holiday inn
Birmingham - short break.
26/January/2010 03:49 PM Filed in: Leisure
From the archive - Birmingham 2006
So why on earth Buuurrm-ing-am. Well we had tickets to see 'I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue' (BBC Radio 4) on the Sunday night so we made a weekend of it. Friday night we said 'Tom Tom' take us to our Holiday Inn. Well actually, we said take us to 'x' road - and it did (but not the right one - an hour and a half away from the hotel... eh hmmm [cough]).
We arrived very late, checked in and went to our room. It wasn't accessible - normal room.
Back we went and without a word the guy at reception handed over another key card. After a trek, once again, down the corridor, the room wasn't the twin we had booked...back again. Anyway, basically the booking got messed up somehow so we stayed in the twin. Not even an apology.
Good and Bad.
How did I rate this room. Bathroom was half of the room next door converted and was big enough for a bath and a shower - but only a bath and oodles of room. Not a bad room really. Just 0/10 for friendliness of reception - shame on you.
Saturday we went to the Black Country Museum. It rained for the majority of the day. Accessibility is as expected for a Victorian recreated museum (bump bump bump.... oh how I love cobbles). They did have portable ramps to go where no Victorian could have gone before and we even donned on a hard hart and went down the mine. It was so funny. The chap (guide) kept referring to me as 'the chair' in a really Brummy accents. Every time we stopped to hear the 'story' of that part of the mine complete with resin pit pony and figures, he signposted each member of our party to a particular viewing spot so 'the chair' could see. Each time we stopped we had this loud ushering of people into their places. You had to be there - it was very John Cleese. My hat kept falling down to cover my eyes and I couldn't see anything as we trundled through the narrow passages.
Sunday we basically stayed inside until it was time to go the city centre to 'see' our Radio Show. It was really funny and a good night.
Monday we checked out - and the tried to charge us £600 for three nights!! Finally having argued my case with another guest who had been charged too much, we paid up and headed back home.
So... that was Birmingham!
So why on earth Buuurrm-ing-am. Well we had tickets to see 'I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue' (BBC Radio 4) on the Sunday night so we made a weekend of it. Friday night we said 'Tom Tom' take us to our Holiday Inn. Well actually, we said take us to 'x' road - and it did (but not the right one - an hour and a half away from the hotel... eh hmmm [cough]).
We arrived very late, checked in and went to our room. It wasn't accessible - normal room.
Back we went and without a word the guy at reception handed over another key card. After a trek, once again, down the corridor, the room wasn't the twin we had booked...back again. Anyway, basically the booking got messed up somehow so we stayed in the twin. Not even an apology.
Good and Bad.
How did I rate this room. Bathroom was half of the room next door converted and was big enough for a bath and a shower - but only a bath and oodles of room. Not a bad room really. Just 0/10 for friendliness of reception - shame on you.
Saturday we went to the Black Country Museum. It rained for the majority of the day. Accessibility is as expected for a Victorian recreated museum (bump bump bump.... oh how I love cobbles). They did have portable ramps to go where no Victorian could have gone before and we even donned on a hard hart and went down the mine. It was so funny. The chap (guide) kept referring to me as 'the chair' in a really Brummy accents. Every time we stopped to hear the 'story' of that part of the mine complete with resin pit pony and figures, he signposted each member of our party to a particular viewing spot so 'the chair' could see. Each time we stopped we had this loud ushering of people into their places. You had to be there - it was very John Cleese. My hat kept falling down to cover my eyes and I couldn't see anything as we trundled through the narrow passages.
Sunday we basically stayed inside until it was time to go the city centre to 'see' our Radio Show. It was really funny and a good night.
Monday we checked out - and the tried to charge us £600 for three nights!! Finally having argued my case with another guest who had been charged too much, we paid up and headed back home.
So... that was Birmingham!
Brighton break - 2006
26/January/2010 02:44 PM Filed in: Leisure
For this trip we pootled off to Brighton and checked
into the Holiday Inn on the sea front. Disabled
parking is right on the front and is charged at the
same amount as the underground hotel carpark.
Although we didn't pay the extra for a sea view, the accessible room did have a good front view through a window the entire length of the room. We also a had a balcony but access is through a narrow door without a low or level threshold.
I gave the room 1/10. The 1 point was for being able to get into the room and for one of the largest rooms we have stayed in - big enough for two Kingsized beds.
Where did the other 9 points go.... well.
Dreadful bathroom:
For starters, 8 of them went on the naff design of the bathroom. For example the door opened inwards so if you need help to transfer - once you have done so the other person can't get out (or back in). If someone fell off the loo nobody could get in to help because chances are you would be in front of the door and splatted on the floor. Talking about the floor - lovely white shiny tiles which are great for slipping and sliding. Oh and did I mention a grab rail stuck in the most stupidest of places - if you need a wide base to raise from seated to standing - forget it as the rail comes up from the floor and pins you to the loo... need I go on.
I will say one other thing - special people who book special rooms can not be trusted with hot water - so the tap water is regulated to 'luke warm' making a wash at the sink a cold and unpleasant experience - we used boiled water from the kettle to make it usable. I ended up using the bathroom in the lobby which was very accessible.
The good thing (and reason for booking it) was that we were a very short walk from the theatre where we had tickets to see Chris Rea. We had been before to this venue and you get to sit with all the other special people on the 'balcony' opposite the stage (it’s actually a good spot despite
the ’seat all disabled people together’ ethos).
The other 1 point was lost for the tables in the room - none of them accessible to me because they were too low to eat off when we had room service for dinner and breakfast. Even Kevin, sitting on chairs provided in the room could not get under the main 'desk' - poor design all round.
Although we didn't pay the extra for a sea view, the accessible room did have a good front view through a window the entire length of the room. We also a had a balcony but access is through a narrow door without a low or level threshold.
I gave the room 1/10. The 1 point was for being able to get into the room and for one of the largest rooms we have stayed in - big enough for two Kingsized beds.
Where did the other 9 points go.... well.
Dreadful bathroom:
For starters, 8 of them went on the naff design of the bathroom. For example the door opened inwards so if you need help to transfer - once you have done so the other person can't get out (or back in). If someone fell off the loo nobody could get in to help because chances are you would be in front of the door and splatted on the floor. Talking about the floor - lovely white shiny tiles which are great for slipping and sliding. Oh and did I mention a grab rail stuck in the most stupidest of places - if you need a wide base to raise from seated to standing - forget it as the rail comes up from the floor and pins you to the loo... need I go on.
I will say one other thing - special people who book special rooms can not be trusted with hot water - so the tap water is regulated to 'luke warm' making a wash at the sink a cold and unpleasant experience - we used boiled water from the kettle to make it usable. I ended up using the bathroom in the lobby which was very accessible.
The good thing (and reason for booking it) was that we were a very short walk from the theatre where we had tickets to see Chris Rea. We had been before to this venue and you get to sit with all the other special people on the 'balcony' opposite the stage (it’s actually a good spot despite
the ’seat all disabled people together’ ethos).
The other 1 point was lost for the tables in the room - none of them accessible to me because they were too low to eat off when we had room service for dinner and breakfast. Even Kevin, sitting on chairs provided in the room could not get under the main 'desk' - poor design all round.
