To travel is only one of my passions. It can be near or far,but is always a great opportunity for new adventures. Being a person wth physical needs in Brazil is a very hard challenge. But why? Because of only two things:
- The brazilian population have no respect for the disabled people. It happens all the time, unfortunatelly!
- The second thing is the limited places that is possible for us, the desabled, to join: Many of then ain’t have an elevator, or any structure for us.
Last weekend on March 23 e 24, me and my wife travelled to Recanto Maestro, a little district that belongs to the city of Restinga Seca, that is one of the nine cities that form a region known as Quarta Colônia (Forth Cologne). They were colonized by italians in 1877, keeping and teaching the italian traditions until nowadays.
We stopped at a nice hotel called Capo Zorial, surrounded by the mountains with an incredible view of the nature.
However, the hotel still needs to improve the structure for people with physical disability. Only one of the 35 apartments has the right modifications for people like me and the access is full of steps and slopes. It wasn’t so hard for me because I use a pair of canadian crutches to walk, and I just use a wheelchair in long distance. But when I faced this situation, I thought in those who needs a wheelchair all the time: It would be almost impossible to gain access to the apartment. That’s why I decided to write this. I really think that it’s important to share this informations here, because I know a few disable people that loves to travel, just like me, and they need a good structure especially at the hotels.
So, this was my first post here, and I want to do more posts about it, and more contributions to help other people to find the best hotel to join their trips. I hope that the brazilian hotels improve their services to give for me and other disabled, dignity, respect and a memorable experience of a trip.
More photos and videos of this trip at my instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/bmsteckel/?hl=pt-br
I’ll see you guys… bye!
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Place looks good and I hope you had great time on vacation. What’s bothering me is if you have informed the hotel about the adapted facility requirements? They are assigning low floor rooms and at least shower rooms in such cases or at least rooms near lift … where possible. Did you also manage to get to the property safe and with less difficulties?
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@FlameFox I got to the property easily by car. The only difficulty was the apartment access, with steps and slopes. Despite this I had fun.
Unfortunately, many brazilian hotels still needs to improve their structure. As I sad in the post, it is rare to find a hotel or any place totally appropriated for disabled people. It is a kind of tradition in Brazil (a really bad tradition, I know), do not think in those who has some physical disabilities. It happens because in the past, many families felt ashamed and hide their handicapped members from the others. Many were abandoned, or killed. It’s horrible, but It’s the truth!
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Sounds as a horrible practice indeed. Thank you for sharing about that, @bmsteckel . It’s good to know more about the culture - both good and the bad side. Now, that you have mentioned about car hire, has there got a hotel parking fee and was it possible for you to find out where does Brazil stand on such charges?
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@FlameFox well… There wasn’t any parking fee in that hotel. It depends of the region, for exemple, in a four stars hotel, maybe the guests pay the fee per day, hour, or week, but is rarely, at least for me. Because they only charge for a parking fee for those who aren’t hotel guests. Example:
Let’s suppose you’ll find me at the hotel for a business meeting. We both went there by car and I’m gonna stay there a few days, but you won’t. So, I’ll not pay parking fee, but they will charge you. It a common practice here and I believe in the whole world.
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I see now. I was more interested in the visitors charges because, as a guest in this hotel are paying the room charge already where parking should be park of the complex use. The star rating difference is an interesting differentiation. Nice idea in the hotel practice as well. Thank you very much for clarifying this for me @bmsteckel 
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@FlameFox you’re welcome. I’m here to help. 
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É uma pena as pessoas virem de longe e ainda encontrarem obstáculos para se moverem nas instalações turísticas aqui no Brasil. Sei que tem muita coisa para melhorar. Algumas mudanças já estão acontecendo nas novas estruturas. Para abrir um hotel é obrigado por lei ter acomodações com acessibilidade.
