The Year-end Best...The Top 10 Hotels

The Buccaneer, St. Croix

Here are the best 10 hotels, inns, motels, etc., that we've ever stayed at. In no particular order, all are outstanding properties...

Ambassador Hotel - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - An art-deco jewel next to Marquette University near downtown. For a small upcharge, they include a very indulgent breakfast in the lobby restaurant. The rooms are very generous in size, up-to-date, and have some of the most comfortable bedding we've ever had. For an old, historic property, it's very nice to see modern accessible bathrooms in rooms that are not an afterthought or located in a dark, corner of the hotel. All of this would be moot, however, if the service wasn't good. Thankfully, the staff here is at the top of the game and very attentive to their guests needs and wants.

The Buccaneer - St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands - Another historic hotel and the best in the Caribbean. Incredible staff that will walk miles to make sure you're comfortable and having a good time. The accessible rooms are really suites with a bedroom, living room, two bathrooms, walk-in closet, and a large terrace overlooking the sea. The breakfast buffet will amaze you as you take in the morning beach views from the open air dining area. Only downside is it's hilly and tough to walk down to the beach along the steep slope. 

Riu Palace - Punta Cana, Dominican Republic - Part of a very large group of Riu properties on a mile of beachfront and hundreds of acres at the far eastern end of the island of Hispaniola. While the fully accessible rooms tend to be hidden in the back, a large selection of step-free rooms are available throughout the hotel. Oustanding beaches, endless pools, and all inclusive, what sets the Riu apart from it's competitors is an attitude of "if you're not happy, we're not happy and we'll do whatever it takes to change that." Best service we've ever had at any hotel in the world...period. You'll end up with life-long friends from the staff when you leave here.

Homewood Suites - Seattle, Washington - This Hilton property in the Queen Anne neighborhood is like most Homewood Suites...large, multiroom suites that are very comfortable...but, again, it's the service that sets it apart from the manager actually going the extra mile to get great local microbrews and locally inspired cuisine in the evening reception, providing detailed jogging maps and telling you where to stop to get the best breathtaking views, to procuring special needs products like bath chairs for your room. I wish every Hilton's staff could be as good as this one.

Shenandoah Inn - Plymouth, California - Mom and Pop motel in the Gold Country. Marie is the mom and Ken...a former Marine...is the pop and a friendlier mom and pop you'll be hard pressed to find. It's a basic motel but the rooms are clean, up-to-date, and comfortable. Each one comes with million-dollar views of the rolling hills of Amador County's wine country. The pool and jacuzzi...with a lift for the disabled...sit on a delightful patio with the same views, along with picnic tables and barbecue because you're gonna want to sit here with dinner, drink the bottle of wine you bought today, and watch the sun go down.  Just a beautiful, comfortable, friendly slice of  Heaven.

Mission Inn - Riverside, California - Another historic hotel in the heart of Southern California's Inland Empire.  Along with the gorgeous property, with it's endless hallways, pathways, nooks, and crannies to get lost in, you get impeccable service, larger than you thought rooms, great pool area (lift too), wonderful food and drink, and an ever-present feeling of being somewhere very historical.  It's also located smack dab in downtown Riverside where a large assortment of restaurants and shops lie just outside to tempt you. Across the street is the historic restored Fox Theater making this a great place to take in dinner, a show, and spend the night.

Drury Plaza at the Arch - St. Louis, Missouri - Drury Inns is a large, midwest based chain of hotels. We've never had a bad stay at any that we've been to but their flagship hotel in downtown St. Louis takes it to another level. Again, the rock is great service that's attentive to guests and makes them happy. Great, fully accessible rooms and suites. Very comfortable and plush.  Great location next to the Gateway Arch and the statehouse...just a few, easily walked blocks to Busch Stadium for those Cardinal games. And the freebies...oh, those freebies...Drury is the king of the free extras. Breakfast (darn good one, too), happy hour and light dinner, local calls, long distance calls, popcorn and soda...the list goes on of all the free stuff you get here included with your reasonable room rate.  An expansive lobby, complete with a large Lewis and Clark diorama fountain, provides a nice place to relax and the pool and gym upstairs will keep you in shape while you're here.

Village by the Sea - Wells, Maine - A hotel made up of condos, the rooms here are very large and very reasonable (but you must pay an upcharge to get the alcove with the washer and dryer unlocked in your room). Not quite on the beach but only separated from it by a wildlife preserve, the the views are outstanding. You won't find as much bang for your buck anywhere else downeast in Maine.

Best Western Station House Inn - South Lake Tahoe, California - This motel next to the stateline in Lake Tahoe not only has it's great service going for it but it has the best free breakfast we've ever had at a hotel. On the property is a nice restaurant where guests get to select from a menu of 7 great, full, and complete breakfasts, all served with a smile by the waiters at your table. The rooms are large with comfortable furniture but the ceilings are just a bit low. You can walk a block to the lower gondola of Heavenly Valley for skiing and another short block east to visit the casinos of Nevada. One of the world's most beautiful lakes lies only 100 yards away.

The Flamingo Inn - Santa Rosa, California - I can't believe the prices of the rooms here (but make sure you get a big enough room, some are pretty small). This resort is modeled after it's namesake in Las Vegas and looks just like a retro, 1950's Vegas hotel, sans the casino. The well kept-up building rings a large lawn and olympic size pool where a party atmosphere rules in the warmer months. An on-site nightclub can provide entertainment and the wineries of Napa Valley and Sonoma are less than 30 minutes away. Great staff and great, oldschool vibe. It's our go-to hotel for visits to Napa Valley.

Notice the one thing in common that ties all these hotels together...great service. It doesn't matter if you're a mom-and pop motel, a Caribbean island resort, or a corporate behemoth...provide great service and you can be a great hotel.

Darryl

Copyright 2014 - Darryl Musick

All Rights Reserved

ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Our ratings are...

Fully Accessible - You can access all of the attraction, with no problem, in any type of wheelchair.

Mostly Accessible - You can access most of the attraction, and all of the important parts of it, with your wheelchair.

Partially Accessible - You can access a good deal of the attraction but some parts are inaccessible and some important parts you'll miss.

Inaccessible - Kind of speaks for itself, avoid if you're in a wheelchair.

Here's Minneapolis, Minnesota...

Mall of America - Fully Accessible. It's a mall...that is all. Well, it's really big and has an amusement park in it but malls don't really float my boat.

Target Field - Fully Accessible. Right down to the Closed Captioning for the announcer. Great ball park.

Minnehaha Park - Fully Accessible. Beautiful waterfalls in a great park.

St. Croix River Cruise - Partially Accessible. Their website says "fully accessible" but it depends on the river water level, plus there are no accessible restrooms on board.

Mill Ruins Park - Mostly Accessible. Great place to see some of the city's historic flour mill ruins then walk across the Mississippi River to more accessible hiking paths on the other side.

Darryl
Copyright 2014 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

The World on Wheels 2014 Gift Guide

Don't look at this post as a shameless plea for Amazon commissions, look at it as a curated gift giving guide for the modern wheelchair traveler about town.  Get free two day delivery with your Amazon Prime account. Don't have Amazon Prime? Click the link below to get a free 30-day trial.

Now, on to the list.

Luggage Scale - It's very tough to be a wheelchair traveler and only go with a carry on bag. We always end up having to check something and with airlines baggage restrictions on weight, it helps to know ahead of time if yours meets the criteria. We use this one that you simply hook through your bag's strap and lift up.  It's saved us a bunch of fees and repacking over the years.

Overnight Toiletries Bag - This foldable toiletries and cosmetics bag has really earned it's place in our travel gear setup. It goes everywhere with us. Unfolded, you can lay it on top of the clothes in your suitcase to save room. Folded, it makes a small carryon and holds a ton of stuff.  At the hotel, just unfold and hang on the bathroom coat hook with the built-in hanger. Great little bag, can't recommend it enough.

Universal Electric Adapter - Going by the commissions we receive from it, this is the most popular product I've recommended. International travel can be a pain if you want to be connected to your electronic gadgets and they don't fit that foreign power outlet. This adapter to the rescue. Small and very handy, it works like a charm for us.

Voltage Transformer - One of the problems with traveling with a power chair in a foreign country is charging the batteries with your American charger. Lester...the company that makes just about all of those chargers...will tell you your warranty is void and you'll burn out the charger if you don't use a proper voltage transformer (unless you get a dual voltage charger). This transformer, in conjunction with an adapter, will solve that problem.

Zip Off Cargo Pants - Sometimes, you just gotta go. Wheelchair users and their caregivers often need easy access to those areas of relief. While there are pants made especially for this purpose, they are expensive indeed. We've found these zip off cargo pants, with their zippers conveniently place mid-leg, are the perfect and reasonably priced solution.

Portable Urinal - Not to get too much TMI, but it can be a pain when you have to go in the middle of a trip and you don't have a handy bathroom. This unisex (it comes with a female adapter) urinal is shaped just right for people who have to sit in a chair. Don't leave home without it.

 

Kindle Fire HD - Need an easy to carry, powerful little tablet to stay in touch while on the road? Amazon's Kindle provides just what we need at an easy price and fits very well in a purse, carry on, or wheelchair backpack.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Darryl

ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: Charleston, South Carolina

Our ratings are...

Fully Accessible - You can access all of the attraction, with no problem, in any type of wheelchair.

Mostly Accessible - You can access most of the attraction, and all of the important parts of it, with your wheelchair.

Partially Accessible - You can access a good deal of the attraction but some parts are inaccessible and some important parts you'll miss.

Inaccessible - Kind of speaks for itself, avoid if you're in a wheelchair.

Here's Charleston, South Carolina...

Fort Sumter - Partially Accessible. The Civil War was sparked here. Call boat concessionaires ahead of time to be sure boarding ramps are in place. The top of the walls of the fort are inaccessible (elevators used to be here but, apparently, have been removed). Boats stay docked, giving visitors access to handicapped restrooms on board during visit. Visitors are given 90 minutes on the fort before having to leave on the same boat you came in on.  Fort Sumter Accessibility

Fort Moultrie - Mostly Accessible. On the other end of the battle was this fort on Sullivan's Island. It's a lot easier to visit in a wheelchair than Fort Sumter.

Original Charleston Walks - Mostly Accessible. Fascinating walking tours with guides who are sensitive to wheelchair users' needs. We took the Ghost Walk and Pirate Walk with them.

The Battery - Mostly Accessible. A ramp on one end allows wheelchair access to the battery and the park within.

Waterfront Park - Mostly Accessible.

Magnolia Plantation - Partially Accessible. Main house is upstairs with no access but grounds, slave quarters, and some of the swamp and gardens are accessible.

Darryl
Copyright 2014 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: Munich, Germany

Our ratings are...

Fully Accessible - You can access all of the attraction, with no problem, in any type of wheelchair.

Mostly Accessible - You can access most of the attraction, and all of the important parts of it, with your wheelchair.

Partially Accessible - You can access a good deal of the attraction but some parts are inaccessible and some important parts you'll miss.

Inaccessible - Kind of speaks for itself, avoid if you're in a wheelchair.

Here's Munich, Germany...

Viktulienmarkt - Partially Accessible. The market and beer garden are accessible. The lines through the snack bars might be tight and you'll need to find a big restaurant nearby for accessible restrooms.

Dachau - Mostly Accessible. This dark, depressing monument to the Holocaust is Nazi Germany's first concentration camp but is a worthwile stop to keep that memory alive. Except for an exact replica barracks, the site is fully accessible.

Augustinerkellar - Fully Accessible. Our favorite biergarten in Munich is near the train station and is our favorite eating and drinking place in the city.

Frauenkirche - Mostly Accessible. Enter through the side of the church for a barrier-free entrance. No restrooms (see below) but, other than that, you can see pretty much all of this beautiful church with it's royal tombs and devil's footprint.

Englisher Garden - Mostly Accessible. The city's grand park features large, grassy fields, a couple of beer gardens, riverfront frolicking, and even surfing.

Olympic Park - Mostly Accessible. The headquarters of the 1972 Olympics has been turned into a beautiful park, across the street from the BMW factory. You can tour the stadium and even swim in the same pool that Mark Spitz won his seven gold medals in.

BMW Welt- Fully Accessible. Display of great vehicles from one of Germany's legendary car makers. Watch new owners take delivery on a special platform in the middle of the space, fresh off the factory line.

Marienplatz - Mostly Accessible. The city's main square is also it's most fashionable shopping district. Grab a beer at one of the many sidewalk restaurants and get that unique souvenir to take home. Make sure you catch a performance of the Glockenspiel on the City Hall tower while you're here.

Bathrooms - the hard part is finding a place to go but you can get a list at the following link: Barrier Free Toilets in Munich.

Darryl
Copyright 2014 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Our ratings are...

Fully Accessible - You can access all of the attraction, with no problem, in any type of wheelchair.

Mostly Accessible - You can access most of the attraction, and all of the important parts of it, with your wheelchair.

Partially Accessible - You can access a good deal of the attraction but some parts are inaccessible and some important parts you'll miss.

Inaccessible - Kind of speaks for itself, avoid if you're in a wheelchair.

Here's Milwaukee, Wisconsin...

Lakefront Brewery - Fully Accessible. Why a brewery? It'sa highly rated attraction in this beer-drinking city and after you take the tour, you'll know why (adults only due to alcohol consumption).

Milwaukee Riverwalk - Mostly Accessible. Riverfront trail going from the Lakefront Brewery all the way down to the Third Ward takes in most of the great dining spots, pubs, and a few really cool neighborhoods along the way.

Historic Third Ward - Mostly Accessible. Newly reburbished neighborhood used to be the Italian neighborhood and is anchored by the fully-accessible Public Market. Lot's a great restaurants, shops, and bars here.

Old World 3rd Street - Mostly Accessible. This one-block, old German neighborhood is the real deal as far as an authentic, old, ethnic neighborhood. Home of Usinger's Sausage factory and store as well as the more than a century old Mader's German restaurant. Some of the older restaurants and bars may not have accessible restrooms but this is not to miss when in Milwaukee.

Lambeau Field Tour, Green Bay - Fully Accessible. It's a 100 mile drive north of Milwaukee but makes a great day trip to see where America's most successful football team calls home. The Atrium is also home to the largest sports souvenir shop in the world, a decent restaurant, and...this being Wisconsin and all...another bar.

Darryl
Copyright 2014 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: London, England

Our ratings are...

Fully Accessible - You can access all of the attraction, with no problem, in any type of wheelchair.

Mostly Accessible - You can access most of the attraction, and all of the important parts of it, with your wheelchair.

Partially Accessible - You can access a good deal of the attraction but some parts are inaccessible and some important parts you'll miss.

Inaccessible - Kind of speaks for itself, avoid if you're in a wheelchair.

Here's London, England...

Tower of London - Partially Accessible. You will get to see just about everything except the original inner tower. The Beafeaters here are very good with making sure wheelchair users get the maximum benefit from their tour. Carers are admitted free and the Tower Hill Underground station, across the street, is also wheelchair accessible with a lift.

London Eye - Fully Accessible. Carers admitted free here, too. Ride is smooth as glass and really not that scary at all. Views on a clear day are incredible.

Westminster Abbey - Partially Accessible. Some side chapels and the underground graves will be inaccessible but there is still a lot to see here.

Churchill War Rooms (formerly Cabinet War Rooms) - Fully Accessible. Fascinating first-hand glimpse to the spot where England coordinated the war effort in World War II.

Old Globe Theatre - Mostly Accessible. The recreated theatre of the Bard is a very good accessible attraction on the south bank of the Thames.

Royal Naval Observatory (Greenwich-Prime Meridian) - Fully Accessible. It is a rather long tube ride and a long hike up a hill to get there, however.

Transit - All Black Cabs are accessible and expensive, all but two bus lines are accessible via the back door, many Underground stations are accessible, click here for a map.

ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: San Francisco

Our ratings are...

Fully Accessible - You can access all of the attraction, with no problem, in any type of wheelchair.

Mostly Accessible - You can access most of the attraction, and all of the important parts of it, with your wheelchair.

Partially Accessible - You can access a good deal of the attraction but some parts are inaccessible and some important parts you'll miss.

Inaccessible - Kind of speaks for itself, avoid if you're in a wheelchair.

Here's San Francisco, California...

Alcatraz Island - Mostly Accessible. There's an accessible uphill path to climb and the ferries going over do not have accessible bathrooms on board. Other than that, you can go pretty much anywhere that is open to the public in this former prison.

Cable Cars - Inaccessible. Instead, use the accessible vintage streetcars that travel along Market Street to Fisherman's Wharf.

Coit Tower - Inaccessible.

Golden Gate Bridge - Fully Accessible. If you're not afraid of heights, you can walk across the bridge on the northbound side.

Ghirardelli Square - Mostly Accessible. You'll need to detour around a bit to get to the accessible entrance on the side.  Some parts of shops and restaurants are inaccessible due to stairs but you'll be able to see everything that's important.

Fisherman's Whart - Mostly Accessible. Again, some of the older shops may have stairs here and there but you'll be able to see most of the shops here.

AT&T Park - Mostly Accessible. Except that there's only one elevator location for fans, creating a choke point, the rest of the home of the Giants is completely accessible.

Ferry Building (market) - Fully Accessible. Can get very crowded, however.

Cable Car Barn and Museum - Fully Accessible. You can't ride the cable cars but you can visit this fascinating museum and watch all the machinery that runs the cables under the streets.

Darryl
Copyright 2014 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: Toronto

Our ratings are...

Fully Accessible - You can access all of the attraction, with no problem, in any type of wheelchair.

Mostly Accessible - You can access most of the attraction, and all of the important parts of it, with your wheelchair.

Partially Accessible - You can access a good deal of the attraction but some parts are inaccessible and some important parts you'll miss.

Inaccessible - Kind of speaks for itself, avoid if you're in a wheelchair.

Here's Toronto, Canada...

CN Tower - Fully Accessible. Elevators will take you all the way up. Be aware that you'll need to pay an extra fee to go to the very top.

Rogers Centre (Skydome) - Partially Accessible.  Hopefully, they don't still charge extra for wheelchair seats like they did when we were there.

Maid of the Mist (Niagara Falls) - Mostly Accessible. Elevator will take you down to the dock and ramp onto the boat. Bathrooms on board are not accessible, plan to go beforehand.

Darryl
Copyright 2014 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

ACCESSIBLE ATTRACTIONS: Paris, France

Editor's note: It's fall, so that must mean we have a new bolts 'n nuts feature for our midweek posts here at The World on Wheels. I am always in the dark when we go to a new destination as to what attractions are accessible with a wheelchair, so I am going to start a new series that I wish I had before visiting these places. 

We're going to call it Accessible Attractions: and list the attractions we've tried at various travel destinations with a wheelchair and let you know, quick and easily, if it's accessible or not.

Our ratings are...

Fully Accessible - You can access all of the attraction, with no problem, in any type of wheelchair.

Mostly Accessible - You can access most of the attraction, and all of the important parts of it, with your wheelchair.

Partially Accessible - You can access a good deal of the attraction but some parts are inaccessible and some important parts you'll miss.

Inaccessible - Kind of speaks for itself, avoid if you're in a wheelchair.

Here's Paris...

The Louvre - Mostly Accessible. You'll be able to get to just about every corner of this massive museum but will have to take an occasional long detour around stairs. Elevators are scattered about but can be hard to find at times. Carers are admitted free and disabled guests can go to front of the lines, such as the massive queue to see the Mona Lisa.

Eiffel Tower - Partially Accessible. Elevators will get you up to the first two levels. Although the top is served by another elevator, wheelchairs are banned for security reasons.

Metro - Partially Accessible. A handful of stations are accessible but most of the system is not. Accessible buses are widely available. Check this page for accessible Metro Stations, and this list of accessible Paris bus lines.

Walking Access - Paris is a wonderful city to walk in and is Mostly Accessible, however some side streets have very narrow sidewalks that will be too narrow for many chairs.