Excuse me. Where is your restroom?

Finding a restroom that is accessible and clean is a difficult thing to do when you are on vacation. At times a good restroom is worth its weight in gold. This isn't just the case for the disabled. I have many friends who will not use a facility that is "dodgy". A great restroom is spacious and clean with all the amenities that should be there. I rarely stop off at a gas station to use the bathroom because most are something right out of a horror movie.

When traveling be mindful of your surroundings. I personally stop at a Barnes & Noble, Borders, or Macys when looking for an impeccably clean restroom. They are almost always light and clean with nice big stalls. My second tier would be a nicer movie theater, or in a pinch a McDonalds (which I used quite a bit on my family road trip to Disneyland).

So how about when you are looking for a hotel/motel room for the night? I would say that most chain hotels will have a disabled access room. These usually provide a shower bench and a larger bathroom. However they do NOT always provide a shower bench which then makes you try some creative alternatives (I personally have used a plastic patio chair). Also don't expect these to be the shower benches that you have at home (I had one that was like a cafeteria lunch tray, and several that had no backs that were about a foot off the floor). You might very well need assistance in and out of the tub (one of my road trip experiences had the accessible room with a bath tub with grab bars but the tub was so deep they were not much help). Be careful and safe when transferring, but you may have to get creative.

In the nicer rooms that I have been in they had great facilities. The toilets were 17 inches or higher off the floor with grab bars everywhere, built in shower benches with hand held showers, even lower soap holders.

The plain fact is you need to ask questions specific to your disability when booking a room. If you need a shower bench to shower -- ask. Need a raised toilet (17" or ADA coded) -- ask if they have one.

Finally, if you are planning a trip across the pond remember to ask if their rooms (specifically the restrooms) are modified. If you ask if they are accessible they may consider a ground floor room to be what you are looking for. If you ask for a modified room, they will know you mean outfitted with the "Goodies". Just remember the person on the other end of the phone line is not a mind reader but really wants to help. So be nice, but don't be afraid to be VERY SPECIFIC about your needs. And don't be surprised if you need to remind staff members about your needs (shower bench, extra pillows, portable fridge) once you arrive.