Last month I had the pleasure of staying at the brand spanking new Travelodge Solihull. I’ve stayed in a few Travelodge hotels throughout the years, but this one is my favourite so far. Here is my honest review of our stay detailing why we loved our stay at Travelodge Solihull and what it’s like staying in a Travelodge wheelchair accessible SuperRoom™.
We based ourselves in Solihull as we were attending the disability event, Naidex at Birmingham NEC and it was the perfect option for us.
Booking a Room
You can make your room reservation via the Travelodge website. When selecting the room make sure you tick the box for ‘accessible room’ which also has a wheelchair symbol beside it.
Location & Parking
I travelled down by car with Allan and my Mum. It took us around seven hours from Central Scotland, so we stopped off a few times at motorway services for a break and to use the facilities.
Allan was on a mission to win as many soft toys as he could from the grabber machines for our nephew. He was successful in winning four, which my nephew was absolutely delighted with.
It was such a pleasant surprise as we approached the hotel and saw how lovely the location was. This brand new hotel was set on a beautiful leafy street lined with beautiful houses. With the train station less than a five minute walk away and the Town Centre only a five minute drive along the road.
The hotel is a fifteen minute drive from Birmingham NEC, which was the main reason for our trip down south. So in terms of location, it was ideal.
We were pleased to discover the hotel has free car parking and we managed to get a disabled bay right outside the hotel entrance.
Entrance & Reception
The ground level entrance only has a lift and a staircase. So as soon as we entered, I rolled along the hallway and took the lift up to the reception area.
We were then warmly greeted by two of the loveliest and friendliest reception staff. Amber was one of the ladies on reception who checked us into our wheelchair accessible SuperRoom™ while the other lady checked my mum into her room.
They made us feel very welcome and chatted away while completing the check-in. Within minutes we were headed to our rooms. Amber let us know that she would come up to our room shortly to go over the Personal Evacuation in case of an emergency.
The reception desk didn’t have a lowered section, but as there was no paperwork to complete at check-in, it wasn’t an issue for me.
When Amber came to our room to explain the personal evacuation process I was given a form to complete with my requirements if there was an emergency. I was also given instructions and shown where the refuge point was.
Wheelchair Accessible Hotel Room #402
Travelodge has recently introduced new SuperRoom™ to their hotels. We had only ever stayed in the standard accessible rooms before. So we were excited to stay in the wheelchair accessible SuperRoom™ at Travelodge Solihull. My mum also stayed in a SuperRoom™. Both rooms were on the fourth floor.
Our wheelchair accessible SuperRoom™ was cosy, stylish and comfortable. All the things we want while away from home.
As always I packed my inflatable travel mat in case the mattress was too hard and uncomfortable for me. Thankfully I didn’t have to use the travel mat at all as the bed was really comfortable. I love when that happens.
In fact, we all had amazing sleep both nights. My mum is quite a bad sleeper but we were so pleased that she found the bed incredibly comfortable and slept great. My mum loved the bed so much that she has been looking at buying the Travelodge mattress from their website. No joke!
The twin double bed was at a nice low height which made it good for wheelchair transfers. There was even space underneath to accommodate portable hoists if required. As with all Travelodge hotels I’ve stayed in, there is no bedside table, just a little shelf. Personally, I don’t mind this, but it could be a little tricky if you require a table to place medical equipment on during the night. I think the chair could be used for that instead if required.
The shelf on each side of the bed with the power sockets is handy for charging your phone when in bed. the headboard has a control panel for the room lights allowing you to change the setting to night or bright depending on your preferences.
The desk area was accessible and I found the height suitable for rolling my wheelchair underneath. I loved that it had a large mirror above the desk and that it was positioned low enough so that I could see in it.
On the desk was a Lavazza coffee machine, a kettle with tea/coffee and two KitKats. An open clothes hanger was attached to the desk with an iron, ironing board, hangers and extra pillows.
As you may know, I love when hotel rooms have full-length mirrors. Especially when they are placed in an accessible spot in the room that I can actually position my wheelchair in front of. I was happy to see our wheelchair accessible SuperRoom™ had one.
Next to the large full-length mirror was a shelf with a hairdryer. The hairdryer was another perk of the SuperRoom™.
I loved the framed map of Solihull hanging on the wall. It showed all the main attractions and buildings around the town of Solihull in a really cool cartoon-like drawing style. I appreciate the little things like that.
I found it easy to move around the room in my wheelchair, which gets two thumbs up from me.
Travelodge SuperRoom™ Features:
- Lavazza A Modo Mio capsule coffee machine
- Hansgrohe Raindance 3jet adjustable shower
- A choice of hypoallergenic pillows
- 32” LED Slimline Freeview TV
- Comfy Armchair
- Blackout Curtains
- New Bathroom Design
- Hairdryer & Full-Length Mirror
- Iron & Ironing Board
- USB Charging and Connectivity
Bathroom
Hotel bathroom accessibility is very important when travelling as a wheelchair user. There are lots of questions that I and other wheelchair users need to know before booking.
Will my wheelchair fit in the bathroom? Will there be adequate space for transferring to and from the toilet? Will there be a roll-in shower with a decent shower chair? Will the sink be big enough so my wheelchair can actually get close enough to enable me to brush my teeth?
As soon as we entered our hotel room I was happy to see the bathroom was going to work for me. Instantly I could see that it was large enough for my wheelchair to drive in and turn around. I loved the dark brown wooden vinyl flooring. I haven’t seen flooring like that in a hotel bathroom before so it was nice to see.
The toilet was placed in the corner with space on the left side for transfers. A fixed grab bar was on the wall and a fixed and folding grab bar was on the other side (transferring side). The toilet paper rolls were attached to the wall on the side within easy reach. The toilet was attached to a box unit with a shelf behind it, which could be handy for storing items you need.
The roll-in shower had one of the best wall-mounted shower seats I’ve seen. Rather than being a tiny little seat, it was a great size with back support too. There was a folding grab bar on one side and two fixed grab bars on the other side. The handheld showerhead, water controls and soap dispenser were all within a good reaching distance for ease. The double shower curtain was full length to stop the water from escaping too much and would keep your wheelchair from getting wet.
Bathroom sinks can be a real bugbear of mine, but thankfully I was able to roll underneath to brush my teeth and wash my face at this sink. Although I made it work for me, it would have been even better if the sink was just a bit wider to save having to lean over too much.
I really liked the bathroom in our wheelchair accessible SuperRoom™. The glossy white walls with light blue accents gave a lovely fresh look.
Bar Cafe
The bar cafe served breakfast, lunch and dinner for guests. The lovely setting was relaxed each morning we went along for breakfast. The staff were super attentive and incredibly friendly. Offering a buffet style hot and cold breakfast with items like croissants, fruit, toast, cereals, and full English with vegetarian options. We enjoyed our breakfasts while seated at the large windows. Unlimited breakfast was included in our reservation. Otherwise, it is only £8.50 and free for kids.
Checkout
Checkout went as smoothly as check-in, this time it was the lovely Jyoti. She was extremely warm, and friendly and complimented my necklace, showing a great interest in its meaning. We left with a big smile thanks to the incredible service we received during our two-night stay.
Here is a video of our stay at Travelodge Solihull: Room Tour
Final thoughts
Travelodge Solihull is a fantastic hotel in the lovely town of Solihull. It’s a great location for travelling to Birmingham NEC as well as the rest of Birmingham making it a great choice. The wheelchair accessible SuperRoom™ was very stylish, comfortable and suitable for my needs. The breakfast in the Bar Cafe was lovely and the hotel staff are a real credit to Travelodge Solihull. We loved our stay and will absolutely return again.
Where Next: You Might Also Enjoy
Travelodge Waterloo London | Hotel Review
Naidex 45 at Birmingham NEC | Europe’s Biggest Disability Event
Don’t miss a thing!
Follow me on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube’ | Pinterest
Disclaimer: My stay at Travelodge Solihull was complimentary in exchange for an honest review.
2 Responses
Hello Emma
thank you for your sharing experiences
Do you know any hotel with disabled room in the center of city ?
Isabel with an electric weelchair from France
Hi Isabel. I haven’t stayed in any other hotels in Solihull other than this Travelodge, but this hotel isn’t far from the town centre. I hope you get something booked.