Cross Family Adventures

Holiday Apartment Review   Novotel Twin Waters Resort Staying true to form and sticking to our family pact – Spend at least 3 nights away from home at least every 3 months – the Cross family have been busy holidaying as often as physically and financially possible. While our recent “Cross Family Adventures” have only taken us up and down the South-East Queensland coast, they have been fun. After all, when you live in the best climate in the world, with the best beaches in the world, why not holiday locally? Our latest adventure took us to Novotel Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast, a sprawling hotel with acres of land, pathways and amenities. Set on a large (man-made) lake on the northern banks of the Maroochy river, the hotel is a mecca for young families. The added bonus; it’s pretty accessible too! As with most holiday bookings for people with additional or specific needs, our interaction with the hotel started weeks prior to our stay. We found the reservat...

Originally published as  Reservation for two please 1+ wheelchair on  25 June 2017 At the risk of “speaking out of school”, I’d like to pose a question: In Australia, in 2017, is it my responsibility to notify a business of my access needs or should it in fact be the responsibility of the business to cater for them regardless? I personally (and professionally) dream of the day!   Most people wouldn’t relate to this but I often dream about how nice it would be to make a reservation and not have to speak about my disability (or “special needs”). Unlike my able-bodied compatriots, when I make a reservation, whether I’m booking a table at restaurant, a hotel, a taxi, a plane fare (the worst), a concert ticket or even to see my local dentist, I don’t just get to part with just my name and best contact number. I’m also required to discuss my access needs, discuss my disability, discuss why I’m “special”. How’s this for a paradigm shift:...