08 March 2008

Copyright Michael Coatesworth.

Last revised: March 08, 2008

Time for a Cuppa!

The Magazine

For all the Family

Have a Cuppa! with Mike

Counter Data.com

website traffic company Counter

Hello, I'm Mike Coatesworth

"Click on my picture above to be taken to my short autobiography"

My "First Hand" experiences with Disabled Access

*******

Flamingo Hotel Benidorm

Not Wheelchair Friendly

I booked a suite at the Flamingo hotel in Benidorm for a two week holiday. I had been informed by the travel agent that it was completely wheelchair friendly, so I would find out if this indeed was true.

After explaining and informing the representative at Sunstar Leisure that I was a full time wheelchair user and couldn’t walk at all, and after some searching by the representative, I was informed by the representative that the Flamingo hotel in Benidorm was completely wheelchair friendly, so I booked my two week family holiday with Sunstar Leisure, to stay at the Flamingo Hotel in Benidorm. I booked from the 25^th July to the 8^th August 2006 a standard room for my daughter (at her request) and two grandchildren, and as I am a full time wheelchair user in need of the extra space, I booked a large suite for myself and my wife.

When we arrived at the hotel and handed over the hotel vouchers to the receptionist, we were told that our rooms were not ready, so we went for a meal and as we had been requested, we returned a couple of hours later only to be informed that there were no suites at all in the hotel and that all the rooms were identical standard rooms. I asked for a room on one of the lower floors, but was told that none were available and all of us were placed on the 12^th floor.

Taking the key from the receptionist I decided to take a look at the room to see if it was suitable. I was totally shocked to find that my wheelchair would not fit through the door. I returned to the receptionist who informed me again that all the rooms were identical and if I could not get through one door, then I most certainly would not get through any of the other doors. So I asked her where I was going to sleep and she shrugged her shoulders and said that I should contact my holiday agent.

I immediately telephoned the customer services at Sunstar Leisure. Although they were helpful I was informed that all the hotels in the area were fully booked, but they stated that they couldn’t promise anything, but it may be possible to find another hotel for myself and my wife, but my daughter and my two grandchildren would have to remain at the Flamingo hotel. This meant that our family would be split up which is definitely what we did not want as we had booked as one party. The man that I spoke to stated that the alternative would be for him to try and arrange a flight home for us; again this meant just me and my wife. I was so frustrated that I handed the phone to my daughter, but she couldn’t achieve anything either.

The hotel receptionist spoke to me and informed me that I could hire an electric wheelchair which would be smaller than my manual wheelchair so it could be possible that it would go through the accommodation doors. I ordered a chair and the delivery man took it up to the room and yes it fitted through the bedroom and living room doors, but only just. We had to move the beds around and near to the balcony (which was also inaccessible to me.) As for the bathroom, the chair would not fit through the door at all as the whole doorframe was too small. I returned to the receptionist again and was told that there was nothing at all that they could do. Once more I rang customer services at Sunstar leisure, but achieved no solution to the problem. So the choice that I had was to either split up the family or return home, again splitting up the family. I decided that rather than spoil everybody’s holiday and with the help of my family, to rough it. I hired the electric wheelchair from Amiga 24 at a cost of 140 Euros for the two weeks.

Later I was approached by the manager of the hotel who asked if I would join him in his office for a talk. I agreed and in his office he informed me that he had been to my website and was impressed with my disabled access files on my site, http://www.coatesworth.co.uk He offered his apologies for my treatment since I had arrived at the hotel, but there was nothing at all that he could do about my predicament and the only people who could do anything would be the booking agent. He stated that his company did their best for disabled guests, but unfortunately the rooms were not up to standard for wheelchair users. This would all change in winter when they hoped to rebuild approximately eight of the rooms on the lower floors for wheelchair users. Before I left his office I explained that I had asked the receptionist for extra pillows as I sleep virtually sitting up, but I had been told that the hotel was full and there were no spare pillows. The manager said that he would sort it out. I never did receive the pillows and had to make do with cushions from the living room chairs. I wonder if his apologies were sincere and if the hotel will ever get wheelchair friendly accommodation.

For the following two weeks I had to use the lower ground floor disabled toilet, and in my room with the help of my family I had to have a full strip wash three times a day in the small kitchen area that I just managed to get into. If I badly needed to go to the toilet in the middle of the night I had to be fully dressed and take a lift down to the ground floor and cross to the other side of the hotel and take another lift to the lower floor to get to the toilet. Luckily this only happened on two occasions.

In my opinion, the attitude of the hotel staff was one of indifference to my predicament.

Although the accommodation was not wheelchair friendly, the ground floor was wheelchair friendly. The ground floor had been adapted with a ramp to the inside bar and a ramp to the outside bar and pool area. There is a lift (elevator) down to the dining room, but a lot of the children used it as a toy, riding up and down. Fortunately for me it didn’t break down while I was there.

On the other side of the hotel, there are lifts to the accommodation area, but alas the cleaners also used them and had a habit of holding the doors open until they had cleaned the areas. This meant that up to a twenty minute wait for a lift was not unusual.

Also on the ground floor is a disabled toilet albeit very small and I had to squeeze into a corner so that I could close the door. On the lower floor is a large disabled toilet, but after you wash your hands, there is no where to dry them!

The Flamingo hotel used to be an apartment block for self catering guests, and in my opinion, although it has since been turned into a hotel, it still has the mentality of an apartment block. There are no shops inside, no hairdressers, no sauna’s and only one dining room that can be very busy as guests from other nearby hotels also eat there, (overspill from Flamingo guests due to over booking?)

The food is good and mainly English meals are served, but in my opinion the quality is no different from other hotels in the area.

I have read reports on holiday truths web pages from other guests who have praised the hotel during their stay and state that the food is of high quality. I can only surmise that the guests who state this must have very low standards.

If you are looking for a quiet relaxing holiday, then the Flamingo hotel is not for you.

During my stay at hotels, I deal in the “first hand” facts as I see them and until the Flamingo hotel gets it act together regarding wheelchair accommodation and supply the amenities that come as standard in a normal hotel, I for one would not return there.

The Flamingo hotel Benidorm liaises with a local wheelchair rental company “Amigo 24,” where you can rent several types of electric wheelchair or scooters as well as other disabled equipment at very reasonable prices. Check out their website at: http://www.amigo24.com On rental equipment, it is usually same day delivery to the hotel.

Mike Coatesworth

My Rating for Flamingo Hotel Benidorm

Independent wheelchair access on ground level: 5/10

Assisted wheelchair access on ground level: 7/10

Wheelchair Access in Accommodation (Bedroom/Living Room/Kitchen): 2/10

Wheelchair Access in Bathroom / Toilet facilities in accommodation: 0/10

Bathroom / Toilet facilities on ground level: 5/10

Food: 7/10

Customer service: 5/10

Hospitality: 5/10

Activities at the apartment: 4/10

Overall for able bodied guests: 7/10