Astoria 7 Hotel San Sebastian - Best Adapted Rooms for Wheelchair Users

Introduction

The Hotel Astoria7 is committed to universal access and has designed one of the world's best rooms for wheelchair users. The aim has not been to adapt rooms for people with functional disabilities, but to seek a user experience of the highest quality with three criteria: autonomy, comfort and safety.

Main Item

Astoria 7 Hotel has opened one of the best rooms in the world for wheelchair users, as a result of an ambitious project focused on accessible tourism, according to three criterions: autonomy, comfort and security.

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The home automation technology installed in the bedroom, with an investment of 20.000 euro, allows every guest at the 'Travolta' suite to use multiple services, regardless of their disability level: ceiling crane, door opening and closing system, TV, lights and blinds.

The aim of this hotel that belongs to SADE Group is to offer a pleasant and functional stay to people with functional diversity, promoting their autonomy and empowerment.

The room, one of the best in the hotel, includes an advanced home automation system set up by Adom Autonomía, a company that has achieved much international recognition for its accessibility projects.

Coro Odriozola, SADE Group's manager, states that Astoria 7 wants to enter "through the main gate" of the accessible tourism, going beyond the legal requirements to satisfy the needs of people with disability.

Odriozola expresses her gratitude to the renowned blogger Martyn Sibley, who reports about accessible tourism all around the world. He has described this room as "by far the best adapted bedroom" he has ever visited. Sibley, who has travelled around the Basque Country in a Fam Trip organized by Bask For All agency, has especially valued the design of the ceiling crane, because it allows the guest to move from the bed to the bathroom "in just one go". He has also underlined that this room improves the autonomy and quality of assistance for many people with functional diversity.

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Asier Landa, founding partner of Bask For All, has acknowledged the hotel's "sensitivity" towards the universal accessibility and has praised the willingness to listen and take into account the contribution and experiences of the physically challenged. In relation to accessible tourism, Landa has considered San Sebastián to be "in a much better position than we expect" thanks to the efforts made in areas such as urban design, public transport or private accommodation offer. In his opinion, the hard work of the women and men with functional diversity and the commitment of the institutions have been key in the achievement of this progress.

Jabi Odriozola, director of ADOM Autonomía, has explained the introduction of an innovative technology that connects bed-toilet-shower. In the press conference and in the presentation of the bedroom, Odriozola has showed the attendants how to use all the different elements in the room in a way compatible with people with different abilities, regardless of their degree of physical impairment. There are a variety of remote controls: Smartphone's or switches that can be controlled with minor head movements in case the hands are paralyzed. The guest will be able to use either device to manage every element in the room.

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The double room has a ceiling crane that supports 200 kilograms and connects the bedroom and the bathroom (toilet and shower) with a 6 metre guide rail. This way, according to Odriozola, the autonomy of the user is maximized "because some guests will be able to do on their own tasks that normally require the help of a caregiver, while the other guests will see the quality of assistance hugely improved".

Astoria 7 Hotel has become a model in the sector since its opening in 2009. It has all the facilities to satisfy all guests and visitors to San Sebastián, especially the cinema lovers. The hotel is built on the foundations of the old Astoria cinema, one of the most emblematic picture theatres in the city.

Attribution/Source(s):
This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Astoria 7 Hotel, and published on 2016/06/01 (Edit Update: 2018/04/30), the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Astoria 7 Hotel can be contacted at . NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.