The Club Resort and Spa Barbados Limited Accessibility Suite 166

The Club Barbados is a cute, smaller-size resort about 45 minutes from the Bridgetown Airport. It makes no claims to be accessible but as I can walk short distances, we decided to check it out for ourselves. We were happy to find out that the Whill C2 made getting about this resort a little easier for me. There are some places that only have curbs or stairs with no ramps, so I used my cane and sometimes some assistance for those spots. The staff members were always helpful and offered assistance quite often.

Having chosen to take the island-hopping cruise on the RCCL Rhapsody of the Seas from Barbados, we wanted to see how accessible Barbados was while we were there. To meet our budget, we chose The Club. This article will show how suite 166 worked for us.

The suite is pleasantly decorated with island colors and comfortable furniture, The furniture is more than adequate for 2 people and even for a few guests during the day if you travel with friends.

On the ground floor this room has two entrances. The front entrance has a ramp up to the main sidewalk, but then two stairs down and one step up into the room. The photo below shows the second half of the ramp as it approaches the entry door to room 166. There are no handrails by the stairs. I was assisted by the check-in personnel to get through the steps. 

The second entrance is the sliding glass doors in the back of the living room. The doorway is only about an inch above the patio and there are not any tall pieces of frame in the way of a wheelchair. This suite, 166, is just behind the beach bar and just past the bar is the Sunset Restaurant, all are least partially accessible at ground level.  The Sunset restaurant has two levels both of which can be accessed by a wheelchair or scooter. The second restaurant is Enids, which is on the second floor, up the steps on the other side of the suite. 

The Whill C2 was able to descend and climb the 2 inch drop from the patio to the grass. and even to maneuver through the yard to the sidewalk and bar. The maintenance personnel offered to build a ramp or find one, as they have used them before, but the Whill C2 was fine here. I did find the rougher the terrain, the rougher the ride on the Whill C2,  so be sure to go slower over rougher terrain,

The suite is roomy enough for a standard wheelchair to move about. There is also plenty of storage space, drawers, a large closet and floor space for a number of large suitcases. The desk has a small top and yet a wheelchair would be comfortably accommodated. The desk chair seat is higher than the sofa, bedroom lounge chair, and living room chair by a few inches.

 From the photos you can see the Whill C2 has more than sufficient space to move about here in the living room. 

   The bedroom is a little tighter, but adequate for a walker or standard wheelchair. A wide wheelchair will not go through the bathroom door for sure and may be questionable even through the bedroom door.

You can see the staff had moved the coffee table to the side of the living room before we arrived, which did help. Like most hotels, these rooms have more furniture than is ideal for wheelchair use, but the space is more adequate than many I have seen. 

One thing I do like about The Club is the number of electrical outlets in the rooms. No problem there. An extension cord was provided in the living room near the desk which was nice for charging electronics. The internet was very good and even better on the patio.

The bathroom is tightly spaced, wide enough for a standard wheelchair only to enter and possibly turn to the right. A user needs to be able to stand and pivot off the chair and onto the commode without help.

There is small incline into the bathroom which is smooth and tiled, easy to go through with a wheelchair or walker.

The bathtub is large and high. It is definitely not accessible, but for those who can walk you could sit on the side and pivot into the tub, or if you have long legs or good flexibility - step in. There are a few good railings in the tub area to assist entering and exiting the tub. The shower/tub hardware is similar to those on cruise ships with the sliding showerhead, or handheld, and a fixed overhead one. 

There is a very nice bench/seat built into the room, but not in the tub, it is several inches taller than the commode. The sink area is nice, but the door opens against it, which could be troublesome for some with challenges.

The lighting throughout the suite is excellent, even at night. There are no rugs, which is nice for safety.

Overall, I would say that for me this room worked well. With a few inexpensive upgrades it could be more accessible especially for those who can walk short distances. Examples of changes I would recommend are: 1.A portable commode riser. 2.One handrail next to the commode by the wall that separates the shower, if not two handrails. 3. A portable shower bench. 4. Remove the side chair from the living room or place it next to the sofa.  5. A short, permanent ramp from the patio to the yard. 6. Change the pavers in the yard to a paved sidewalk or tightly fitting pavers. 7. Make a way to lock the sliding doors from the outside and have the guests use that entrance. 8. Remove the bathroom door and it leave it open or install a curtain for that use. 

I hope to add a blog about the meals and restaurants but suffice to say I would definitely return for another stay at The Club.