Travel Guide-Accommodation
Traveling on vacation is the favorite of Hong Kong people. It not only relaxes the body and mind, respites from the tedious work of the week, but also broadens the horizon. Everyone also has the right to enjoy travel, including those with reduced mobility, and the accessibility index and convenience of travel accommodation will greatly affect their enjoyment of travel.......
Traveling on vacation is the favorite of Hong Kong people. It not only relaxes the body and mind, respites from the tedious work of the week, but also broadens the horizon. Everyone also has the right to enjoy travel, including those with reduced mobility, and the accessibility index and convenience of travel accommodation will greatly affect their enjoyment of travel.
To evaluate whether an accommodation option is convenient and accessible, the following factors can be considered:
Point 1: Convenient transportation options
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Living near the railway station is the first choice of many tourists. You can learn about the design of the road from the station to the hotel. Pay attention to whether the station has barrier-free access, the width of the platform and the general situation of changing different routes:
Different stations in Tokyo and Taipei, Japan may have multiple barrier-free entrances to facilitate wheelchair access and customer service Taiwan seeks assistance from staff.
Thailand’s Skytrain completed in recent years, some of the stations’ barrier-free facilities such as elevators have not yet been activated, and passengers can only rely on stairs to enter and exit. Causes great inconvenience to wheelchair users.
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Bus terminals and transfer stations are also good places, such as Taipei Main Station in Taiwan and Sapporo Station in Hokkaido. These major stations are generally accessible in all directions. It is also more prosperous, and wheelchair users have more choices. At the same time, it is also convenient to transfer to different counties and other places. In terms of bus stations, the popularity of low-floor buses in each place is different. It is necessary to understand the design of the road from the nearest bus station to the hotel:
Are there accessible buses?
What is the walking information of each route?
Is there a wheelchair waiting area at the bus stop?
Japan, Singapore and other countries with mature barrier-free facilities, most of them have used low-floor buses, and there are wheelchairs waiting at bus stops The district gives priority to those in need to board the bus.
In Taiwan, bus designs in large cities and second and third-tier cities are quite different. Buses in Taipei City widely use low-floor designs, but non-low-floor buses are still very common in areas such as Taichung and Tainan. The doors have two stairs, which poses a great inconvenience to wheelchair users.
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Accessible parking location-If you choose barrier-free taxis and UBER when traveling, you should know if there is any convenient barrier-free parking near the hotel position. Major countries and major cities around the world, such as Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have provided barrier-free taxis. UBER has become very popular in cities around the world. Users can freely choose convenient pick-up and drop-off locations through mobile apps.
However, if the hotel does not provide barrier-free parking spaces, and the nearby parking locations are not convenient for the disabled to get on and off, even if an accessible taxi or UBER is reserved, it will not be convenient for the disabled. Therefore, you should ask the hotel about the closest barrier-free parking location, and if available, you can make an appointment for the driver to pick up and drop off at the most convenient location.
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Accessible parking spaces-Those in wheelchairs who choose to travel by car should know whether there are convenient accessible parking and parking locations near the hotel. The hotel knows the closest barrier-free parking location, if available, the driver can pick up and drop off the disabled in the most convenient location. In addition, you can confirm the parking location with the hotel. If there is no suitable location, you need to know the situation of nearby parking. If the parking position is too far away from the parking position, the driver will find it difficult to take care of the disabled, which may pose a danger.
Point 2: Convenient road
The design of the roads around the hotel also has a great impact on the disabled. One is the road to and from the station and transportation facilities, including whether the road before getting on and off and outside cars is flat and barrier-free .
As many places do not fully consider the needs of the disabled in urban planning, the hotel’s periphery may encounter problems such as narrow roads, uneven roads, and ups and downs. Therefore, even if the hotel is designed to cater for the needs of the disabled, the hotel entrance and nearby roads may not be under the control of the hotel. They are public places and may not take the needs of the disabled as the hotel does.
When choosing a hotel, you should check with the hotel in advance whether the design of nearby pedestrian crossing facilities, slopes, stairs, etc. will cause inconvenience , Or whether there are projects that affect road use during the stay.
Point 3: Convenient package
If there is a convenience store or supermarket next to the hotel, please pay attention to the following:
Use online real-world maps or photos to observe whether the merchant has barrier-free passages, cashiers, seats, etc.
For large merchants or chain stores, you can try to browse the relevant information on their official webpages on the Internet
If you can get the contact information, you can try to contact and get the details directly
By selecting the location, you can lock three or four favorite hotels, and find their contact information on the Internet; you can usually ask for relevant information through email, including whether there will be barrier-free rooms and barrier-free bathrooms. Even if you know that there is a barrier-free bathroom, you need to understand it carefully and try to request real photos to confirm it. Because each person has a different degree of disability, if businesses can provide real-life photos, they can understand the accommodation facilities at a glance and choose the accommodation service that best suits their needs.
common area
Wide doors and entrance passages (32 inches or more), wide ramps and corridors (36 inches or more) to allow wheelchairs to pass and turn around
The entrances and exits of the accommodation are designed to be barrier-free, with ramps or lifting platforms, no steps
There is a barrier-free toilet in the lobby
There is a barrier-free elevator to and from the accommodation floor
Barrier-free walking and use of public spaces, such as laundry, kitchen or dining room, etc.
The parking lot has priority parking spaces for the disabled
Use automatic doors
room
There are wider room doors and bathroom doors (outer frame 80 cm, inner frame 75 cm) to allow wheelchairs to pass through and easy to open and close, allowing wheelchair users to Can leave the room on their own in an emergency
The light switch and power plug are located in the middle and high position
Armrest type door opening device
There is a space of 30 inches or more on one side of the bed, which is convenient for wheelchairs to park by the bed
It is recommended that the height of the bed is 17-19 inches, so that it is convenient for travellers to settle wheelchair users into the bed
bathroom and toilet
Roll-in shower, with enough space for wheelchair users to turn around
is equipped with a properly installed wheeled bath chair, or a wall fixed bath chair
The shower head is installed in the accessible position of the bath chair
Stable bathroom handrails (located on the side and back walls)
Higher toilet seat
There is a lower position for hanging clothes
It is not recommended to use plastic bath chairs, which may be dangerous
Others
Electric wheelchair users must pay special attention to sufficient charging places in the room when traveling outside, and need to use independent plug-in locations
Check whether the swimming pool, fitness and other recreational facilities include barrier-free design, so that wheelchair users can enjoy it at the same time
The following reasonable requests can be made to the hotel: < /p>
Remove the bed frame to lower the bed to a height that is easy to go up and down
Remove redundant furniture (such as tables and chairs)
Remove redundant doors (such as bathroom doors)
Place the hotel phone or other equipment in a convenient location
Provide a mini refrigerator to store medicines