Overview

Facilities were very good for disabled guests with reserved parking close to large ground floor bedrooms. Mobility scooters were available. Staff very willing to assist both in craft sessions and in the buffet dining room. Some limitations from historical building layout and narrow corridors. Special diets (gluten free) understood and catered for. Good food and good choice. Too much single use plastic in evidence.

Transport & Parking

Only really accessible by car. Plenty of onsite parking though sometimes difficult to park near reception on arrival (not obviously signed from the car park) Once booked in, Having prebooked a mobility scooter, and disabled room, by sending a copy of my wife’s blue badge, we had a reserved parking space close to our ground floor room. It’s a big site but navigable by wheelchair and mobility scooter - even indoors (but see below)

Access

Reception is deep within the buildings. Following the signs from the car park in a wheelchairbrought us to a point where two steps blocked to way to reception. There is an alternative route vis the dining room (but not obvious on a first visit). Subsequently the Receptionist told us that they had taken our comment on board and that the signage would be changed. Large disabled rooms are on the ground floor as are all craft and most sports facilities. At the time of our visit, lifts were being installed to these facilities. It was easy to move about the site externally by wheelchair or mobility scooter, except for one small area where a path had yet to be restored, and occasionally the wheelchair would ‘bottom out’ on ramps. Internally was more difficult because of narrow corridors (especially in the original old Manor House itself. Turning into rooms from narrow corridors sometimes took some manoeuvring, particularly in the craft centre. The worst one here involved a 180 degree turn through a self closing fire door on the way to the Enamelling room.

Toilets

There were adequate spacious well equipped easy access/disabled loos across the site. In our room (144) the toilet itself was low (standard toilet, not heightened) and there was no horizontal grab bar to assist rising.

Staff

Unless you’re checking in in a busy period, Reception staff are helpful and spend adequate time telling you all you need to know - especially for 1st time visitors. (If you hit a busy period I’m afraid it’s a bit like a production line with clearly preset scripts). Craft tutors are very good, friendly and helpful to visitors who find getting around the craft rooms difficult, or who find fiddly handling of eg jigsaws hard. The restaurant is a buffet. Disabled visitors are seated (reserved seating for everyone) at tables close to the buffet with plenty of space to manoeuvre. Allergens are clearly marked. Extra special diets can be catered for by prior discussion with chefs - typically after breakfast for the evening meal. Staff will help disabled visitors select from the buffet and carry plates etc to their tables.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

My wife didn’t try any of the sports facilities so we can’t comment for example on how wheelchair archery would have been. As an able bodied carer I found the archery good, even though I’d never done any before. The smaller pool had sloped access - though we didn’t try it as it seemed to be open at strange times. The food was surprisingly good for mass catering and very nice. We were pleased to see that smaller plates were used which reduced the amount of food waste. We were disappointed however at the amount of single use plastics available in all areas. If you like art and crafts, the hotel is well worth a visit (we stayed Monday to Friday). Browse the brochure and talk to the booking agents who will happily answer all your questions and help all they can.

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