Accessible Hotels Isle of Wight: An Honest Access Guide to The Fig Tree

The Fig Tree is an accessible hotel in Shanklin with a lift to all floors, step-free access from the front door, dedicated accessible rooms and an en-suite wet room with a heated towel rail in every room. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout. For measurements or equipment, call 01983 241 010 before you book.

Why we wrote an honest access guide

If you have ever searched for accessible hotels or disabled friendly hotels, you know how it goes. A listing says accessible. You ring up. It turns out to mean a ramp at the front door and nothing behind it. Plenty of people give up on accessible holidays in the UK for exactly that reason.

So this is the opposite kind of page. My sister Karen and I run The Fig Tree on Queen's Road in Shanklin. What follows is a plain account of what we can offer a disabled guest, what we will only confirm by phone, and what to ask before you part with any money. Our line is "Arrive as guests, leave as friends", and friends get told the truth first.

Quick facts: access at The Fig Tree

• Lift to all floors
• Step-free access and wide doors
• Dedicated accessible rooms
• En-suite wet room with heated towel rail in every room type
• Blue Badge parking space with a ramp at the front
• Free on-site parking, first come first served
• Assistance dogs welcome throughout, never charged
• Breakfast included, served 8am to 10am

Does every room have a wet room?

Yes, and it is the fact we lead with, because it is the one that changes a stay.

Every room type has an en-suite wet room with a heated towel rail. Not a select few, and not only the ones at the end of a corridor. The Bijou Double, the Standard Double, the Executive, the Suite with Balcony and the Honeymoon Suite all have one. A wet room means the shower drains through the floor rather than sitting in a tray with a lip to climb over.

We will not quote door widths, turning circles or rail positions on a web page, because those numbers matter too much to guess at. If one decides your trip, call 01983 241 010. You can see the full range on our rooms page first.

What does step-free access mean at The Fig Tree?

Two specific things, which we will name rather than hide behind the word.

There is step-free access from the front door, so you are not being lifted, bumped or apologised at on the way in. And there is a lift to all floors, so no part of the hotel is fenced off by a staircase. We also have dedicated accessible rooms, and a Blue Badge parking space with a ramp at the front.

What we will not print here is how many accessible rooms there are, or which floor they sit on. We would rather confirm it for your actual dates than publish a number that is unavailable the week you want to come. Our accessible hotel page has the short version.

Are assistance dogs welcome at The Fig Tree?

Yes. Throughout, always, and without a conversation about it.

Under the Equality Act 2010 an assistance dog is not a pet, and we treat it that way. Your assistance dog is welcome anywhere in the hotel that you are welcome. You do not need to prove anything, produce paperwork or ask our permission before you book. There is no fee, and there is never going to be one.

We would like you to tell us in advance, but only so that we can have a bowl of water and a quiet corner ready. That is a courtesy, not a condition.

How is an assistance dog different from a pet dog?

We keep the two policies separate, because guests who rely on an assistance dog are tired of being quoted a pet rate.

We also welcome pet dogs. Small, well-behaved dogs stay in selected rooms for £30 per stay, and there is a whole piece about bringing your dog to Shanklin if that is you. None of it applies to an assistance dog. Different rule, different rooms, and no charge.

Can I travel with a partner or carer, and what can we not promise?

Our suites have a super king bed that can be split into twins, useful if you travel with someone who supports you. Tell us when you book. Selected suites take a fold-up bed, so can sleep up to three.

An access statement that claims everything is worth nothing, so here is the frank part.

Equipment. If you need a hoist, a mobility scooter, a shower seat or anything else brought in, tell us what you need when you enquire. We will tell you plainly what we can arrange, what an island hire firm would need to bring, and what will and will not fit in the room you are looking at.

Measurements. Door widths, turning circles, grab rail positions, shower seat provision, bed heights, hearing loops and parking bay dimensions are all things we would rather confirm by phone than approximate in public.

Please ring before you book if any of this matters: 01983 241 010, or email reception@thefigtreehotel.co.uk.

How easy is Shanklin for a wheelchair user?

Here is the honest geography, which is the detail this reader needs.

Shanklin is a hilly town. The beach is about a 10-minute walk from the hotel, downhill on the way there and uphill on the way back, and no amount of cheerful copywriting changes that. If you are self-propelling, pushing someone, or managing a powered chair on a low battery, plan the return leg before you set off. The cliff lift down to the beach runs limited hours and is free for over-65s and Blue Badge holders.

We have not surveyed local shops, cafes or attractions for wheelchair access and will not send you somewhere we have not checked. We will tell you what we know, and ring ahead where it helps.

Which ferry crossing works best with equipment?

The right crossing depends on how much you are bringing and how far you want to drive at each end. Our getting here guide has the full detail.

• Red Funnel, Southampton to East Cowes: car ferry, 60 minutes, then about 35 minutes' drive.
• Wightlink, Portsmouth to Fishbourne: 45 minutes, then about 25 minutes' drive.
• Wightlink, Lymington to Yarmouth: 40 minutes, then about 40 minutes' drive.

Each operator sets its own arrangements for assistance and boarding, so book with them directly and say what you need. Blue Badge holders get extra ferry discounts and should tell ferry staff when boarding. Our team can arrange discounted crossings for guests who book direct, so ask before you buy a ticket. Parking at the hotel is free, and the nearest public EV charging point is on Queen's Road.

What about breakfast and the evening?

Breakfast is included in every room rate and served from 8am to 10am. We do not serve lunch or dinner to individual guests, so if going out in the evening takes planning for you, know now that restaurants are in Shanklin Old Village and along the seafront. Reception will gladly recommend one. We also have a lounge bar and afternoon tea with 24 hours' notice, covered in our piece on afternoon tea on the Isle of Wight.

What should you ask us before you book?

Ring us and ask anything on this list, and anything of your own we have not thought of.

• What is genuinely available in an accessible room for your dates
• Any measurement that matters to you, from door widths to bed height
• How the wet room is laid out in the room type you are considering
• What we can and cannot do for a companion or a carer
• Whether the route from the car to your room will suit you

When you are ready, Book Now and add a note about your access needs, or call 01983 241 010. Booking direct gets you our best rate and the ferry discount, and it means the note about your room reaches the person who makes the bed rather than a third-party inbox. You can also reach us through the contact page.