Overview

We have stayed at the Grand previously and had a really good experience - unfortunately this time was disappointing. One of our party is in a wheelchair . We booked an accessible room and gave them advance notice that a wheelchair user would be staying. Unfortunately whilst the lift at the disabled entrance worked well the doors to the hotel were all locked and unbeknown to us the bell for disabled customers to ring to notify staff that they had arrived was out of order. We waited half an hour in the wind and rain - we eventually called reception and they sent someone 15 minutes later. We also had difficulty exiting the building- the door was simply too heavy for us to open and there were no staff available to help. One of our party had to go to the concierge desk - they eventually came round to help. We spoke to the Duty Manager and he could not have cared less. He said the doors had been closed because of the poor weather and had no explanation for why the broken bell had not been fixed or why there wasn’t a sign saying it wasn’t working. A couple (not wheelchair users) also tried to use the entrance and he seemed more concerned with them and their experience. We paid nearly £1,000 to stay one night: the least they could do is help us to access the building. Once inside the building it was easy to get around- but it was humiliating waiting in the wind and rain, and we were left drenched and feeling unwellcome.

Transport & Parking

We arrived by taxi which was fine.

Access

The accessible room and lifts were fine but the experience was overshadowed by the problems getting in and out of the building. It was humiliating. We wanted to use the hotel as a base to explore Brighton but we’re worried about whether, in the storms that weee outside, we would be able to get back in.

Toilets

We had an accessible room which had an adapted toilet which was good.

Staff

Last time we stayed the concierge were fantastic. This time they were very unhelpful. The Duty Manager was very dismissive of our concerns - he could not have cared less. We felt like second class citizens. It was very upsetting and frustrating.