Castle House Hotel in Hereford, Herefordshire is the AA Accessible Hotel of the Year 2003 –2004, beating off competition from nearly 8000 hotels and B&Bs.
The AA Accessible Hotel of the Year award, now in its third year, highlights establishments that are making particular progress to welcome disabled guests in the lead-up to the introduction of part three of the Disability Discrimination Act in 2004.
The winner and highly commended establishments were chosen after a series of tough tests, including an assessment of accessible facilities by AA inspectors who use an 80 point checklist, an anonymous telephone survey, a questionnaire and an overnight visit by an independent mystery judge. This year’s judge was Peter White, the BBC’s Disability Affairs Correspondent, who is blind.
Castle House Hotel was chosen for its special attention to guests’ needs – assistance on arrival with bags, escort to the bedroom, tour of the bedroom and bathroom facilities with explanations on how to work remote controls, and emergency and evacuation procedures. In the restaurant the staff clearly understood their menu and also explained in precise detail where things were on the table and plate.
Peter White praised the hotel’s service ethos: “Castle House Hotel was a clear winner for me. It managed to translate its existing very high service standards to include the needs of someone with a visual impairment. It’s really a matter of anticipating or responding to need, which they did far better than anyone else.”
Peter Birnie, the AA’s Chief Hotel and Restaurant Inspector says: “With part three of the Disability Discrimination Act now approaching we have seen an increase in the number of establishments that are implementing measures to comply. The three establishments receiving accolades are well placed to meet the provisions of the Act and I congratulate them on setting an example for others to emulate.”
Huntingdon Marriott, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire and Novotel Tower Bridge in London were both highly commended by the judges for their achievements in making their accommodation accessible to disabled travellers.
The 2001/02 winner of the AA accessibility award was De Vere White’s in Horwich, Greater Manchester. Double-gate Farm near Wells, Somerset, and the Huntingdon Marriotte, Cambridgeshire, were highly commended.
The winner receives a cheque for £1,000 to be used for further improvements for disabled guests.