A PORT MACQUARIE SHORT BREAK

When we only had a four night stay in Port Macquarie on our recent short break, we were keen to stay in an apartment in the heart of town.  We had walked past the Rydges before and envied the people we could see sipping wine on their balconies while watching everyone (including us) trying to enjoy a similar view by having a picnic on the Town Green.  Well, this trip I was the person on the balcony with the wine in hand watching everyone go by.  I can report it was a fabulous spot to be on a warm summer’s evening.

We were staying in a regular two bedroom apartment but we made sure we inspected the accessible rooms so we could share all the details and photos with you.

The Rydges Port Macquarie is wonderfully accessible with easy access from the street, car park and in the Zebu Bar and Grill restaurant.  Accessible unisex bathroom facilities are also available in the foyer for guests.

There are four access friendly hotel rooms.  The hotel rooms are spacious and can be made up with either a king bed or two king single beds.  For a family needing more space there is the option of booking an interconnecting room.  All amenities in the room are at a lowered height including the safe, light switches and iron.  The doors are wide and there is plenty of space around the bed for transferring.

The accessible rooms are situated on the city side of the property but the room we inspected does have a side view of the ocean from the window.

The bathroom is fully accessible including a roll-in shower with hand held shower head.  The bathroom basin is wheelchair accessible and the toilet has grab rails.

A shower chair is available on request.

When making a booking I recommend putting in a request for one of the rooms on the higher level, this will ensure you get the best view possible.  This does not guarantee it, but it is always worth putting in the request as hotels usually try their best to accommodate their guests.

All rooms have flat screen televisions and complimentary wifi (which was speedy, not the usual hotel wifi).

Please note that disabled parking spaces are available in the secure undercover car park.  If this is essential for you (ie you need the space to transfer from car to wheelchair) please let the hotel know at the time of booking so it can be reserved for you.

The advantage Rydges has of over many other properties in Port Macquarie is the location.  We love nothing more than being able to walk, or should I say, roll out the door of a hotel and have everything on our door step.  We find getting BJ and the wheelchair in and out of the car for multiple stops throughout the day gets tiring so we avoid it as much as possible.  On holiday it is fantastic to use the car as little as possible.  At Rydges we could go for an evening walk along the ocean break wall, go to dinner and get our supplies from the supermarket, all without using the car.  The only time we needed the car was to get to the beach.

You often pay more for a hotel in a prime location but when our budget will allow we choose location every time.  We will save money on things like breakfast and lunches by making our own rather than miss out on a good location.

For more information on Rydges accessible accommodation head to their website here.

Two bedroom apartment

We are fortunate to be able to manage with a regular apartment bathroom so we booked into the two bedroom apartment.  It suited us as it had a full kitchen and a large lounge and dining area.  This helps greatly when BJ is up in the wee hours of the morning.

The apartment’s stand out feature is its location and the views from every room.  The furnishings are modern and make for a comfortable home away from home.  The wide, long balcony with lots of seating is the best we have had in any apartment.

BJ had plenty of room to manoeuvre his wheelchair but remember the apartments have standard doorways.  This didn’t seem to bother BJ with his chair, but  this may be an issue with a large electric wheelchair.

The main bedroom has a king size bed which can be split into two king singles and an ensuite with shower and toilet.  Both bedrooms have large sliding doors on to the balcony.

The second bedroom has two king single beds which have the ability to become a king size bed.  The beds are so comfortable, they call them Rydges Dream Beds.  I didn’t check into why the bed was so comfy; I was too busy sinking into it and enjoying a good night’s sleep.

The view is hard to adequately describe.  It was absolutely wonderful watching the dolphins swimming in the Hastings River each morning and afternoon, watching the boats heading out for their sunset cruises and then there was the people watching.  People exercising, tourists stopping to take photos and those eating their fish and chips while enjoying the view.

Any time of the day was a good time to be sitting on the verandah enjoying the beauty of the local area.

However, as any mother knows, a holiday from laundry is never possible so fortunately the Rydges provide a washing machine and dryer in the apartments.  The kitchen has a full sized fridge and dishwasher which is always helpful for longer stays.  Self-catering makes for a much cheaper holiday and you have the perfect place to eat your meals.  You are guaranteed a table with a view here; just take a look at the view below.

The hotel pool can be reached by lift and it is positioned to take advantage of the views of the river.  Hubby had no problem getting BJ into the pool by sitting him on the edge of the pool and helping him in.  BJ and AJ enjoyed the pool when we weren’t at the beach and it is heated to help on those cooler days.

When we are on holidays we usually have the majority of our breakfasts in our room as BJ is up so early.  We do enjoy having one special breakfast out though and while staying at Rydges we did visit the buffet breakfast one morning which was a lovely treat.  Buffet breakfasts are all quite similar but I think Rydges have done a good job of changing things up with their presentation.  There was a large variety of juices, eggs, cereal and pastry items.  A good buffet breakfast always makes for a good start to a full day on holidays and the restaurant has taken advantage of the views so if you are in a room that is city side it is a great way to enjoy the views of the river over breakfast.

If you choose to go green during your stay and not have your room serviced every day you will receive a credit to use in the hotel’s restaurant.  This is a great way to ‘save up’ for a nice treat and save the environment.

For more information about Rydges accommodation and facilities head to their website here.

Port Macquarie has so much to offer in terms of accessible tourism.  The main town centre is level, there are paved walk ways along the river front and the beach wheelchair program in place at Town Beach, Flynns Beach and in nearby Bonny Hills make accessing the beach easy.  I have been holidaying at Port Macquarie since I was a child and it has been wonderful to watch the way the council has worked to provide access to all.

We would like to thank Port Macquarie Hastings Council and Rydges Port Macquarie for assisting us with our stay.  We appreciate the time spent by staff to show us the accessible rooms and explain the features.   As always my opinions are honest and from our personal experience at the property.

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