Staybridge Suites Newcastle | Wheelchair Access Review

We’ve been to Newcastle so many times and always opted for a standard accessible room in whatever hotel we chose to stay at. Then we discovered Staybridge Suites Newcastle and we knew we just had to stay there. I had high expectations of this hotel and I’m thrilled to say Staybridge Suites Newcastle exceeded them. So without further ado here is my Staybridge Suites Newcastle wheelchair access review.

My Wheelchair Accessible Stay At Staybridge Suites Newcastle

Location & Parking

Staybridge Suites Newcastle has it all. If you are looking for a hotel that is close to the Quayside, train station, motorway or Newcastle International Airport (NCL) then look no further.

Its location on Buxton Street makes it the ideal hotel for all travellers. We could literally see the Sage and Gateshead Millennium Bridge from outside our suite. It would be great to stay at this hotel if attending a show at the Sage due to how close it is.

There are also attractions like the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art nearby and the Utilita Arena Newcastle where we saw Kings of Leon last year.

There is a hotel car park with barrier entry and exit at the back of the hotel. A number of spaces were available on the ground level which was close to the entrance. Extra parking bays were available on the open upper level and underground.

Entrance & Reception

Once we were parked we grabbed our bags and headed inside. If the beautiful exterior had anything to go by then we knew the interior was going to be even more beautiful. We weren’t wrong.

Rolling through the automatic doors and into the reception area where we were greeted by the incredibly charming Jason. Instantly he made us feel welcome with his friendly smile and bubbly personality.

All too often people speak to the person I am with as if I can’t speak for myself. However, I loved how Jason spoke to me as well as not only to Allan.

As I gave my name Jason excitedly pointed out that I was the ‘Guest of the Day’. It was such a lovely surprise as I’ve never had that happen before. He then got us checked in, explained breakfast times and then we were off to our accessible suite.

The reception area has a pantry next to it selling snacks, drinks and various food items to cook and prepare in your suite. The reception leads to the dining area where the buffet breakfast is served as well as the Hub Kitchen offering complimentary hot drinks and water 24/7.

I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful smell as soon as we entered the hotel. It wasn’t restricted to the reception area, the scent was throughout the whole hotel. Amazing!

Wheelchair Accessible Suite

Our wheelchair accessible suite was 512 on the 5th floor. It was close to the lift so we didn’t have to walk too far. Before opening the door we stopped to look at the view.

We could literally see the Sage, Gateshead Millennium Bridge and Tyne Bridge from right outside our room.

I gasped as we opened the door and entered our suite. It was amazing. Greeting us was a bottle of rosy wine, sweets and an Easter card from the hotel. It was a lovely surprise.

We quickly went around checking everything out. The kitchen and dining area was immediately as you enter the room then the living area and bedroom. It was spectacular, but couldn’t help but wish we were staying for more than one night.

I could easily see myself comfortably, more than comfortably spending a long weekend or more there. It had a lovely home-from-home feel, which I absolutely love.

Kitchen and Dining

The kitchen was lovely and there was plenty of space to manoeuvre around in my wheelchair. I could easily manage to do doughnuts there was that much space. The large mirror on the kitchen wall was great and made the suite look even bigger.

The breakfast bar and work area were marble. It had drawers inbuilt which were where the silverware was kept and glasses were lined up on the shelves. There was a telephone as well as a tray with mugs and tea/coffee on top of the breakfast bar.

We were able to charge our phones and laptop due to the power sockets available in the work area.

The fully fitted kitchen had everything we could have needed including:

• Microwave oven
• Cooker with space to roll underneath
• Kettle
• Toaster
• Dishwasher
• Sink
• Refrigerator
• Pots and pans
• Plates, glassware and silverware

You can either bring your own food, buy from the hotel’s pantry (onsite shop) or order takeaway, which is what we did. I highly recommend BoHo Vegan Pizza Co for the most amazingly delicious pizza. It was honestly the best vegan pizza we’ve ever had.

We haven’t been able to stop thinking about it and have many times thought about booking another stay at Staybridge Suites Newcastle and ordering another pizza. It was that good.

We also ordered the vegan chocolate brownie with chocolate pouring sauce, which was also delicious.

Living Area

The living room area consisted of a two-seater sofa, flat-screen TV with cable channels and a chair. It was nice to sit in this area to relax and watch TV. As you can see Allan enjoyed relaxing too much and used my wheelchair as a footstool.

Bedroom

The huge bed was like sleeping on a cloud. We struggled to get up in the morning as we were so comfortable. There was plenty of clearance underneath the bed to accommodate a portable hoist if needed.

It was so relaxing to lie in bed and watch TV (watch the video to see me rocking out while watching Back to The Future). The room makes you feel like you are relaxing at home or in a super nice apartment.

I could easily see myself living in an open-plan apartment like this. I love it.

Transferring from my wheelchair onto the bed was easy due to the massive amount of space at the side of the bed. The bed is higher so keep that in mind for your transfers. Bedside tables and wall-mounted lights were on each side.

The emergency pull cord was on the side of the bed which was closest to the bathroom and had the most space for transferring. There was a telephone on the furthest away bedside table, so it could be handy if it was put on the table with the emergency pull cord instead.

I loved the full-length mirror next to the bed. Most hotel rooms have a small mirror above the desk and one in the bathroom, which can be impossible for wheelchair users to properly see themselves.

So I was really happy that Staybridge Suites have not only one large mirror but two full-length mirrors. This meant I was able to see myself from head to toe. Not that I’m vain or anything. Honest.

Bathroom

The bathroom in our accessible suite was huge, which I was so pleased to see. You know how I mentioned earlier that I could do doughnuts in the kitchen, well I could do them in the bathroom too. Lots of space for manoeuvring.

The roll-in shower had a wall-mounted seat, grab rails and an emergency pull cord inside. The water controls and complimentary BeeKind toiletries were within easy reach. I also found the shower curtain moved easily which is good for people with limited arm strength, like myself.

Next to the shower was the sink with a mirror placed above. I liked the little integrated shelves beside the sink displaying extra toiletries, toilet roll paper and drinking glasses.

Then there was the toilet and small washbasin. I felt like the toilet was a good height for me and it had a padded backrest for extra comfort. Again there were both fixed and pull-down grab bars at the toilet and sink area as well as another emergency pull cord.

The toilet roll and hand towels were placed in an easy-to-reach position. The pull-down grab rails were flush against the wall and required a light push to make them come down.

Breakfast Buffet

Staybridge Suites Newcastle offer a complimentary hot breakfast buffet to all guests. There was plenty to choose from to suit all tastes. A variety of cereals, muffins, croissants, bagels, yoghurt and berry compote were some of the cold items on offer.

The hot buffet breakfast consisted of potatoes, beans, eggs, sausages and bacon. We asked for veggie sausages to go with the potatoes and beans. These sausages aren’t sitting out so if you require them just ask one of the staff.

We sat next to the window looking out onto the outdoor patio area which would be lovely to sit in on a sunny morning. Breakfast was lovely and filling, which set us up nicely for our morning of exploring the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art.

Hotel Amenities

• Wi-Fi
• Self-laundry facilities
• Complimentary breakfast buffet
• Parking
• Fitness Center
• 24hr reception
• Pantry/shop
• Complimentary tea/coffee and water

Evening Reception

Evening receptions at Staybridge Suites Newcastle are available on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. These are great social evenings to meet other people, enjoy some tasty food or even have a BBQ.

Final Thoughts

We were really sad to leave Staybridge Suites Newcastle after just one night. The accessible suite was so big and so lovely that we would have loved a few days to check it out. It was an absolute pleasure to stay and experience this hotel. I really can’t praise it enough. Everything felt right from the moment we arrived until the moment we (sadly) left.

Staying at Staybridge Suites is the perfect option for a trip to Newcastle whether it’s for one night or an extended stay. The suites are stunning and incredibly comfortable which will make you not want to leave but also make you want to return again and again. It did for us anyway.

The staff are also super friendly, helpful and welcoming. What more can you ask for? We will definitely return to this hotel and have already spoken about it many times since our stay.

I’ve seen amazing deals for as little as £72 per night, which is absolutely amazing for the quality and service. All prices include breakfast, use of the on-site gym and free WiFi. To find out more call the hotel on 0191 238 7008 or visit Staybridge Suites Newcastle website.

Video: Watch our accessible trip to Newcastle

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Thank you so much to Staybridge Suites Newcastle for hosting my stay. My opinions, as always, are entirely my own. 

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