I am considering a possible trip to GB in early Oct. This is really a "shall I try and do this" thought right now. My mother is 89 and has some form of senility (I know that is no longer politically correct but the term fits) but one thing she remembers is a trip we took to GB for her 75th birthday. Physically she is fine except for the big fact that her legs and brain don't always connect so walking can be a problem, so we use a wheelchair outside of the house. I am starting the message with this personal item because it is of great importance in planning any type of trip. Also, may I say that about the only great interest she has left in life, other than chocolate, is getting to travel. So I am thinking about ten days or two weeks. Virgin Atlantic flies direct to Gatwick from Vegas so there would be no planes to change and I checked their peasant economy class and it is just under $2000 each. Wow....but I think that is better than trying to fit us into coach because their seats are really little. British Midland now also flies direct from Vegas but I think they go to Manchester so I would have to get from their to London. But has anyone flown them and can you compare their flights to Virgin?
I think we would stay at Scala House, which is all two bedroom apartments and I've stayed there before so I know the area. There is a Internet Cafe right behind the apartment block and a Tesco around the corner, and the Goodge Tube stop a block away, although it just dawned on me I probably can't use the Tube if we have to haul that wheelchair. Hmmm. Are the taxis out of sight in cost? One of my brothers may come with us to help with mom so I have some back up. However, Scala House isn't written in stone and I would like some other flat ideas...I have read all the reviews on Slow Travel and like some of the flats listed but most are not on one level which Scala House is (once you are in your apartment). Scala House has a elevator. But once that thought about not using the tube hit me, I realized I might have a problem always having to take a taxi from the apartment to the museums. So does anyone know of a flat or two near, say the Tate or in that general area? From that area a taxi shouldn't be too out of sight (???).
I have been to London many times but for the life of me, I can't think of how accessible places are to wheelchairs...we love art museums, the theatre, the Tower and historical sites. For both mom and me, genealogy has been a major hobby and I know the research places there, however, most of them are not great for people who can't walk well. I am sittin here trying to remember a museum that doesn't have lots and lots of stairs.
I would like to take several days to York and need apartment ideas. The places I've stayed before are too far from city center to consider. We would need a two bedroom that is either on the ground floor or that has stairs that aren't too steep. She can walk up and down if they aren't at a bad pitch.
I had thought about a couple nights in Edinburgh but my favorite hotel Mount Royal on Princes Street gets very bad reviews these days on Trip Advisor, plus I think maybe the city is just too hilly to be considered.
Just sitting here typing this, I wonder if I am in over my head. Is a train trip possible if you have to worry about getting a wobbly older person off and on the train, and worrying about a couple bags and the wheel chair? Should I consider a Britrail pass which I think is about $400 for mom and me, and closer to $500 for my brother? When I started the topic, I was thinking of days trips from London to Straford and a couple spots dealing with genealogy. Hmmm. Maybe I would be better off just checking into the Bellagio and having a Vegas vacation. Please help.
Vegas MS

A quick response without checking anything for you:

We did a similar trip with my Dad to Rome which he remembered so fondly from his 6 month stay during the war. My Dad was about 90 at the time we travelled and would not have been able to travel without a wheelchair although like your mother he can walk with some help.

Compared to Rome, London is a dawdle as far as wheelchair access is concerned. All our street corners are now cambered so that you can manoeuver the wheelchair across streets with relative ease and there are not very many cobbled streets to negotiate in the west end. I can't think of any museum or theatre in the centre of London that does not have wheelchair access although you may need to call ahead and let them know you are coming.

What we learned from taking Pop from northern Tuscany down to Rome and back was that (a) plans need to be pared down to be as simple as possible (so don't try to do anything like as much as you would do on your own i.e. maybe not visting too many different cities) and prepared with near military precision as far as train travel is concerned, (b) you need to rely on others a lot, so plan on taking taxis a lot more than you think. You might even consider a hotel on this type of visit rather than a flat as the added staff can be helpful and there are more opportunities for people watching in hotels.

I'm sure there is a website with travel advice for the wheelchair bound but I'm afraid I haven't time to look at the moment. If I find something later I'll post it. Best of luck.

TfL is doing a lot of work on accessibility. The tube has a long way to go in this respect; buses are supposed to be wheelchair-enabled - but rush hours would obviously present problems. See:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/ph_accessibility.shtml

You might also like to look at
http://www.holidaycare.org.uk/

and this extract from the Government's parctical guide for disabled people:
http://digbig.com/4mfmf

Thanks to both of you for your replies. After writing such a long message, I almost talked myself out of the trip so it is now wait and see how things go.
hotel vs. flat. If we go to Scala House, the flat is pretty roomy and mom would easily get around,probably without her wheelchair. Plus I don't have to rent two rooms in a hotel. However, Beebee your point about the people watching is very valid because mom does spend lots of time looking at people. The Scala House has a tiny lobby and not too much to look at. The staff is small but great and will help I am sure to get her and the chair into and out of taxis.
Patrick, thanks so much for those websites. The one on holidaycare, says if I join the organization I can get a 70% discount at the Copthane Tara (hope I spelled that right,I've closed the page). That has to be a huge savings and may be worth checking out.
Does anyone know anything about this hotel?

I had already decided that if mom and I do one or two major things a day that will probably be it. A museum or site in late morning and limited at that, lunch if we can find a place not to crowded and maybe a theatre. Then we can go to the flat for a light supper and watch TV or if isn't raining, walk/wheel around the area for a bit. My brother is then free to go enjoy the nightlife if he wishes. That was another reason for the flat, the ability to fix meals as we need or want them.
If I recall from two years ago, taxis were pretty expensive. Is there a place that tells the rates so I could get a rough idea of cost? The tube just isn't fesible and buses are often crowded and again, I don't think will work. I don't want her (or me) to fall in a rush to get off or on.
I think maybe we will drop Edinburgh from any planning. I know we can get round York pretty easily once we locate a flat or hotel and the same with London. I don't want to try and do too much.

Just one additional thought: you could fly to Manchester and, from the airport, take the train to York. (Though I don't know how wheelchair-friendly the Manchester airport/rail link is.) Then, later, train to London. Or go home from York and Manchester.

Thanks...I hadn't considered that. I think the British Midlands airline had cheaper prices than Virgin A in coach but I don't recall if they had that "better than coach but not good enough for business class". I'll check but that is certainly a good idea and would be somewhere new to me. York might be a better place to start since it is a somewhat slower pace than London.

Don't get me wrong. I live in Yorkshire and I think York is a great place to visit.

However, unless things have changed a lot in the last few years, it's not a city I could recommend for getting around with somebody suffering a serious disability.

When I last went, the daytime traffic was TERRIBLE all around the centre - and I used to have to go often for work.

Hello,
Here is a link to York's disabilty guide. I was hoping I'd find a motabilty scheme too but no luck yet. It's a motorised scooter/wheelchair loan scheme run by many local councils.
We love York but have only stayed in self catering accommodation so I haven't experienced any serviced accom but I am happy to help you find somewhere suitable.

The Copthorne Tara has a good location in Kensington. I think they must be able to offer accommodation suitable for wheelchair users hence the offer but I believe the accommodation is in need of updating. It is always available at very cheap prices on most of the consolidators sites. We have stayed in one the Millenium group hotels in London which the C T now belongs to and although it was fine it was certainly nothing special. I am sure it was Millenium Baileys also in Kensington.
Wendy

London taxi rates:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/pco/

I would still consider Scala House. I stayed there in June of 2005 with two 80+ year old ladies. (Both of whom are mobile on their own however). The flat had two bathrooms which can be useful and a tub. Also the kitchen facilities are a godsend as you can do meals at home and not wrestle with going out every night for a meal. The hotel includes all the soap for the dishwasher, sink and clothes washing machine, so you don't have to worry about buying that stuff.

There is staff similarly to a hotel. They do the flats as if it was a hotel (make beds, change towels etc.). I found the all the staff to be incredibly helpful with me and the two ladies (getting transport to the airport for example). Also I "lost" one them (She was wondering) and the staff went on full alert to help me find her. Eventually it was a staff member who tracked her down. They were even willing to pull their videotapes of the entrances to see if she had left the building.

Thanks everyone.
York...I am disappointed in this. We love the city and really wanted to return. I have spotted a couple rental flats that are right in the city center and may consider them. But the more I thought about it, things like the Castle Museum which I have enjoyed in the past may be off limits. It seems to me there are lots of stairs. So maybe we will have to reconsider York.
Patrick. Thanks so much for the taxi rates. It was a real eyeopener. I had not really paid attention before but just jumped in and out and didn't think too much about the price. But looking at this and seeing it is about $5 to just enter the cab, or (pounds 2/20...I don't know how to make the pound sign) I realized how much they were going to cost. So I better think about the number of trips and where to. The waiting time when stuck in London traffic can really add up.
If we do go, we will stay at the Scala House. I have stayed there before both in a regular apartment and in the penthouse. I have talked to the owner in the last week or so and he knows the wheelchair problems and has helped us out. I like the flats, although they are very basic, but the layout is great for mom being able to move and not be trapped in the wheelchair. A store is within a block as are several places that fix meals and you bake/cook them back at the flat, the Internet cafe is right behind the building and it is a plesant neighborhood. So if this all comes together, that is where we will go.
Thanks again to everyone who offered help.