Is this discrimination legal?

thewestfive

hi

I don't know if this is the right board to post on however feel free to move this thread if necessary.

I have just booked 3 rooms at a travelodge.

Room 1: 1 adult plus 1 child(wheelchair user) maximum occupancy: 2
Room 2: 1 adult (wheelchair user) plus 1 child maximum occupancy 2
Room 3: 1 adult plus 2 children plus 1 baby in cot. maximum occupancy 4

so this in total = 3 adults 4 children 1 baby in cot

if we had no disabled people in our group we would fit into 2 family rooms but because they have no disabled family rooms we are forced to pay for an extra room.

i have phoned to see what the would say however there was nothing they were prepared to do ,except to say they have no disabled family rooms.

is there anything i can do about this?

ailuro2

Travelodge rooms will be a standard size so with the extra room need for a wheelchair to manouevre there will be no room for a big sofa and a double bed.
Remember there isn't much room between walls and beds in a usual travelodge room.

Have you tried the other value chains- Premier Inn, Innkeepers Lodge typre places?

You may even find a B&B that is wheelchair friendly and costs around the same, dependant on which area you are going to.

kr15snw

I dont think it comes under discrimination, they simply hve sold out of family Disabled access rooms. They do offer them but unfortunately someone else has got there first.

If a couple wanted a room and all they had left were singles then they would not have a case to complain that they had to buy 2 single rooms. The same applies here.

I just dont see any discrimination here, they do offer the services.

thewestfive

hi

the problem is that they do not have any family rooms that are also suitable for a wheelchair user whatsoever. they simply don't have any in all of the hotels they have. Theydon't offer the service.

It's almost like they think disabled people arn't suppost to have or belong to families.

wolfehouse

ask the disability rights commission about this
http://www.drc-gb.org/
that's what they were set up for and they are brilliant!

Justie

I don't know that there's anything you can do about it except to complain to the head office and suggest they implement disabled family rooms.

We have similar problems in that my MIL needs a disabled access room even though she's not in a wheelchair. In Switzerland she was told that all disabled access rooms were single only :rolleyes: and in a local hotel here the only disabled room was a premium one which cost over £200 despite my OH complaining to the manager that it was unfair to make those who need such a service pay more than the basic rack rate. I've found that independent hotels are more flexible than the big chains but even then their definition of what's a disabled access room varies widely.

thewestfive

i have contacted the disability rights commission
thanks

Mrs_pbradley936

Would it be cheaper to get two rooms with a hotel that does offer a service for disabled guests? I have not stayed at a Travel Lodge in the UK but in the USA they are known for their cheap price, no frills deals. That means you get a room with a toilet and shower, no reception services (porter, messages etc.) no bar, no restaurant and so on. They have not turned you away just charged you extra for your circumstances, you can try to shop around and see if you party can be put up somewhere else for a better rate.