Bank House Guesthouse

The staff were great, the food was 10/10, and the location was very handy for the beach, shops and attractions. Parking right outside was useful, and the price was reasonable. But I booked because the hotel said it was “wheelchair accessible.” It wasn’t, even though I rang ahead and was told it was wheelchair friendly. Getting inside meant dealing with a step, and someone had to help me up and down it. The doors were too heavy for me to manage, so someone had to hold them. The lift was large enough for me and one other person. My room felt quite dated, and the carpet was hard to move over, even with help from my motor mover. There was enough room to turn my chair in the bathroom, but no grab bars or other aids to help me use the facilities. The shower wasn’t accessible either. Staff brought up what looked like a standard chair, and with my husband’s help I transferred out of my wheelchair to shower. I couldn’t reach the controls, so he had to adjust them for me. The mirror was too high for me to see into, and the sink was difficult to use. At reception, they explained that it was what they called a family room, with a larger bathroom to accommodate a wheelchair, but it didn’t have anything to assist a wheelchair user. We were only there for two nights, and I had my husband and daughter to help, so we managed. A wheelchair user staying alone would have struggled badly and needed constant help from staff. It’s a pity the hotel wasn’t designed with wheelchair users in mind. Hopefully it will meet the standards needed to accommodate them fully in the future.