How accessible does "accessible" really mean?

Search almost any booking site and you will find the word "accessible" attached to rooms that have nothing more than a ground-floor location and a door that happens to be a little wider than the next one along. The label is not standardised, it is rarely verified, and it means different things to different owners. That is not a reason to give up on UK holidays — it is a reason to ask sharper questions before you pay a deposit.

Some properties do hold an independent accessible rating, graded from basic mobility provision through to fully wheelchair-accessible, and those ratings are worth seeking out. But even then, a rating tells you about the building in general, not about the particular room you have been offered. Two rooms in the same hotel can differ enormously.

The most useful thing you can do is to treat the booking as a conversation. Owners who genuinely understand access will answer detailed questions happily and accurately. Owners who do not will give you vague reassurance, which is information in itself.

Doors, thresholds and turning space

Ask for clear opening widths, not door sizes. A 900mm door frame with a chunky frame and a door stop can leave you with 760mm of actual clearance. For most manual wheelchairs you want at least 800mm of clear opening, and 850mm is far more comfortable. Corridors and internal routes should be at least 1200mm wide, and you need a turning circle of roughly 1500mm somewhere in the bedroom and the bathroom.

• Is the entrance step-free, and what is the height of any lip or threshold? Anything over 15mm will catch a small front castor.
• If there is a ramp, what is its gradient? 1:12 is the legal minimum for most ramps, but 1:15 is much easier, especially in wet weather or if you are propelling yourself.
• Are the floors hard and level throughout, or is there a gravel path, a sloping lawn or deep pile carpet?
• Can you reach the light switches, sockets and the kettle from a seated position?

Photographs with a tape measure in shot are worth more than any written description. Ask for them, and do not feel awkward about it.

Bathrooms and wet rooms

The bathroom is where most holidays quietly fall apart. Ask specifically about the shower: a "wet room" can mean a fully tanked, level-access floor, or it can mean a standard tray with a curtain and a hopeful rubber mat. What you want is level access with no more than a 10mm lip, a floor that drains properly rather than pooling, and a fold-down seat if you need one.

• Are grab rails fitted, and at what height? Most people find 700–900mm from the floor works well beside a toilet and in a shower.
• Is there space beside the toilet for a wheelchair to park, and is the seat height raised or standard?
• Can a shower chair or commode be rolled in, or is there a fixed screen in the way?
• Is there a wheel-in shower with a curtain rather than a rigid enclosure? Curtains are usually more forgiving.

If you need a hoist, ask whether the property has a ceiling track hoist with a rated fixing, or whether you will be hiring a mobile hoist. Ceiling tracks cannot be retro-fitted to any ceiling, and a mobile hoist needs clear floor space underneath the bed and around the bathroom. Ask who installs hired equipment, and when.

Parking, arrival and the journey from car to bed

The accessible holiday often begins badly in the car park. Ask how far the parking is from the entrance, whether the surface is tarmac or gravel, and whether the route is level. A bay around 3.6 metres wide allows a side transfer from a wheelchair to a car door; a standard bay does not.

• Is there a drop-off point close to the door, ideally under cover?
• Is the car park on a slope, and does the route involve kerbs or steps?
• Is there a lift, and what are its internal dimensions? A lift that fits a person may not fit a wheelchair plus a carer.
• Where is the nearest shop, pharmacy or GP surgery, and is the route to them step-free?

It is also worth asking about local accessible taxi provision before you arrive, rather than on the day you need one.

Fire safety and emergency evacuation

This is the question most people forget, and the one that matters most. Ask what happens if the fire alarm sounds at three in the morning. Specifically: is there a personal emergency evacuation plan for your room, is there a refuge point on each floor, and will staff come to you or are you expected to make your own way out?

• Are there staff on site overnight, and how quickly can they reach your room?
• Is the alarm audible, or is there a flashing or vibrating alternative for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing?
• Can the lift be used in a fire? Usually it cannot, so ask which floor you would be on and whether a ground-floor room is available.
• How many exits are there, and are they all step-free?

A property that cannot answer these questions confidently is a property that has not thought about disabled guests as anything other than an afterthought.

Getting it confirmed in writing

Once you have your answers, ask for the key points in an email: room number, door widths, shower type, parking distance, evacuation arrangements. That gives you something to refer to, and something to hold the owner to. Ask about cancellation terms too — health fluctuates, and a flexible policy is worth paying a little more for.

Finally, ask whether you can visit or see a video walk-through before booking, particularly for a longer stay. A five-minute film of someone measuring a doorway and opening a shower screen tells you more than a glossy gallery ever will. Accessible travel in the UK is entirely possible; it simply rewards the traveller who asks the awkward questions early.