At Sleeps12 we believe that unforgettable holidays and weekends away in the UK are for everyone. We don’t want anyone to miss out on the fun, the happy times or the memories, so we ask our property owners to do their best to make our self-catering large group holiday houses accessible to all. We like to think we’ve got your wants and needs covered to help you enjoy a relaxing and stress-free stay. 

Whether you’re planning a large group holiday with friends and family, whether you’re part of a special celebration weekend or a happy hen do, we want you to enjoy every minute of it. We understand the diverse range of access needs and requirements that people have, and we strive to provide luxury large group accommodation that caters for those with disabilities and impairments.

Let’s be honest, we all need time to switch off and relax, and spending a few days away in gorgeous surroundings with your favourite people is one way to do that. If you have access needs, a little planning will remove any stress, and you’ll get the very best from your stay. The majority of our holiday homes provide an Accessibility Statement with detailed information and even measurements of doorways, bed heights and flooring.

We appreciate there’s a lot you might need to know, so we’ve put together a helpful guide of things to think about when choosing your perfect access friendly holiday home.

What Accessible Features Does the Accommodation Have?

Make a list of the features you’ll need and check that your chosen holiday home meets your requirements. If you have mobility issues, you’ll need a bedroom and ideally a step free shower or wet room on the ground floor. You might even need a lift, stairlifts, or a hoist; grab rails might be useful, a shower stool, reachable light and power switches. This information can be found in the property pages, but if you want to double check, just get in touch and we’ll help.

Many of our property owners provide additional features to ensure maximum comfort for guests with disabilities. In some cases, these are permanent fixtures; in others, you’ll need to request them when making your booking. Handrails and grab rails, ramps and shower stools can be placed where you need them.

Some properties go the extra mile; Beaverbrook 20 and Churchill 20 in Somerset both have stairlifts, Shires in East Devon, even has an elevated bed and hoist available for a designated accessible bedroom, a wheelchair friendly lift from the patio to the first floor sun terrace, and a hoist for use with the indoor hot tub. There is also an intercom between the access-friendly bedroom and the caregiver’s room.

Things To Consider When Booking an Access Friendly Holiday House

• Parking. Check that you can park close to the entrance, if not for the whole of your stay, at least for offloading and reloading. If there is a short walk from the parking area to the house, find out if the pathway is paved or gravelled, if it’s well lit, and if there are any handrails.

• Entrances. If you’re a wheelchair user or have mobility restrictions, you’ll need to know how easy it is to get in and out of the house. So it’s good to know if there’s step free access, the height of any threshold lip, and how wide the main entrance doorway is. Some properties have permanent ramps or gentle slopes; others offer temporary ramps that can be installed for you. There may even be another designated entrance for wheelchair users.

• Layout. Essential areas like the kitchen, dining room and living room should be on the ground floor – many Sleeps12 large group holiday houses have huge open plan living spaces, but you’ll need to know if there’s enough space for a wheelchair to move around between the furniture. Check that any doorways and corridors are wide enough too.

• Flooring. What’s the flooring like? Level floors throughout are brilliant, ideally without any rugs, thick carpets or trip hazards.

• Bedrooms and Bathrooms. A lot of our holiday homes have a ground-floor bedroom and an ensuite or adjacent bath, shower or wet room. These often have step free access, but if not, you’ll need to know the lip height. You might also need to think about grab rails, lever-operated taps and adjustable shower heads.

• Kitchens. If you enjoy cooking and are planning on showing off your culinary skills, make sure there’s plenty of room to move around, and that you can reach pots and pans easily. If you have reduced standing capacity check that there are stools to perch on at the right height.

• Lighting. Guests with sight impairments should ensure there’s good lighting throughout the property, or at least in the areas they will be using.

• Controls & Switches. Do you need light switches, thermostats, and electrical outlets to be easily reachable?

• Gardens. You might want a secure and private garden, somewhere that feels like a safe place, allowing you to relax outdoors in good weather completely. If you have sensory impairments, you might want to be sure there are both sunny and shaded areas; wheelchair users will appreciate accessible garden benches.

Property Features

• Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs. A holiday house with a private swimming pool or hot tub is such a luxury, especially if these features are indoors; then you don’t even have to worry about what the weather’s up to! You’ll need to be sure that pathways to the pool and hot tub, and any decking are level and non-slip. Grab rails aid safe entry in and out of the pool/hot tub for all ages.
• Saunas. A wide outward swinging door and step free entry aid access to a sauna, and though they are usually quite small spaces, a measurement of 5ftx5ft to 8ftx8ft should allow turning space for a wheelchair.
• Games Rooms. Some of our games rooms have wide level access, plenty of space between activities and are well-lit, non-glare spaces. Stools can aid play at a pool, air hockey and foosball table, sometimes there are lower-level games consoles and tabletop games.
• Movie Rooms. It’s great if movie rooms have adaptable seating, like recliners, but also think about how high the TV is and how easy the controls are. If you’re hearing impaired, check that subtitles are available.
• Play Areas. Play areas should be fun for all! Make sure that surfaces are smooth and firm, that seating is provided for caregivers, and that there are lower-level play tables or sensory panels.
• Activities and Days Out. You might well be perfectly happy to just relax and chill for the whole of your stay, but remember, your disability does not define you and it shouldn’t stop you from having days out in the local area or having fun with onsite activities.

Sleeps12 works with trusted suppliers who will come to your access-friendly group holiday house. These include private chefs, pamperers, and activity and entertainment providers, and are listed under Extras for each property. If any of these appeal, get in touch and ask them if they can accommodate your access needs.

You’ll also find suggestions for Things to Do on the property pages, with our pick of the best attractions, places to eat, beaches, walks, and local shops. We provide links to their websites and contact details, so it won’t take much to find out the best access-friendly places to visit.

So, if a large group holiday or family celebration is on the cards, get yourself comfy and take a look at our luxury access-friendly holiday houses in the UK. Find the one that suits you best and then relax, because everything will be good. Happy times are waiting, there’s fun to be had and memories to be made.

Access Friendly Holiday Houses