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?!

It's all on the website and it's not discrimination to charge for ground floor accommodation. Most places do

Doesn’t seem like Butlins are at fault here. Your parents needed a specific request in their booking, which they failed to make.

Can't wait to see this story in Angry People in Local Newspapers 😅

Tbh when we travel we have a child in a wheelchair, we always ensure that the accommodation is accessible to her, if the website isn't offering the option to click on accessible rooms, which normally only happens if the rooms are regular ones but have upper floors and no lift, we email them telling them we have a wheelchair.

This is just something that has to be done and anyone with mobility conditions will always know that for peace of mind just email anyway, there's no harm is telling them twice that a ground floor room is required.

It's unfortunate that your parents ended up having to drive back home and of course everyone's feeling hard done by but the truth is that the accommodation department didn't have the required information about your mum's disability .

I realised I should probably not have referred to my father as ancient, although his attitude often was! Decrepit would have been a better word. Either way, my disabled mum used to support his accessibility needs right up until he died. He was nearly 90 and had been using the internet for well over 20 years before that. They were holidaying overseas up until about a year before he died. Age is not the barrier here.

I'm sorry. I agree with others. If they knew that they would be needing a ground floor flat then they needed to ring up and check. Butlins aren't psychic.

I'm sorry but I hae to agree with this - because I am disabled and also need ground floor accomodation etc. So it doesn't matter whether I have been somewhere before or not - if I know that I will not manage without certain conditions being met then I email/phone and check that this is possible. Being in a mobility scooter does not, for example, mean that one can't manage stairs - I can manage some stairs although it isn't easy. It is a hassle having to plan more but it is necessary.

It's not discrimination. If you show your blue badge you can get your money back

If the ground floor rooms were all occupied there's not much they could do. I can see why it was disappointing for them and agree it could be clearer on the website, at least they'll know for the future I guess. What a shame for them :(

Not the purpose of the original question I know but how do you get a disability discount? We’ve been Butlins loads of times and I’ve never heard of that and it doesn’t say anything on Butlins website I can find about a disability discount either. I know you can get one person as a free carer if you get the vip wristbands but never heard of an actual discount

Not true at all. We've been going to Butlin's for 30 years now, my husband even longer, and we've done many holidays where it's just the 2 of us. Why shouldn't a couple be allowed to go just because they're not taking children with them?!

My husband loves Butlin's and has been going since he was a child, he'd be pretty annoyed if the attitude was that only people taking children are allowed to go.

However, I know they have been known to cancel bookings if it's just one adult going on their own.

Were the lifts not accessible? Only been to butlins once but recall that the lifts are large

I’ve heard of them cancelling all adult groups when it’s not a specific adult weekend, although I think this is generally where it is people that haven’t been before so if you’ve been going for 20 years they’d probably allow the booking based on that. It’s not an advertised policy so only hearsay I’m reporting but it does seem to be a thing with some truth behind it. I’ve heard of it more since the all inclusive drinks packages came in so maybe they are trying to put people off who might be tempted just by that

There are no lifts only in the hotel at Bognor

It doesn’t seem unreasonable for Butlins to charge an extra £15 and say you can claim it back on site if you can provide a blue badge.

I dont think Skegness has a hotel?

Skegness has a large tourist industry and umpteen hotels!

I was under the impression that you can’t book at Butlins unless you have children or are going on the adult weekenders (18 to 30 style).

They don't take bookings from solo adults or large groups of adults on family/tots weeks unless they're linked to a family booking, but they generally accept a couple or just two or three adults together.

I know right, my Dad worked in a fast paced technical job until he was 73 and his skills were highly sought after.

But if they did struggle with the technology, they can call them. Butlins are a huge company, they aren't going to recognise 'oh, Mrs X has just booked, we must allocate her ground floor as we know all about her needs', you actually have to be proactive.

And it's incredibly easy, can call them, email them, message them on Facebook - I do all 3 before we go to ensure they have suitable food for my daughters medical needs.

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

WWYD? I would make sure that the accommodation suited my needs.

My mum and her partner had their booking refused and refunded when they booked just them 2 about a year ago. I think it’s because they booked into a tots week though

They do a £30 carers discount. You need to speak to them through their accessible team.

I'm sorry OP they must be very tired and disappointed. However if they hadn't contacted Butlins to let them know that they needed a ground floor accommodation and there were no available ground floor accommodations when they arrived, I am not sure what else Butlins could have done?
If your parents choose to go again, or go to another destination please let them know to contact the venue before booking to check there is suitable accommodation available and after booking to confirm the requirements are linked to the booking.

Surely they have lifts now? Bognor has?

I'm more concerned that someone booking who couldn't see a very clear link is still driving, especially with impaired mobility. It's why I firmly believe once a driver reaches 65 they should be retested at least every 5 years, and then every 2 years from 75.

They could have stayed at a hotel instead.
Gold membership means nothing, and as they refused the accomodation and didn't book the one they needed, I would think they'll find it hard to gain a refund.

My mum and her partner had their booking refused and refunded when they booked just them 2 about a year ago. I think it’s because they booked into a tots week though

Yes, it'll be because it was a tots week. Until very recently there had to be an under 5 on any booking for tots week.

Did they say they needed ground floor accommodation when they booked. That's the important thing.