Home » Health & Wellness » Disabilities » Michelle's Excellent Mexican Adventure

Michelle's Excellent Mexican Adventure

© Michelle Struik

Some of my long time readers might have chuckled with amusement when I’ve described vacations in the past. You might remember that tumble down a cliff into a blackberry bush? Or the less than perfect accommodation I booked my family into in the past? Finally I listened to my own advice. Checking every detail no matter how minor and experienced the best holiday I’ve had since becoming disabled. I have no doubts that my travel agent felt differently than I do about the planning stage, since she is an abled person. She would of course view things from a different perspective. Checking small details such as do they have a walk in pool vs. stairs leading into a pool would not cross her mind.

As a person with minor mobility problems it is of course easier to cope, although I still try to keep things as accessible as possible without any extra hurtles jumping into my path. When on vacation you’re there to have fun, not to challenge yourself with new annoyances, unless that’s what you actually had planned of course.

After weeks of online research and numerous phone calls to my travel agent, plus a few emails to the chosen resort hubby and I finally booked one week at the Karmina Palace in Manzanillo, Mexico. We chose this resort for a few reasons. Firstly it’s a relatively new resort and has been designed with the mobility impaired in mind. They do have several swimming pools, a few of them you are able to walk into which in my books is a big plus! Secondly they seemed to have accessibility in mind, ramps in most areas, fast elevators and disability accessible rooms. (Editor’s Note: Please check with the hotel directly regarding your specific disability and the accessibility of their disabled rooms). The Karmina Palace is an all-inclusive resort; you pay for all your amenities upon booking. It includes all meals, drinks and even 24-hour room service. The Karmina Palace is also a Spa Resort so it has amenities not normally found at all hotels such as massage.

Manzanillo is well known as the location of the movie “10” filmed at the Las Hadas Hotel, which is located directly across the bay from the Karmina Palace. It is a beautiful city of approximately 100,000 people. The scenery is delightful, the beaches a mixture of gold and black sand due to the local volcanoes, and the Pina Colada’s don’t come any better.