Many kinds of holiday are organised specifically for disabled people, including accessible hotels and B&Bs which can accommodate people in wheelchairs and where there are helpers and nurses available. You can get information from the specialist organisations listed below or you can talk to your local travel agent about your options. It’s also worthwhile contacting disability organisations to ask whether they run any adapted holiday accommodation.
National standards for disabled access and facilities in hotels and other holiday accommodation have been drawn up, with input from the Tourist Board and disability organisations. Travel agents and tour operators can give you details about the accommodation they deal with. When making your holiday arrangements you should also ask how easy it is to get to the amenities you wish to visit, perhaps the beach, tourist attractions, local shops or the town centre, from where you will be staying.
- The AccessAble website provides online Access Guides to venues across Hampshire, as well as nationally. You can find detailed information about access to all kinds of places including hotels, cinemas, hospitals, sports grounds, restaurants, council offices, parks and tourist attractions.
- The Changing Places toilet map helps you find accessible toilets in the UK. Click on the individual listings for full details of facilities available.
- Euan's Guide has thousands of disability access listings and reviews of venues in the UK and beyond, written by disabled people for disabled people.
- You can find accessibility information about individual stations on the National Rail website.
Assistance for people with hidden disabilities
A sunflower lanyard was introduced at major UK airports in 2018 in order to allow passengers with hidden disabilities to indicate discreetly to staff that they may need additional support or help. The use of the lanyard has spread and is now available from a number of transport providers. It is also being trialled in supermarkets such as Sainsbury's and Tesco.
- Tourism for All is national charity dedicated to making tourism welcoming to all. Its All Travel Planner is a one-stop shop for accessible tourism in the UK providing you with a simple way to find accessible destinations and places to stay. It allows you to create the perfect holiday for you, tailored specifically to your access requirements, whether this means wheelchair access or just having good lighting. All of the properties on the site are self-assessed. You can call Tourism for All on 0845 124 9971.
- The Disability Holidays Guide website has holidays and breaks for people of all disabilities, ages and levels of mobility.
- Disabled Holidaysare a travel agent specialising in accessible holidays in the UK and worldwide.
- A directory of accessible accommodation in Hampshire and SE England specifically can be found on the Visit Southeast England website.
- Ski2Freedom provide information and advice about making holidays possible for all. They have a focus on information and advice about mountain and snow sports activities, but will also provide information about non-sports holidays.
The RNIB can advise on suitable holidays, hotels and ‘activity weeks’; for example, organised rambling or cultural holidays. Helpline: 0303 123 9999.
Holidays
- 3H Fund offers subsidised group holidays with volunteer helpers for physically disabled children and adults.
- Accessible Boating provides holiday boats adapted for people with disabilities with hydraulic lifts for wheelchairs and hoists. Boats are available at Fleet and Odiham on the Basingstoke Canal.
- The Bendrigg Trust, based in the Lake District, specialises in residential courses and outdoor activities for disabled people.
- The Calvert Trust provides challenging activities specifically for disabled people, their families and friends, including climbing, sailing, canoeing, swimming, archery or horse riding.
- The Jubilee Sailing Trust offers sailing holidays and experiences where disabled and able-bodied people work together.
- Canalability provide adapted canal boats for holiday hire.
Supported holidays
- Options holidays provide supported holidays for people with learning disabilities in the UK and worldwide.
- Green Island Holiday Trust provides holidays for disabled residents of Dorset and Hampshire.
- Lets go provide supported holidays for people with mild to moderate learning disabilities in the UK and worldwide.
- Bury Active provide accessible supported holidays for adults with learning disabilities, with a focus on active holidays.
- Door to door provide supported holidays for adults with learning disabilities which include picking you up from home and taking you back again at the end of your holiday.
- Jolly Days provide supported holidays for adults with mild to moderate learning disabilities.
- Chrysalis provide supported holidays and tours for adults with learning disabilities in the UK and worldwide, and are registered with CQC.
- Your Direction provide supported holidays for adults with learning disabilities in the UK.
- Foxes Hotel provides supported holidays for young adults aged 17 and over with mild to moderate learning disabilities.
- Nutley Edge provide supported activity holidays in Sussex for adults with learning disabilities and autism.
- Breakaway provide supported activity and themed holidays in the UK and worldwide for adults with learning disabilities, and are registered with CQC.
- Limitless Travel provide accessible holidays and tours for adults with physical and learning disabilities, with the option for people to travel with their carer.
- Phab provide supported activity holidays for children and young people with disabilities at their two residential centres in the Lake District and New Forest.
Accommodation
- Hartlands offers self catering accommodation on the Isle of Wight which is particularly suitable for people with autism.
- Bond Hotel is a disability-friendly hotel in Blackpool with the option to purchase CQC-registered care.
- Phab offer wheelchair-accessible self catering holiday homes in Weymouth, Dorset.
Short breaks/respite
- Revitalise is a national charity providing essential breaks for disabled people and carers. There is a respite centre at Netley Abbey, Southampton.
- Minstead Trust provide respite stays for adults with learning disabilities in their residential care service in the New Forest.
- Way Ahead provide respite stays for adults with learning disabilities in Southampton.
- Consensus offer short breaks for adults with learning disabilities and complex needs at their service in Carmarthenshire.
