Accessible accommodation
Holidays for the disabled traveller
England extends a warm welcome to the disabled visitor. Many more public places, including tourist attractions, are now accessible to wheelchair users and increasing numbers of hotels and restaurants are happy to accommodate people with disabilities and their carers.
Special discounts may be available at attractions, shows and concerts. Telephone the box office in advance to reserve special seating places or equipment.
Useful links
National Accessible Scheme
If you have particular mobility, visual or hearing needs, look out for our National Accessible Scheme. You can be confident of finding accommodation or attractions that meet your needs by looking for the relevant symbols. Properties and attractions displaying these symbols will have met the National Accessible Scheme criteria.
You can purchase our guide to accommodation assessed under the National Accessible Scheme from our Online Shop (www.enjoyenglanddirect.com/detail.aspx?ID=337)
Holiday Care/Tourism for All Holidays Ltd
Working with England’s tourist boards, Holiday Care is accredited to inspect accommodation in the UK against agreed 'Tourism for All' National Accessible Scheme standards.
Holiday Care holds a database of over 1,000 hotels, self-catering properties, bed and breakfast establishments and farms, which have been inspected and assigned an access category. Apart from providing information about accessible accommodation, Holiday Care can also book your accommodation for you. Information packs on a range of services for disabled visitors are available.
Artsline
This organisation provides information for disabled people about access to the arts in London. Their comprehensive database covers cinemas, galleries, museums, tourist attractions, theatres and other venues.
The National Trust (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/)
The National Trust welcomes visitors with disabilities as well as assistance dogs. Most properties have a good degree of access. Unless otherwise mentioned in the relevant property entry, all properties have adapted WCs. Many properties provide manual wheelchairs for loan. Self-drive and volunteer-driven powered mobility vehicles are available at some larger gardens and parks.
The National Trust Magazine is available free on tape, as are several regional newsletters. Please contact their Access For All Office if you wish to receive these regularly.
English Heritage (www.english-heritage.org.uk/)
English Heritage have produced a pdf document containing information on many historic properties around the country offering good access for disabled visitors that you can download and print by clicking here