The Grand Hotel

Table of Contents

I’m back again with another disability travel post, this trip took place during the March 2022 heatwave, which was a great time to explore York! Today’s post will cover the hotel we stayed at, with a bit of commentary on what we got up to, including some places you can check out when visiting York.

Friendly Staff

The Grand Hotel did an excellent job of ensuring the visit was as accessible as possible. Staff members were always available to help with lifts and carrying bags, and they were extremely friendly throughout our stay. We never experienced any issues or problems when asking for assistance from the staff.

Traditional Building with New Features

It’s important to note that the hotel has wheelchair lifts throughout the building due to its age (it’s 100 years old). This doesn’t impact the accessibility of the venue, but it’s worth mentioning if you’re expecting level access throughout. We were given a key fob to access the accessible lifts near our room. It was an extra item to carry around York, but it can easily be attached to a keychain if you have one.

Parking

There is plenty of parking around the hotel, with £35 per night parking available right outside the hotel, especially helpful if you have a lot of luggage. However, if you don’t want to spend too much on parking, there is additional parking right next to the hotel which is much cheaper.

The Room & Marbleous Bathroom!

The room was very luxurious, with plenty of space to move around and all the necessary facilities for a perfectly accessible stay. All the accessible features you’d expect were available, including a “marbleous” bathroom.

Extras

The room also came with plenty of extras, including a coffee machine, ample teabags, milk, and a fridge to store any drinks or snacks. Additionally, the room had an air-conditioning unit and temperature control, making it a great hotel for staying cool on a hot summer’s day.

Height of Bed + Shower Seat

My only issue was that some features in the room were too high, and the shower seat was too low and couldn’t be adjusted. Despite these minor problems, they didn’t ruin the stay, and we managed just fine. I would recommend bringing a hoist if height makes transferring difficult, though, of course, this depends on your specific needs.

For guests staying in the Executive Double Accessible rooms, you can request the use of a hoist. This is extremely helpful for those who usually bring a hoist, as you’ll be able to borrow one for the duration of your stay. Just be sure to inform the hotel in advance to ensure the hoist is available when you arrive.

Things to Do In York

If attractions aren’t your thing, there are many shops, restaurants, and a massive park where you can relax and enjoy York. During our stay, we visited many restaurants, bars, and stores offering fantastic food, drinks, and accessible features Some places include Revolution York (right-side in the image below), the York Gin shop, The York Roast Co. (great wraps!) and the Cat Gallery.

York River — The York Canal – Photo by Karl Moran on Unsplash

Grand Stay at Grand Hotel

Overall, The Grand Hotel is a fantastic, accessible 5-star hotel that I highly recommend. Its central York location, nearby parking, and proximity to many restaurants make it a great place to stay in such a historic city. The accessibility at The Grand met all expectations, but be sure to ask about the bed and shower seat heights in case you need to bring any additional equipment, like a hoist.

Thanks for reading today’s post about The Grand Hotel in York—be sure to check out their website and consider booking a stay when you visit York. In the meantime, if you have any stories or posts you’d like to share on the blog, please contact me at info@dynamicdouble.co.uk, and I’ll get back to you ASAP!