Ibis staff to be retrained after Paralympian in wheelchair denied hotel room

Staff at an Ibis hotel are to be retrained after a British Paralympian was told he could not use a room he had paid for because he was using a wheelchair.

Piers Gilliver, who won gold in fencing in Tokyo, booked a room at the Ibis Rotherham East last Saturday.

When he arrived, staff said neither he or his partner - who also uses a wheelchair - were allowed to stay on the upper floors as it may cause issues with insurance or in case of fire.

Gilliver told the BBC he could see there was a lift and an evacuation chair, and the couple’s wheelchairs were narrow enough to fit through standard doors.

He said he did not need an accessible room or help and the way he was treated was "not acceptable".

An Ibis spokesperson tole The Caterer there had been a “miscommunication” on its policy and it was taking “immediate” action to retrain staff.

The spokesperson added: “We sincerely apologise for the experience this guest had at our hotel, which is in no way reflective of our core values and expectations. When our accessible rooms are already booked – like in this case – guests can absolutely stay in a standard room if they can evacuate themselves in the event of an emergency and complete a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan that outlines the required safety measures.

“Regrettably, on this occasion the hotel team member on duty did not follow our procedure and while an alternative option was offered at a nearby hotel, they did not clearly communicate with the guests.

“Ensuring an inclusive and welcoming environment for all our guests is our top priority and we are sorry that we fell short of our standards on this occasion. As a result, we are taking immediate corrective action. The entire hotel team is being fully retrained on the correct procedures and expected levels of service in such circumstances, and to avoid any future miscommunication.”

The hospitality sector has long been urged to do more to meet the needs of disabled travellers.

Last year, research by the Snowball app found there were just 11 hotel rooms in major city centres equipped with essential hoists for disabled people.

Disabled people and their households are estimated to be worth £274b per year to UK businesses, according to 2020 figures from disability support organisation Purple.

By failing to address the needs of disabled people, Purple estimates that the hospitality industry could lose out on £163m to £274m every month.