Are you planning a holiday in Scotland but struggling to find a wheelchair accessible lodge with a ceiling track hoist, profiling bed, and Clos-o-mat toilet? Look no further than Homelands in the East Neuk of Fife!
The East Neuk of Fife is one of our favourite places to visit for days out, so we were excited when Homelands kindly invited us to stay for me to share my honest review with you.
Homelands – Wheelchair Accessible Holiday Lodges in Fife, Scotland
Homelands Trust-Fife is a Scottish charity that provides accessible self-catering holiday accommodation. They have nine lodges, five of which are brand new, in Lundin Links, a picturesque village surrounded by beautiful scenery. All lodges are wheelchair accessible, provide luxury amenities, and can accommodate either six or eight people.
The lodges are designed with a high level of accessibility in mind, and they are equipped with ceiling track hoists, electric profiling beds with airflow mattresses, and Clos-o-mat toilets. This makes it the perfect getaway for disabled people and their families who want to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing stay with all the comforts of home.
*Not all lodges have a Clos-o-mat’® toilet. The Homelands website clearly states the facilities and equipment available in each lodge.
We stayed in the Durham Lodge, which is one of their new lodges. Read on to find out all about our experience.
Accessible Private Parking
Each lodge comes with its own parking bay that includes an electric vehicle charge point, and there is an additional parking bay for guests. The parking area and path leading to the lodge entrance are monoblocked for easy wheelchair access and have outside lighting.
Entrance Hall
Upon our arrival, we used the code provided to access the key safe box located on the wall next to the lodge’s door. We collected the key and entered the Durham lodge, where we stayed for three nights.
The entryway is spacious and has step-free access. We found the mobile hoist that I had requested waiting for us in the entryway.
The utility/laundry room is conveniently located in the entryway, which helps keep any noise from the washing machine, etc. away from the living and bedroom areas.
Open Plan kitchen, dining and living area
The main downstairs living area features a large, open plan lounge, kitchen, and dining room. Leading off from the lounge is the accessible twin room, which I’ll come back to in a little bit. There is also an accessible wet room and a family toilet downstairs.
Kitchen
Access from the entryway leads into the spacious kitchen which is fully equipped with everything you may need during your stay. However, the kitchen is not adapted apart from the slide and hide oven door and it doesn’t have lowered worktops for cooking and cleaning.
Although there is a low-level breakfast bar that I liked because I was able to easily roll under and sit at it while eating or chatting with Allan as he prepared our meals. I found the breakfast bar table to be more comfortable for eating than the higher dining table.
We went to a nearby supermarket and bought groceries to cook our meals. However, you can order your groceries online and have them delivered directly to your lodge. It could be helpful to have your food shopping delivered, especially if you are staying for a week or longer or lack storage space in your car.
The nearby supermarkets include Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, Iceland, and Farmfoods. Additionally, there are several Premier convenience stores dotted throughout the area. Plus, there are local restaurants and takeaways.
Lounge and Dining Area
The lounge area in the lodge consists of a comfortable sofa, a coffee table, an armchair, and a rise and recline chair, which makes it an ideal place to relax and spend time with friends and family while watching TV or playing games. I tried the rise and recline chair and found it comfortable.
As a wheelchair user, I appreciated the spacious lounge and dining area, allowing me to move around easily.
The glass patio sliding doors offer a beautiful beach view in the far distance and lead out to the garden. It was really peaceful, so I enjoyed sitting, looking out admiring the view and reading my book.
The Bedrooms at Homelands
The Durham Lodge at Homelands can accommodate up to six guests with one accessible twin room on the ground floor and two bedrooms upstairs.
Accessible Twin Room
Once you enter through the two wide sliding doors, you will find an accessible twin room. The room is equipped with an Invacare Medley Ergo electric profiling bed, which comes with an Invacare Softform Premier Active 2 airflow mattress. There is also a single divan bed, which can be easily moved or pushed up next to the profiling bed.
A Guldmann H-frame ceiling tracking hoist runs above both beds, but there is the option to request a mobile hoist, which is what I did. The friendly team will make sure to have the hoist and any other equipment you require waiting for you upon your arrival.
The room also has wardrobes, and you can enjoy the beautiful views of the garden from the comfort of your bed as the room has patio doors that lead out to the paved garden.
Upstairs bedrooms
The upstairs features two double bedrooms with one having the option of being made into a twin if required. Both bedrooms have a cosy feel, natural light from the windows, and clothing storage.
Accessible wet room at Homelands
The accessible wet room is located across the hall from the accessible bedroom. It has various accessibility features and equipment, including a Clos-o-mat’® toilet and a Guldmann H-frame ceiling tracking hoist. Grab rails were positioned next to the toilet, wash basin, and shower area.
It’s great to see a ceiling track hoist installed in the wet room, as not many holiday accommodations provide this equipment. Even rarer is a wash and dry toilet like the Clos-o-mat. I wish more places had these toilets, as they allow disabled people to maintain dignity and independence while away from home.
The shower area has a wall-mounted seat with a Raindance showerhead, a handheld showerhead, and water controls that are easily accessible. I requested a shower commode chair as I find the wall-mounted seats difficult to use due to my lack of core strength and balance. You can request a shower commode chair or any other equipment you require when booking your stay at Homelands.
Family bathrooms
The Durham has two family bathrooms for use. One is located upstairs next to the bedroom and has a bath, while the other is downstairs and only features a toilet and a wash basin. The downstairs toilet is accessible with grab rails, but it is much smaller than the wet room, which means it may not be ideal for some wheelchair users.
Equipment available at Homelands
As I mentioned, there is a range of equipment that comes as standard in the lodges at Homelands, including ceiling tracking hoists, electric profiling beds with an airflow mattress, shower chairs, shower trollies and toilet raiser.
The following equipment can also be hired free of charge when booking a lodge:
- Etac Turner stand aid (non-electric)
- Electric stand Aid – Oxford Journey
- Electric mobile hoist – Oxford Advance
- Assisted wheelchair
- Manual wheelchair
- Infrared TV listening system: hearing aid users
- Infrared TV listening system: non-hearing aid users
- Freeway TA180 sit-to-stand transfer aid
- Static bedroom commode
- Freeway shower chair/ commode (self-propelled)
- Freeway shower chair/ commode (assisted)
- Freeway T80 Reclining Shower Chair 490mm wide
- Shower trolley
- Bed leaver
- Rollator
More information and access statements for each lodge can be found on the Homelands website.
Accessible Patio and Garden
Sliding patio doors open off the living area onto the south-facing garden. The garden features a patio area with a four-seat table and a barbecue, overlooking a large communal garden.
Although the patio area is not fully private or enclosed, each lodge is divided by walls and fencing, offering some privacy on the sides, but not directly in front. This feature allows you to enjoy the views of the garden.
During our visit, the spring sunshine was out, but it was still a little cold to enjoy sitting outside for long. However, I would love to be sitting there in the summer with my family, enjoying breakfast or reading a good book in the afternoon sun, and having a BBQ in the evenings.
Final Thoughts on Homelands
We had a lovely stay at Homelands and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a wheelchair accessible holiday lodge in Scotland, especially in the beautiful East Neuk of Fife. The accessible lodges at Homelands are fantastic, featuring spacious and open-plan living areas, a wet room with a Clos-o-mat toilet, an electric profiling bed with an airflow mattress, and ceiling track hoists in the bedroom and bathroom. Plus, a range of equipment is available for hire free of charge, ensuring that disabled people can enjoy a relaxing holiday with their friends and family, knowing that their needs are met. There are lots of things to do in the area and plenty of stunning views to enjoy.
Have you stayed at Homelands? If not, would you like to stay there?
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