Time for a Cuppa!

The Magazine

For all the Family

Hotel Amaika

Calella, Costa Brava

January 2005

As I approached the brightly lit Amaika hotel, I thought, yes, this looks okay, and I was impressed with the marble fountain-lined ramp down to the front doors. After checking into the plush hotel which the whole interior is built on the theme of the Titanic, I was shown to my room on the fifth floor and as I entered the bedroom, I was delighted to see that it was very spacious for a wheelchair user in mind. Then I went into the bathroom and the toilet has two folding arm rests and grab rails and a bidet for washing and drying your bum.

Then I turned to find that a bath had been put in alongside a shower, neither was accessible without assistance. The shower had a tall lip on it to prevent wheelchairs getting in, and the bath was tucked away in the corner with the taps too far away to reach. So it was an assisted shower for me. I have explained the difficulty to the management, but whether or not they will do anything is another matter.

I had no problems getting onto the bed as it was level with my chair.

There are two lifts for wheelchair users, so getting about the hotel is not a problem, and in the reception area is a fully adapted wheelchair user toilet. The only slight problem was getting the heavy doors open, but it wasn't too much of a problem.

There's no problem getting around the bar area, Reception, or outside grounds area.

I visited the dining room, and it is quite spacious, the only problem is that wheelchair users will find it very difficult to get near the food counter because of the large posts and the tables in the way, so I had to rely on being served by my family and waiters.

Yes I would recommend the Amaika hotel for assisted wheelchair users, but the hotel will have to overcome the shower in the disabled rooms, and the dining room problem before I can recommend it for independent wheelchair users.

If you decide to visit this hotel, then I suggest that you fully ensure that you receive written confirmation guaranteeing one of the disabled rooms. I have looked at one of the ordinary rooms and there's not a chance for wheelchair users to use them.

As for Calella town itself, I found that there were ramps in certain places, but where I really needed them there were none. So Calella is definitely a wheelchair assisted town.

Mike Coatesworth

Disabled access in Amaika Hotel, Calella, Costa Brava, Spain 2005

Disabled Access in Amaika Hotel, Calella, Costa Brava, Spain 2005

Disabled Access in Barcelona, Spain

Disabled Access in Barcelona, Spain 2005

Disabled access on the railway from Calella Costa Brava to Barcelona

Disabled Access on railway, Costa Brava to Barcelona, Spain 2005

Visit my other disability access pages

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/disaccess2.htm

http://www.btinternet.com/~mikeco158/disabacc.htm

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