Introduction

For assistance prior to arrival, please contact our reception on 01202 297556. The centre of town is no more than a 5 minute walk and the pier and beach are only a couple of minutes walk away. A bus service is available from Bournemouth Travel Interchange where the train and bus stations are located. Check that buses go down Bath Hill and ask for the stop at the top of Bath Hill. If you prefer to walk, the Travel Interchange is less than a mile away, but there is a large subway to negotiate with both stairs and ramps. Otherwise it is a level walk of less than 15 minutes. United taxis (01202 556677) offer accessible taxis. Taxis can easily be obtained from the Travel Interchange. Information about the Belvedere, including sample menus and tariffs, is available in larger font if required, on request. You can contact the hotel by 'phone on 01202 297556, by fax on 01202 294699 or by email to enquiries@belvedere-hotel.co.uk. Emails are collected between the hours of 9am and 4pm. We can assist you with the hire of equipment such as wheelchairs if required.

The main entrance to the Belvedere is on Bath Road. There is a drop off point with a dropped kerb directly outside the front door. There are no steps into the hotel and the frontage is tarmaced. Cars should not be left unattended outside the front door, as this causes inconvenience to other guests. The main entrance has double glass door operated manually and then double automatic doors leading directly to the reception desk. Assistance with luggage can be requested at reception. The Belvedere has a large car park. The main car park is situated directly in front of the hotel and is accessed via Parsonage Road. There is also car parking on the north side of the Belvedere on St Peter's Road. There are 3 spaces designated for disabled guests located close to the proximity to entrances. The hotel reception is located on the ground floor, enjoying level access from outside. If you need assistance with luggage, equipment or guidance the reception is operation 24 hours a day. There are cigarette bins outside all hotel entrances. The Belvedere including all guests rooms is non-smoking.

There are no steps in the main reception area. If you arrive by car, turn in to Parsonage Road from Bath Road. The main hotel entrance is on the right side of the building. The reception is immediately in front of you when entering the main entrance. The lounge is located off the main reception, which enjoys level access. There are a number of seats and sofas. The reception desk is 105cm high. Registration can be completed in the lounge and we have clipboards available. Assistance in filling out registration cards is available on request. Please indicate in the box provided on your registration card if you would require assistance in the case of evacuation. The floor surface throughout the reception, lounge and all ground floor public rooms (excluding toilets) is carpeted. Please ask reception if assistance is required. Familiarisation tours can be given if required.

The public telephone is located just inside the main entrance on the left, close to reception. The Belvedere has 3 lifts, 1 of which has automatic doors and 2 with manually operated sliding doors. The lift with automatic doors has an opening 80cm wide. This lift is 90cm deep and 1metre 6cm wide. Photocopying and faxing can be obtained from reception. Room compendiums have details of prices for these facilities.

There are 3 sets of public toilets on the ground floor, 1 in the bar, 1 by the Paris Conference Suite and 1 in the corridor leading to the restaurant. There is one step to access the toilet in both the male and female toilets in the corridor leading to the restaurant. The toilets in the bar and by the Paris Suite enjoy level access. There is a unisex toilet for disabled access by the Paris Suite. The toilet area has a widened door and the space measures 1 metre 70cm by 2 metres 40cm. The is a grab rail on both the left and right hand side of the toilet, as well as a pull-down rail on the open side. The toilet is 36cm away from the wall.

The nearest toilets to the restaurant are located in the corridor leading from reception to the restaurant. These toilets have a step to access the toilet facilities - details can be seen in the public areas WC section. There is level access to the main bar and restaurant bar areas, but a small step to access the restaurant. There are 2 parquet dance floors, one in the restaurant bar and one in the restaurant. The other floor surface is carpeted. The majority of dining tables have legs on all 4 corners and are standard dining table height. Restaurant and bar seating is mixed, with some low easy chairs, some upright chairs with arms and most dining chairs being upright without arms. All chairs are upholstered. Table service is offered in the restaurant at dinner time. At breakfast guests help themselves to juices, cereals and fruit from the buffet - assistance is available if required. In the main bar drinks and meals are ordered from the bar - assistance is available if required. Meals, cutlery and condiments are brought to guest tables by the bar staff. Both the restaurant and bar have evenly distributed lights, both on the ceilings and walls. In the evening restaurant and bar lights are dimmed for ambience. We are able to cater for varying dietary needs - please advise staff on booking. Menus are available in large print if required and staff can take you through the menu and choices available.

A laundry and dry cleaning service is available. Bags are available in bedrooms. Please bring laundry to reception by 9am - if you need assistance please call reception. Laundry and dry cleaning is returned to the hotel at 5pm. Please note that this service is only available Mondays to Fridays. Clean laundry can be collected from reception after 5pm.

Essential toiletries are sold from the cabinet by reception. In addition we sell a range of jewellery and souvenirs from the Krystal Rock cabinet situated in reception. Please ask at reception to make any purchases.

Karen Louise, our beautician, offers a range of beauty treatments from the comfort and convenience of the hotel. She has a treatment room just off the swimming pool area. The pool area is accessed from the first floor by a flight of 13 steps, followed by a further 3 steps. The risers on the steps are 17cm high. The lift to access the first floor has manually operated doors and is 92cm wide by 83cm deep.

There is a swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and small gym available for guests from 7.30am until 10pm. There are ladies' and gentlemen's changing rooms and towels are provided. The pool area is accessed from the first floor by a flight of 13 steps, followed by a further 3 steps. The risers on the steps are 17cm high. The lift to access the first floor has manually operated doors and is 92cm wide by 83cm deep. The width of all doors, except the sauna, is 75cm. The sauna door is 59cm and there is a door stop 15cm high at the entrance. There are 2 ladders with rails either side to access the pool, which is 0.75m deep at the shallow end and 1.3m deep at the deeper end. The Jacuzzi is to the side of the swimming pool and has steep large stepped access down to a seated position. There are no rails to assist in getting in to the Jacuzzi. The gym is accessed via a door next to the changing rooms. Equipment includes a 2 cycling machines, a rowing machine and cross trainer. If you have specific queries about the suitability of the equipment, please ask us in advance of your stay. The sauna needs to be switched on by reception. A telephone is situated next to the sauna from which reception can be called. There is wooden seating in the sauna.

The Belvedere has car parking on both the north and south sides of the building. On the east side there is a garden that is accessible from the front entrance, via the drop off point, from a 90cm side door with a step down of 7cm or from the Garden Room via French doors of 1m 20cm wide, also with a step down of about 15cm.

There are 3 conference rooms, 2 of which enjoy level access directly from the hotel lobby. The Dali Room is accessed through double door at 1m 22cm wide. The Picasso Room is accessed through a single door 75cm wide. The Paris Suite is accessed through the lounge, which has a door width of 75cm. There are 2 sets of double doors at either end of a passage, which has a sloping floor down to the Paris Suite. Lighting in all conference rooms is even but can be dimmed by individual conference organisers by sections. Please notify our conference organiser in advance if any specialist equipment is required. We provide TV, video, screen and flipcharts free of charge and can arrange the hire of further A/V equipment, staging and special seating if needed. There are toilets adjacent to the Paris Suite, including the accessible toilet as specified above.

There is one accessible bedroom at the Belvedere on the second floor accessed by a lift with automatic doors, as described above. This room has: A door width of 75cm in to the room and also in to the bathroom. Level entry shower with vertical handrail. Grab rail on the left of the toilet, with the toilet being 20cm from the wall. Seat raiser for the toilet if required. Twin or double bed combinations available. TV with remote control. Light switches 1 metre from ground. Mirror 1m 5cm from the ground in the bathroom. Limited 24 hour room service. Non-feather bedding. Bowls can be provided for assistance dogs' food and water. No smoking.

All hotel rooms are en suite. Most single rooms, some doubles and 3 twin rooms have shower trays rather than baths with showers over. 1 room (as described above) has a completely level access shower and has been designed for a wheelchair user.

Address: Belvedere Hotel, Bath Road, Bournemouth BH1 2EU Telephone: 01202 297556 Fax: 01202 294699 Email: enquiries@belvedere-hotel.co.uk Website: www.belvedere-hotel.co.uk Hours of operation: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year Local carers: Please contact the hotel with further details and we will be pleased to give suitable contacts. Local equipment hire companies: Please contact the hotel with further details and we will be pleased to give suitable contacts. Local public transport numbers: Yellow Buses: 01202 636000 Wilts & Dorset Buses: 01202 673555 Local accessible taxi numbers: 01202 556677