I made a flying trip to Melbourne last week, in and out of the city in the day so there was no time to explore. I did however find that a hotel was just around the corner from my meeting and I arranged to do a quick inspection of their accessible room.
The Vibe Savoy Hotel is in a sensational location for easy access around the city. It is opposite Southern Cross Railway Station and around the corner from a free tram service which will take you around the city (I am told this is wheelchair accessible but with so little time in the city I didn’t have time to ride the tram).
The Savoy has an old world feel about it with its art deco decor. What struck me about the hotel is how spacious it is. The main foyer, dining room and the bedroom all allow for easy access with a wheelchair (there are heavy push doors at the entrance of the hotel).
There is lift access to the dining area/breakfast room and hotel rooms.
I was blown away by the size of the room. There really was an exceptional amount of space in the room which would allow for a roll-away bed if necessary. The accessible room also has the advantage of an interconnecting room for larger families or friends travelling together.
The bathroom is compact. There is a shower seat, height adjustable shower head but the taps are not lever taps.
The sink allows for a wheelchair access.
A little extra room in the bathroom would be fantastic but older hotels often have compact bathrooms.
For more information check the Vibe Savoy Hotel website.
Travellers Aid is located at Southern Cross Railway Station (opposite the hotel) and they offer a range of services including a Medical Companion Service, personal care assistance, free wifi and adult change facilities. For more information about their services please check the Travellers Aid website.
I travelled by taxi from the airport to the Vibe Savoy Hotel and it took about a half hour to the hotel (not in peak hour).
AIRPORT – CITY TRANSFER
A more cost effective alternative is SkyBus. I am often asked about airport transfers and our family used this service on a holiday to Melbourne a couple of years ago. This shuttle service is efficient and wheelchair accessible.
SkyBus is available at the airport and transfers passengers from the airport to a SkyBus terminal in the city. From the large bus, passengers are then transferred to mini buses which deliver them to their various hotels. They do have a wheelchair accessible mini bus for the hotel transfer.
It is fiddlier than a taxi with the additional transfer at the SkyBus terminal but for the budget conscious it is significantly cheaper. Companion card holders will be issued with a ticket for their travel companion at no charge. Please note the SkyBus website asks you phone in advance to make a booking for wheelchair access, “Please call SkyBus on +61 3 9600 1711 the day before you travel to confirm if you need wheelchair access if using the SkyBus Hotel Transfer Service.”
For more information head to the SkyBus website.
This is not a sponsored post but big thanks to Vibe Savoy for allowing me to have a look at their accessible hotel room.
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After your recommendations we booked into this hotel for our pre-cruise overnighter.
Very happy with this room. albeit the bathroom was a tad small, it still worked for us with the portable shower commode. Like the fact it overlooked the dining room atrium so there was no noise from traffic or early morning garbage collections etc.
Took a taxi from the airport. Really liked the fact wheelchair accessible taxis are readily available at the airports so no need to book (unlike NZ where the availability is extremely limited and hopeless!)
Southern Cross Station handy across the road with the Outlet Shop Centre and Coles Supermarket being very convenient for wine purchases for the ship !!!
Dined in the bar/restaurant during the evening as we had torrential rain and venturing out with friends who came to catch up with us just was not an option. Food very nice but a tad pricey. Ce la Vie>
Hi Margaret, It is always lovely to get feedback from others who stay in the accommodation we recommend. The bathroom in this room could definitely be enlarged. It was the only downside I could see but I also know that we have a variety of people who use our website and that it would suit many despite the bathroom. The shopping and station are a big plus. Thanks again for sharing your experience. Julie