Update on Madrid Nov. 2014: Our friends at EIB in Madrid have given us some useful sites to look at re accessible Madrid. Here they are:-
Accessible rooms http://www.spain.info/en/informacion-practica/turismo-accesible/guias/Madrid-accommodation-accessible.pdf
Places to go with access http://www.spain.info/en/informacion-practica/turismo-accesible/guias/Madrid-resources-accessible.pdf
Other information on Accessible Spain http://www.spain.info/en/informacion-practica/turismo-accesible/
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It seems we’ve covered the Blue Badge Style award winning journey to Madrid in every which way by now, but one thing we haven’t really had time to do is review our trip and assess the access. Fiona, The American Lieutenant, Amanda the Commanda and myself had a brief but eventful stay in the city. It was a business trip to take part (and win!) the European Investment Bank’s Social Innovation Tournament, so we didn’t have time for any sightseeing, but we did have time to visit some restaurants that are worth mentioning and we did learn a few things about accessibility in and getting to the grand Spanish capital.
We flew British Airways and the service was fine through the airport and up to the point that we actually got on the plane. They were unable to lift the seat rests in the aisle seat and therefore couldn’t make a spacious enough route for Fiona to transfer into her seat. The staff seemed new to this problem – which is odd since apparently you can never lift this arm rests – but they handled it with poise and charm. Eventually it was decided that the only thing to do was offer Fiona a free upgrade to Club Level. On the way back home she was taken straight to Club. All’s well that ends well, you could say.
Another slight hiccup followed on arrival at Madrid-Barajas. It’s a surprisingly long way from the plane to the airport exit, including a shortish underground train journey. When we arrived Fiona was told that wheelchairs weren’t allowed on the train and was taken another route. This was no great problem as the young man who assisted her was exceptionally helpful and friendly but it did seem strange considering there is a wheelchair space provided on the train. The day we flew back to London it was apparently fine for wheelchair users to take this train. “The rules change everyday” said the assistant that day. It just goes to show that, as much as you can plan, for a less able traveller when flying you really do need to be patient and prepared for anything.
We stayed at the InterContinental on the Paseo de la Castellana which really was an ideal location for us as it was only a five minute walk up to the IE building where we spent most of our time. The InterContinental is a bona fide five star hotel with marble floors and chandeliers downstairs and comfortable but impressive rooms upstairs. We were lucky enough to be given access to the Club Floor Lounge which was a stylish place to relax with free food and drink. Overall this was a classy hotel with a traditional feel that won’t let you down or surprise you in any way (bad or good).
The hotel had good disabled facilities, as you’d expect from a grand five star hotel. The entrance is step free and once inside there are lifts to take you to either of the two adapted guest rooms for less able visitors. These have wet room showers with all the necessary grab rails and are conveniently (reasonably) close to the lifts. The main lift does not go to the floor the bar is on so to get to the bar you have to return to the ground floor lobby and take a separate lift for wheelchair access. We didn’t go into the garden terrace but there is a ramp in that space too. The staff were also excellent and were a great help throughout our stay both in terms of making access easier and helping out more generally. They were always on hand to book cabs, lend us ties and much more. We just about give them the full 3 BBS Ticks as it’s really hard to fault.
On our first night, we’d arrived in the evening and just wanted somewhere quick and easy to go to eat and asked the staff for a recommendation. They suggested we try out José Luis, a nearby tapas bar within walking distance of the hotel. When we got there we felt that this was perhaps not the world’s best suggestion as it wasn’t the most accessible building, with a couple of steps at the entrance, but they were able to help us in and we would later realise that this is very much the norm in Madrid – ‘accessible’ buildings were rarely step free but the people who worked there were in our experience always able to help wheelchair users inside. Maybe this is just how waiters keep fit in Madrid?
The tapas was simple but very tasty. We enjoyed ourselves, after a long day’s travelling, tucking into uncomplicated classics like croquettes, calamari and bean and chorizo stew. These were very basic dishes, well made – even something as ordinary as the tortilla was light, fluffy and enjoyable. It was a good quality meal but not really anything to write home about (were it not for the the demands of this job). Seeing Time Out refer to the José Luis as “one of the most famous tapas bars in Madrid” makes me wonder if we’re talking about the same place. It’s more the kind of place you’d recommend to someone who was in the area and feeling peckish, than somewhere to seek out. Nice enough but the access wasn’t great, so we’d give them 1 BBS Tick.
There was a similar problem getting into the building for dinner the next evening at El Chiscón Castelló (although by this time we’d begun to appreciate that this would be a regular occurrence throughout our trip – seldom was a ramp available and never a portable one). El Chiscon is a old style Spanish restaurant with a very traditional feel. In an building that was once used to store charcoal, the intimate dining room almost feels like they’ve just set up a restaurant in their house.
The food really suits this vibe with delicious, hearty dishes and classic Basque food. We started off with brilliant platters of ham and anchoives – showing you don’t have to try too hard when you source top quality ingredients – before enjoying monkfish, veal and roast beef and finishing off with home made ice cream. All was exquisite and we’d recommend the food, if not the disabled access. We had a great meal but rules are rules so and we give them a solitary 1 BBS Tick. It’s a real shame there was no adapted toilet.
On our final day in Madrid, we wandered around the city’s ‘posh shops’ with the plan to stumble upon somewhere nice to eat. The Taberna Los Gallos caught are eye in part because of its relaxed sun soaked terrace but also because of its logo – for anyone who’s seen Breaking Bad the image may look familiar. We arrived for lunch just before two and restaurant terrace was completely empty, but by the time we left it was absolutely buzzing with people, which felt very continental and clearly this was a trendy place to go.
We started with a delicious plate of various mushrooms and chopped ham to share along with tomato soaked break (not bruschetta; in Spain never bruschetta). The main courses were also excellent, with the fish tartare served with guacamole looking particularly appealing. After our meal the owner came over and spoke to us about the restaurant. He told us that there were actually several floors to the Taberna Los Gallos and that there is a lift to all of them. There was no disabled toilet at the time but one was being fitted soon as the building was currently being worked on. We’d have to go back to confirm this, which we wouldn’t mind at all. 2 BBS Ticks for now though.
For a good deal of our time in Madrid we were fortunate that the places we needed to go were within walking/wheeling distance of our hotel. But when we did have longer journeys we called ahead for a taxi. This is important to do because unless you specifically book an accessible taxi you won’t get one. We were lucky again that we Amanda the Commanda and her fluent Spanish on hand to make booking cabs a smooth operation but if you ask a waiter or hotel concierge they should be able to fix you up. On one occasion we used a black cab but with most of the accessible cabs in Madrid the ramp is at the back.
All in all, Madrid had its accessibility quirks. The continual need to find a way to get wheelchair users up stairs is problematic but you couldn’t fault the staff anywhere for their attitudes. We greatly enjoyed our time there which was only enhanced by winning the Social Innovation Award!