Everyone’s welcome: The UK holiday cottages that are truly inclusive
The UK holiday cottages that are truly accessible for a wide range of guests
WHAT IS IT
Functional, self-catering cottages in the Hampshire countryside. At Wallops Wood, it’s all about stress-free simplicity: sit in the garden hot-tub watching kites circle above the tree line, or take lunch in the large private grounds. Indoors in the off season, play games around a generous dining table big enough for groups of 12 adults, cook up a storm in the decent-sized kitchen or relax in one of two living areas that double as games rooms.
Premier Cottages, the company behind Wallops Wood, also runs a huge amount of properties designed for wheelchair users and people who are less able, such as this one.
WHAT TO DO
A group of friends and I stayed at Sicilian Lemon at Wallops Wood, one of a collection of three properties a mile from the main Wallops Wood site. Within the grounds you can find a swimming pool, games room and shop with an honesty box. Rather than drive, take the 20 minute walk between properties, where you will pass a working farm with a cowshed.
The pool needs to be booked ahead of time and can be reserved for groups for two hour slots and there is also a steamroom and sauna.
The games room is available for walk-ins, as is the honesty shop, though beware – the prices are fairly steep for meals like family-style lasagnas. I had friends staying in the smaller, four person Woodbrook Cottage in the main resort area by the pool, which was similarly comfortable and also had a private garden with a hot tub.
The accessible UK holiday
WHERE
Wallops Wood is perfectly remote: there are no immediate attractions, so spend a weekend enjoying the facilities without feeling FOMO. That said, the villages of Droxford and Hambledon are short walks away, and the charming market town of Bishop’s Waltham is eight miles further.
Petersfield, 11 miles away, is bigger and has frequent, direct trains to London, which take just over an hour. It’s perfect for a long weekend: I left on Monday morning and was back in the office in the Square Mile for 10am.
THE COTTAGES
Bedrooms are functional and comfortable, some with private terraces and balconies. Premier Cottages, the company behind the accommodation (which has around 850 properties across the UK), has won major awards for accessibility.
The vibe is that these buildings are not only wheelchair accessible, but designed with wheelchair users as a priority. Think incredibly wide slopes on entry, wet rooms instead of showers and broad corridors.
The properties were developed using results from VisitEngland’s accessibility questionnaire, which focuses on improving the stays of visitors with wheelchair requirements, and visual and hearing impairments. The Premier Cottages website allows potential visitors to filter via accessibility requirements and there’s a 14-day cancellation and full refund window from date of booking if the property doesn’t fully meet accessibility requirements.
While the website describes the cottages as luxury, this feels like a stretch: aside from the hot tub, the real value here is the functionality. Book directly and there are no booking fees, a perk which Premier calls ‘inclusive pricing’, with “No hidden charges, cleaning fees or service costs.” There are also glamping properties available and cottages in most parts of the UK.
DON’T MISS
An evening wind-down on Sicilian Lemon’s comfy terrace. Warm up inside around the log-burning fire. The perfect UK holiday yin and yang.
BOOK THIS
Three nights start from £1,922 for Sicilian Lemon, and £888 for Woodbrook. Go to premiercottages.co.uk for more information on the full portfolio.