transfer in and out of.  Bedroom closet was fine - split into two, one section for wheelies and one for walkies. A/C controls were at a comfortable height. The TV control was left by the TV and easily accessible. Coffee maker, microwave and fridge were all easily accessible.

The bathroom was large with plenty of turning space. The sink was easy to use, and the toilet was low. Grab bars were well positioned. A plastic seat was left in the bathroom for use if necessary. The bath was low and easy to get in and out of, although the grab bars are positioned high - more for ambulant disabled than for wheelies. The shower was a hand-held rose, on a sliding bar. This was a little high for reaching from the bath but the controls are easy to reach. The towels were placed on a low towel rack and easy to reach.

All in all this room was extremely comfortable and strongly recommended for wheelchair users visiting the area. It is worth noting that there is a Green Line metro station right by the hotel, with an elevator although I did not use the metro myself.

San Diego, CA, USA - Hotel (Holiday Inn, Rancho Bernardo)

The Holiday Inn Rancho Bernardo is located in Rancho Bernardo in the suburbs of San Diego. These notes are intended to assist wheelchair users considering using the hotel. I reviewed the hotel before, here. At that time I gave it 2 out of 5 and it made the "worst three hotels" list - with the dubious honor of being the worst in the United States in terms of a comfortable, wheelchair accessible room. However, it is one of the cheaper hotels in the area so I ended up staying here again. On this occasion I was given a different room, and had a better experience. So this time it gets 3 and a half out of five giving it an average rating of 2.5 points and, to be fair, lifting it out of the "three worst" list.

The property is in two parts. The accessible rooms seem to be in the main part where reception is located. The lobby and breakfast area are fully accessible and there is level access from outside through automatic doors - no ramp necessary.

My room on this occasion was a king bed, ADA accessible, roll-in shower. Having just one king bed instead of the two queens of the last visit made all the difference in terms of space to move around.  The workdesk was of a good size and height with one easily reached socket in the desk lamp. Wifi in the room worked well (free).

The bed was slightly lower than the wheelchair and relatively easy to transfer in and out of.  Bedroom closet was fine. A/C controls were reachable but a little high. The TV control was left by the bed and easily accessible. Coffee maker, microwave and fridge were all usable.

The bathroom was a comfortable size with good turning space (unlike the last time). The sink was easy to use, and the toilet was low. Grab bars were well positioned. The shower had a large plastic shower seat which was tricky to transfer in and out of. The shower also had two hoses. One was a hand-held rose, on a sliding bar with it's own water controls. This was ideally placed for use from the shower seat. Unfortunately the water control had a heat regulator that was set too low so the water never got warm. Since I'm not too keen on cold showers I was unable to use this rose. The other rose is a fixed, wall mounted rose high in the shower. To use it involved dragging the shower seat to the other end of the shower and transferring there was a lot more difficult. Towels were placed on a rack above the toilet and were extremely difficult to reach.

It was a pity about the shower as otherwise this room was not bad - about middle of the road for accessible American hotels (and, to be fair, American hotels tend to be a lot more accessible than elsewhere in the world!). I've removed the hotel from the "three worst" list and recommend that if you are planning to stay here you insist on a King bed, accessible room and avoid the two doubles.

Palmdale, California - Hotel (Holiday Inn) - revisit

These wheelchair access and travel notes refer to the Holiday Inn in Palmdale, CA, a mid-range, fairly decent hotel which was previously reviewed here. On this occasion I was given a very different and slightly better room (ground floor - 107) which merits a new review. read the previous post though to get a feel for what options you may have.

This room was medium sized, not large. The furniture layout made it easy to move around although the bed was a little close to the far wall. Not a problem as there was plenty of room at one side for getting in and out.

The workdesk was small. This was better than the previous room where the large workdesk actually cut circulation space at the end of the bed. The desk was still usable though and comfortable to sit at. The electric sockets were in the wall below the desk and difficult to reach from a chair. There was no desk lamp. In room wifi was great. TV controls were left in easy reach. Coffeemaker was on work desk and easy to reach also.

Air-conditioning unit was in the corner, set low and the controls were easy to reach.

The single queen bed was very high and transfers in and out were difficult. Bedside light easy to reach from the bed, but the room lights could not be turned off from in bed (so remember to turn them off before getting out of your chair!). Closet was open (no door) and a comfortable height.

Bathroom was large with plenty of turning space. Toilet was of the raised ADA compliant type. The grab-rails were a little too high and far away for comfort. The sink was not in the bathroom but in the bedroom area. Some may find this a little unusual. The under sink space was tight and almost touched my knees. I know for sure I would not have fit under the sink had I been using my spare chair which is slightly higher than my normal chair. Also the sink was set back making it a little awkward for washing. This room had a roll-in shower with a large wooden permanent shower seat. The seat positioning relative to the grab bars made transfers a little difficult. There were two shower roses - one fixed to the wall and one hand-held. Both were easy to reach from the shower seat. The handheld was on a wall bar and at a good height. Towel rack was at a comfortable height and easily accessible.

All in all, this room would be perfect for an ambulant disabled and better then the previous room for a wheelie travelling without a companion.

Staff at this hotel are exceptionally friendly and do make an effort to make you feel welcome.

San Diego, California - Hotel (Holiday Inn Rancho)

The Holiday Inn Rancho is located in Rancho Bernardo in the suburbs of San Diego. These notes are intended to assist wheelchair users considering using the hotel.

The property is in two parts. Access to the second block is up a long ramp and difficult to climb in a manual chair with luggage. I was sent there initially but the room I was assigned was not accessible. On returning to reception I was assigned an "accessible" room in the main block.

The room was a reasonable size for its two queen size beds. Workdesk was of a good size and height with one easily reached socket in the desk lamp. Wifi in the room.

The beds were of differing heights so I chose the one slightly lower than the wheelchair for ease of transfer (the other bed was slightly higher). Bedroom closet was usable but the rack was a little high. A/C controls were reachable but very high. The TV control was left on a high shelf and was barely reachable. The ice bucket and glasses were out of reach.

While the bedroom was fine, the bathroom was bordering on unusable. It was very small with no turning circle. The sink unit had a grab bar at the front which made it impossible to use the sink easily. The toilet had no room to place a chair beside it, forcing a tricky 180 degree transfer to use it. There was a grab rail mounted directly behind the toilet, above the cistern, which was utterly useless for anyone. The bath had one badly positioned grab bar. The shower was a hand held hose mounted too high on a rail.

Although not related to access, the room had a general unpleasant smell which made me nervous about cleanliness.

Not recommended, this hotel made it to my "3 worst hotels" list!

Los Angeles, CA - Hotel (Crowne Plaza LAX)

The Crowne Plaza LAX is located just by LAX airport. They can arrange a handicapped accessible shuttle from the airport. Since not all the shuttle busses are accessible, you need to call the hotel from the airport to let them know you need an accessible one. In my case it took about 15mins for one to arrive.

Access from the street is level. There is no "low counter" at reception. There is level access to the bar, restaurant, a Starbucks and a Sushi bar. Toilets on ground floor are accessible.

My room (single king size bed) was large and easy to move around.

Workdesk was not very big, but very usable and a perfect height for me. Sockets (two) in the base of the desk lamp were easily accessible. There is wifi internet access.

The bed was slightly above wheelchair cushion height, but easy to transfer onto. There is a hook in the ceiling to attach a transfer harness. The main lights cannot be controlled from the bed, but the bedside light is easy to reach. Controls for the A/C and the TV were easily accessible.

Closet was easy to access and had a low rack for hanging clothes.

The bathroom was very large with plenty of turning space. Toilet is at wheelchair cushion height, grab bars well positioned. There is a hook in the ceiling above the toilet to attach a transfer harness if required. The sink has plenty of knee room underneath. Towel rack is at wheelchair height and easily reached.

My room had a tub with well-positioned grab rails. The shower hose is a hand-held but the bar on which it slides is too high to reach when sitting in the tub. Controls for water are easy to reach. However, for many people the shower would need the assistance of a walkie to use.

Overall, the room decor and fitting were a little "tired" and in need of a refurbishment. However, it was a perfectly comfortable room and functionally fine from a wheelchair access point of view.

Hermosa Beach, CA - Hotel (Holiday Inn Express)

These wheelchair access and travel notes refer to the Holiday Inn Express in Hermosa Beach, CA, about 15 minutes from LAX airport.

There is level access to the main lobby. The reception desk has a low level surface at one end for easy check-in.

My room was large with plenty of space to manoeuvre.

Good workdesk. Comfortable to sit at. Electric sockets in the desk lamp (2) were easy to reach. I room wifi and wired Ethernet is free and worked well. TV controls were left on top of TV, a little high, but could still be reached.

Air-conditioning unit was below the window and easy to reach.

The bed was about wheelchair cushion height and easy to transfer on and off. Bedside light easy to reach from the bed, but the room lights could not be turned off from in bed. Closet had sliding door and was a little difficult to get at.

Bathroom was large with plenty of turning space. Toilet was easily accessible. The grab-rails were a little too high and far away for comfort. Sink was a comfortable height. This room had a bath rather than a roll-in shower. Hand held shower rose could be fixed to a wall mounting or on a rail. Two sets of grab rails around bath suitable for both a wheelie and ambulant disabled.

Recommended.

Lancaster, CA - Restaurant (Fresco II)

Fresco II is a Greek/Italian restaurant in the Palmdale/Lancaster conurbation in California. These notes address the wheelchair access to the restaurant.

Level access from the street. Table furniture is quite close so navigating around the dining room is a little difficult. Large accessible toilet down a corridor, but the corridor is used for storage of chairs and so on so access is a little tight. Staff will move items if necessary.

Recommended.

Palmdale, California - Hotel (Holiday Inn)

These wheelchair access and travel notes refer to the Holiday Inn in Palmdale, CA, a mid-range, fairly decent hotel.

There is level access to the main lobby. The bar and restaurant are just off the lobby, easily accessible. Restaurant furniture is comfortably spaced, no trouble navigating with a wheelchair.

The reception desk has a low level surface at one end for easy check-in, which is a nice touch.

My room was medium sized, not large. The space between the end of the bed and the TV furniture was a bit tight - about 36" (900mm). Past that bottleneck though, there was plenty of room.

Good workdesk. Comfortable to sit at. Electric sockets in the desk lamp (2) were easy to reach. IN room wifi was very weak and effectively unusable. TV controls were left in easy reach. Coffeemaker was easy to reach also.

Air-conditioning unit was in the corner and, although low, the controls were difficult to reach because they were partially blocked by the workdesk.

The bed was very high and transfers in and out were difficult. Bedside light easy to reach from the bed, but the room lights could not be turned off from in bed (so remember to turn them off before getting out of your chair!). Closet was open (no door) and a comfortable height.

Bathroom was large with plenty of turning space. Toilet was of the raised ADA compliant type. The grab-rails were a little too high and far away for comfort. Sink was also high and set back making it a little awkward for washing. This room had a bath rather than a roll-in shower. There were two shower roses - one fixed to the wall and one hand-held. Unfortunately, the switch to direct water from one to the other is at the wall mounting and therefore out of reach for wheelies. Handheld on a wall bar and at a good height. Grab rails around bath too high for comfort. Towel rack was at a comfortable height and easily accessible.

All in all, this room would be perfect for an ambulant disabled but is not great for a wheelie unless travelling with a companion.

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.

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.