Boutique & Upmarket Small Hotels - Suggestions?

chris932 says on Mar 6, 2008, 14:31:

Pepe I've already added you.

azunoman says on Mar 6, 2008, 14:42:

It would be nice to include hotels that offer accessible rooms. Hell..even if one could get in the front door would be a helpful. :) While visiting there in my electric scooter I felt and was treated like a rock star.

It would seem that they had never seen a disabled person with money before. Much more later on this in my own thread about traveling to Colombia as a disabled tourist.

We just came back from Medellin, stayed at the Sheraton Four Points. The first room I immediately got my wheelchair stuck in the bathroom. They sent a crew up to pull me out and upgraded our room to a suite with two bathrooms but with ample space for me.

PepeA---if you have accessible room(s), let me know as I will be coming back.

Ready, Fire, Aim

ColombianoGringo says on Mar 6, 2008, 14:52:

Noble House in San Andres could probably be considered a small, boutique hotel.

azunoman says on Mar 6, 2008, 15:23:

PepeA...I am in the process of studying the laws because at first glance there appeared to be none. Now that we can get how about an accessible room? Roll in shower, raised toilet, etc.

I notice in your statement that you "had to destroy" as opposed to wanted to. Colombia as a society is becoming aware that freedom for some is not good enough. I saw this in all new infrastructure but there is a long long way to go. When they built the other half of Oveida mall four years ago, guess what no cut out curbs. the list goes on and on.....

Personally I think they are picking on you because I never saw any accommodation to private hotels in the area's I rolled around in. I was better served out in the little towns in the country where local wheelchair users were accommodated with cute little hand painted blue wheelchair markings and rough ramps. Hell if anything I could at least use the street. No where from the Sheraton in El Poblado could I get to a metro station.

In the city of Medellin however a complete historical disregard to access for wheelchair users. You can have all the laws but if they aren't accepted by society and enforced or just selectively enforced they are just feel good laws.

Ready, Fire, Aim

RAAAY says on Mar 6, 2008, 15:50:

Azunoman............love the signature.........

.

.........Its useless to argue with ignorance

azunoman says on Mar 6, 2008, 15:55:

"The other things you mention like roll in showers and raised toilets are not required"

I won't agree at this point that they are not required under Colombian Law. I would however state that it is not only socially responsible to do so but also makes economic sense. Offering accessible accommodation to disabled western tourists, well you be the first. :)....there gold in them there hills!

Ready, Fire, Aim

azunoman says on Mar 6, 2008, 16:01:

Hey Raayy..that came from an old boss years ago at TWA. They not flying anymore so he must have taken the motto to heart.

Ready, Fire, Aim

Medellin Traveler says on Mar 6, 2008, 16:28:

azunoman,
check out this website, it has a report on Coloombia... http://www.wheelchairfoundation.org/pdf/newsletters/newsletter_11.pdf

Medellin es una chimba! www.medellintraveler.com

PaisaTours.com says on Mar 6, 2008, 16:37:

Ermmmm... This thread is meant to be about boutique hotels rather than wheelchairs.

Could we keep it on topic?

azunoman says on Mar 6, 2008, 17:04:

PaisaTours....I think talking about accessibility in tourism is on topic your site is very nice but maybe you could solicit whether or not a place you link to might have accommodation and make a note on your site. That would be invaluable information for many travelers.

Medellin Traveler....Via Raaay we have on opportunity possibly to ship wheelcharis and other assitve gear devices to Colombia for FREE...that is off topic for sure...sorry...I had already contacted the wheelchair org you mentioned, they buy new ones and ship out of China. more to come on this somewhere else

PepeA....I think what is remarkable about ADA and the Colombian may be somewhat similar is what can be "reasonably accommodated". In the US you can't force a business to do something that can't be reasonably accommodated. I agree with this caveat. It really gets down to offering something others aren't. and it can be done in a reasonable way. It is difficult for able bodied person maybe to see what could be reasonably done. I sympthaize with you there.

Ready, Fire, Aim

podborski says on Mar 6, 2008, 18:53:

La Boheme I think it is called in zona rosa in bogota, Opera in la candelaria

El Piloto says on Apr 16, 2008, 08:36:

Saw an ad in American Way or Nexos magazine for Hotel Habitel in Bogotá. Have not stayed there but from the ad it was clear that they were trying to position Hotel Habitel as a small boutique hotel in a very contemporary style. Might be worth investigating to see if the place lives up to its marketing.

El Piloto says on Apr 16, 2008, 08:37:

Oh, and also in Bogotá many say the Sofitel Victoria Regia is the best hotel in town. Again have not stayed there but from my research it appears to be a smaller hotel in a very upmarket elegant style.