Accessibility at Ellenborough Park

This access statement does not contain personal opinions as to our suitability for those with access needs, but aims to accurately describe the facilities and services that we offer all our guests/visitors.

Sections

Introduction

Ellenborough Park welcomes people with disabilities and has developed this access statement to address some of the more common issues that disabled people face. Recognition has been given to guests with an impairment, which could include: Mobility, Sight, Hearing, Learning disabilities or any hidden impairment.

Ellenborough Park aims to ensure that all employees, guests, and others who use the hotel are treated equally and according to their needs.

Ellenborough Park is situated in 90 acres of parkland at the foot of Cleeve Hill in the Cotswolds.

The Hotel is located approximately 15 minutes from Cheltenham town Centre and 20 minutes from Cheltenham Spa Station. The Hotel sits between the two villages of Southam and Prestbury.

The Main house of Ellenborough Park is more than 500 years old and has been recently refurbished. Whilst we aim to meet the needs of all our guests there are some period features of the house which might make access difficult for people with limited mobility.

There are 61 bedrooms across 4 locations within the grounds. There are 4 accessible bedrooms suitable for wheelchair users. One is on the ground floor of Ellenborough Gate a second room is situated in The Mews. The third and fourth are interconnecting and situated in Woodland Court and are accessed by first level. There are no accessible rooms in The Main house. These bedrooms all have en-suite facilities and all have entry level shower with handrails fitted throughout e.g. shower, bath, and toilet.

Pre-Arrival

For full details and maps of how to get to Ellenborough Park please see the directions section on the website. This is found under ‘Contact’. Should you wish to travel by car simply enter your postcode and which is GL52 3NJ.

The nearest railway station is Cheltenham Spa which is 5 miles away and approximately 13 minutes away by car. Taxis are available at the station. If you require an accessible taxi this can be booked in advance.

The nearest bus stop is outside the hotel entrance. There is no shelter. The bus is the ‘606’ and operates Monday to Saturday from 07.02 – 18.15.

The main road outside the hotel running from Cheltenham or Prestbury does not have a wide path leading to the hotel and can be very dark as there is no street lighting in the immediate vicinity.

Car Parking and Arrival

There are 141 car parking spaces located across three locations within the grounds. There are 11 accessible car parking spaces available for guest use. The car park surfaces are gravel and tarmac. The car parks are well lit at night and the paths have uplighters.

There is valet parking and a drop off point at the front of the hotel the area is flat until you get to the entrance where there are 2 steps leading into the main reception area. A portable ramp is available, the main entrance door is manual and measures 1200mm wide, this door is light to push and opens inwards.

We have installed six EV charging ports in our guest car park, allowing guests to charge their electric vehicles.

There is porter service available 24 hours a day to assist with luggage.

Main Entrance/Reception/Welcome Area

Reception is on the ground floor and has level access throughout. The floor surface throughout reception and the Atrium is wood. The area is evenly and well lit with overhead lighting, lamps and wall lights. There is seating at reception desks and elsewhere in the reception area. A hearing loop system is installed at reception and staff have been trained in its use. There is a choice of seating in the lobby area, which can be used as an alternative space for check-in. A familiarisation tour is available to all guests at check-in.

Bedrooms

There are 4 accessible bedrooms. 2 of these interconnect with each other.

The bedrooms in The Mews and Ellenborough Gate are accessed via step-free access from the main entrance. The interconnecting bedrooms in Woodland Court are accessed at First floor level from the back of Woodland Court when once inside the building a lift is available for access to the bedrooms.

  • Doors are 1200mm wide.
  • Furniture can be easily removed or rearranged in the room if requested.
  • Twin or double rooms are available.
  • There is not enough space under beds to allow for a hoist.
  • Rooms are bright and evenly lit. Overhead and wall lighting is used, controlled by dimmer switches. There are also bedside and table lamps in each room. Additional reading lamps are available on request.
  • These and all other bedrooms in the hotel offer the following: All bedroom doors are marked with raised numbers.
  • Lighting as above, good colour contrast between the floor, walls and doors short pile carpet, all bedding is non-feather unless requested, widescreen digital television with remote control, subtitles, and audio description facilities. A mobile loop, vibrating pillow pad and alarm clock with flashing light are available on request.

Room 30

Room 30 bathroom

Bathrooms

All 4 accessible bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms providing specific facilities for guests with disabilities these include:

  • Doors 900mm wide and are easy to open
  • Level entry showers in all rooms. Two rooms also have roll top baths
  • The toilet height is 480mm
  • Wash basin height is 800mm with clear space underneath
  • Grab rails, horizontal and vertical are fitted around the shower
  • Horizontal grab rails alongside one of the baths
  • Lever taps fitted on washbasin and bath
  • Well lit with overhead lights and a fluorescent light over mirror
  • Good colour contrast between doors, floor and walls
  • The flooring is non-slip tile
  • Seat raisers and shower seats are available where required
  • All other bathrooms have the same lighting and good colour contrast
  • There is an alarm cord fitted

Public areas – Halls, Stairs, Landings, Corridors

All public areas, halls, stairs, landings, and lifts are well lit using a combination of ceiling and wall lights (fluorescent lighting is used in the lift in Woodland Court). Corridors are slightly dimmer lit by wall lights.

  • Corridors are 1200mm or wider and floor coverings are wooden, flag stones or carpeted.
  • The staircase in the Main house and Woodland Court is carpeted; some of the corridors in the Main House are not accessible to wheelchairs.
  • The lift in Woodland Court has audio announcement and tactile buttons. There is a mirror on the back of the lift, the sides are covered in stainless steel and the floor is carpet.
  • Each floor is marked by a tactile number next to the lift

Public Areas/Lounges/Lobbies

  • The Great Hall is situated on the Ground Floor with entry level from reception and main entrance.
  • The Great Hall entry door is 1150mm wide.
  • There are three steep steps leading from the Great Hall to The Restaurant.
  • The room has a mixture of seating with soft chairs and sofas with low coffee tables and some stools.
  • Lighting is natural daylight and by night levels are controlled by dimmer switches, with overhead and wall lighting used as well as table lamps around the rooms.
  • The flooring is both carpet and flagstones.
  • Drinks and canapés may be served in The Great Hall.
  • The nearest toilets are close to reception and there is also an accessible toilet.

The Restaurant/The Horse Box and Bar area

  • The Restaurant room entry is on the Ground floor with entry by 3 steps.
  • Entry to The Horse Box is by 4 steps down from Reception. Alternatively, a low gradient ramp is available.
  • Both The Restaurant and The Horse Box have level access throughout with tables in both areas well-spaced apart with a mix of upright chairs with and without arms.
  • The Bar areas has two large tables with High stools. Drinks and food maybe served at the table.
  • Lighting is natural daylight and night levels are controlled by dimmer switches, with overhead and wall lighting used as well as table lamps.
  • The flooring is short pile carpet in the Restaurant and in the Horse Box it is a combination of short pile carpet and flag stones.
  • We do our best to cater for any dietary requirements: please contact us in advance with any specific requests. Where possible food is sourced locally.
  • The Restaurant serves food at the table; Breakfast is a combination of Buffet and service. The Restaurant team can assist with pleasure and will also assist with menus.
  • Crockery colours contrast with tables.
  • The nearest accessible toilets for the Restaurant is down 3 stairs close to reception.
  • The nearest accessible toilets for The Horse Box is down two flagstone steps.

Public Toilets

  • Public toilets can be found on the ground floor with level access from the main entrance and reception.
  • There is one accessible toilet just off the main reception area.
  • Entrance door is 9300mm wide and level entry into the toilet
  • The toilet height is 490mm
  • There are vertical rails either side of the basin and toilet
  • There is an emergency alarm cord
  • The toilet is well lit
  • Flooring is non-slip
  • Lever taps are on basin.

Leisure facilities

Includes:

  • The Spa, in which there is a sauna, steam room hydrotherapy pool, mood showers, 7 treatment rooms. These can be accessed by the main entrance. All areas are well lit flooring is non-slip. A 15 metre heated outdoor pool is available all year and the depth is 950 -1350mm. The pool is accessed via steps. There is a rail on one side to assist entry.
  • A gym which is on the ground floor of the Woodland Court. There is a range of equipment including a cycle machine, a treadmill, cross trainer, weights and exercise mats.
  • The Spa is open daily from 10am to 6pm. The pool is open during daylight hours. Leisure Facilities are available from 10am to 6pm.
  • Treatment rooms- there are 7 these can be accessed by the Lift from the ground floor. The couples’ treatment room is accessed by a flight of 8 narrow stairs which are carpeted and has natural light.
  • There is no natural light in the other six treatment rooms. They are not brightly lit but this can be changed with use of the dimmer switch.
  • Flooring is tiled throughout.
  • To make a booking please contact 01242 545426.

Grounds and Gardens

  • Ellenborough Park sits in 90 acres of parkland with a mixture of lawns, woodlands, meadows and Cleeve Hill is across the main road from the Hotel.
  • The lawned areas closest to the Hotel are fairly flat. There are 13 number steps leading from the back of the Hotel over to Woodland Court.
  • Seating is available round the hotel.
  • A wheelchair is available on request.

Conference and Meeting rooms

  • There are 8 function spaces available in the Hotel, 2 of which are outdoor Pavilions.
  • 2 rooms have level access, those are our DLB, Old Chapel.
  • 3 rooms have access via low ramp if required, those are our Royalist, Elizabethan, Restaurant.
  • 2 outdoor pavilion spaces have level access, those are our Chapel Pav and South Pav.
  • 1 room has access via a staircase of 22 steps, this is our Cleeve.
  • All rooms have natural day light, all lighting may be controlled by dimmer switches.
  • Upright chairs with or without arms are available. Tables have a clear space of 700mm from the floor.
  • 4 of our function spaces are carpeted, those are our DLB, Royalist, Elizabethan, Restaurant.
  • The nearest accessible toilet is for the main conference, the De la Bere Court, is close to The Horse Box.
  • The nearest accessible toilet for the other rooms is in reception.
  • For full details on accessibility please contact the events coordinator on 01242 545422.

Additional information

  • All teams receive regular training that includes disability awareness training.
  • Room service is available 24 hours a day.
  • Clear signage is used throughout the hotel.
  • The nearest General Hospital is Cheltenham General and is 3.6 miles away and takes 13 minutes by car.
  • The nearest Doctors surgery is Stoke Road Surgery, 4 Stoke Road, Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham, GL52 8RP
  • Tel: 01242 672007
  • Please ask reception for further information if needed.
  • There is free Wi-Fi throughout the Hotel.
  • Mobile phone coverage is generally good.
  • A list of nearby attractions and details of their access statements can be obtained if required.

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