WWYD - Butlins - no accommodation for disabled parents so they had to come home

[JellyStarb]

I've just discovered that my parents have arrived home after setting off at 12pm to go to Butlins for the week.

On arrival, they were given keys to a third floor apartment. My Mum uses a mobility scooter and absolutely cannot do stairs. She was told if she wanted ground floor she needed to have paid for it. No ground floor apartments were available and so my parents returned home, a very long 9 hour round trip in the car in total.

They have said they would refund but were very blasè.

I dont agree that they should have paid more for ground floor accommodation as thats discrimination as its a need so yhe person who said that is likely ill-informed.

I've looked online to go through the booking process as my Mum and Dad have gone for years without issue and never had this. The website has a small link for accessibility accommodation but at 73 my Mum wouldn't have seen that when booking amongst such a busy page and trying to navigate the tech. My Dad is in his eighties.

AIBU to think they could have done more? But what? I don't want to be unrealistic but how can they just allow people who have travelled so far to have to leave?!

Is this tiny link on such a visually busy page really sufficient?! Its not at all inclusive or user friendly for older generations trying to live in a modern world, surely a page as part of the booking process to register any needs would make more sense and be a catch-all?!

I’ve just gone through the booking process to double check (I do it at least once a year as it’s the extended families fave place for a getaway) and it asks you TWICE if you want to pick where to stay, or let the site do it for you. The second time, it specifies to pay the extra to secure a ground floor apartment. There’s always been that option when booking (I just pay it as we also have accessibility needs in our group and don’t want to faff around with calling/sending proof) ~ it’s also top of the accessibility page :

If you or a member of your party have disability requirements that are a necessity for you to be able to take a break and enjoy a happy holiday at Butlin's, it is essential that you let us know at the time of booking. We will do our very best to meet these requirements but would advise they cannot always be guaranteed. * followed by contact details of who to call.

The problem with Butlins (going on previous conversations with staff there) is EVERYONE prefers the ground floor rooms, which is why there’s now a price attached. People were just ticking access needs to get a more convenient room. I understand it’s a horrible thing to go through when you think you’ll be okay (by luck until now, by the sounds of it!) but I don’t think Butlins could’ve done anything differently.

Don't understand why you wouldn't check groundfloor accomodation is available when you book, if that's what you need?

During the booking process it specifically asks you if you want to chose your room. And they would have had to tick 'no I do not want to pick my room' to proceed.
Was every hotel room (which has lift access) fully booked? Or only every ground floor of a specific room type?

Why? Otherwise everyone would tick the box to say they have access needs and get the preferred room.

https://www.butlins.com/help-contact/disability-requirements

A very easy to find page under "Help". It's literally one of only about 4 headings

And, as others said, pretending to book and it kept asking me if I wanted to pick a room, easily let me pick 1st Floor etc

It’s the modern version of, ‘the Oxford English Dictionary defines accessible as…’.

Don’t the hotels have lifts? Could they not have stayed in one of those?

I think the lifts would be too cramped and busy tbh 🧐🧐😂😂

I dont think Skegness has a hotel? Either way, no alternatives at all were offered. It was very much "ok make sure you hand your keys in by 5pm if youre not staying", no cares given.

Slightly off topic but I’d be really concerned about anyone never mind a 70 year old driving a 9hr round trip, even pro lorry drivers aren’t allowed to do that. Hope they are ok

If you have a blue badge you can take it to the holiday shop and get your £15 back.

As a wheelchair user, I wouldn't go 10 mins down the road out for dinner without confirmation I could access everything I needed, nevermind drive 4.5 hours. It's VERY common to have to call and check as websites don't always give the information or options I need. Annoying, yes. But a very "normal" way of life when you have accessibility needs. Perhaps your parents have been lucky with Butlins in the past, but do they never go anywhere other than their annual trip to Butlins? I'm not sure how they've never had to clarify access arrangements before now. I can completely understand that you'd be worried for your parents in that situation, however I don't know how Butlins could accommodate needs they didn't know about. Perhaps finding alternative accommodation nearby would have been more sensible than getting back in the car to head home though. That is a LOT of driving even for an able bodied, younger person and likely dangerous 🥺

If not at booking, if you need a specific accommodation for any reason, I think you are very unreasonable not to double check at least before going that you are being given what you need.

No hotels in Skegness Butlins

How invested do you expect a clerk to be?

I clicked on your screenshot and the first word I saw was “accessibility.” It’s hardly hidden.

I’ve always paid to guarantee ground floor. Couldn’t they have found somewhere else in the area to stay? I wouldn’t have gone all the way back home.

I can sympathise with your parents but what would you like butlins to have done differently? There were no more ground floor rooms (this is often the case as people pay to book these), they offered a full refund? What else could they do?? Clearly if you need ground floor accommodation you have to let them know - how else would they know?!

The prominence of otherwise of the accommodation link is a red herring. If I wasn’t able to manage stairs, then I would make absolutely certain that the property I was visiting didn’t have stairs.

I don’t think you can blame Butlins for this.

The booking process hasn't changed for the last few years.

This is very much on your parents - Butlins aren't mind readers and can't guess who needs ground floor and who doesn't.

They've just had an adult weekender and are going into bank holiday/half term so they'll have a busy site and not as many available units as usual (adult weekenders always knock a few units out of use for a few days).

Offering a full refund is actually quite generous in the circumstances.

You can book and pay for ground floor specifically.

You can book and pay for specific units guaranteeing exact location.

You can contact them and they sort accessible units.

There were lots of options available to your parents.

Unfortunately I don’t think they could have done anything more. They have other guests to think of, might not have the rooms etc. They can’t accommodate every person that makes a booking error. But ultimately it comes down to the people who’ve booked it. I would maybe look over their future books to avoid any mistakes like this.

I'm here now. It's busy. As they are gold members that suggests they are here often so know their way round. Including what the accommodation looks like. Butlins do give you £15 back on showing your blue badge so there is no extra cost. Which I think is good.

I think the accessible link is perfectly clear, but even if it wasn't visible, surely if they know they need an accessible room, they need to make contact before booking, not just book it and hope for the best. It's a shame but I do think it was your parents issue not the hotel.

So why did they not ensure ground floor accommodation was booked at the time of booking? Or they did and it was changed without telling them?

I presume it is on the guests to ensure they book what they need from the start?

Agree with the ageist comments. Not all older people are alike, plenty that can use technology. Like if the same thing happened to a couple that were 40, would this be such as issue? I doubt it.