Cringletie House Hotel

Having checked and been reassured re wheelchair access my friend booked Sunday Lunch for us. When we arrived the lovely bricked disabled parking was excellent. However, up the ramp I was met with a flight of stairs. No staff visible so my friend went to find someone. Eventually someone appeared with lots of “did you say a wheelchair was coming” and “we did have a stair lift but we are waiting for a part” (no sign of said broken lift at all so must be sometime ago. The e enthral way of getting me in was humiliating and undignified. Round the back of the hotel (across gravel and then over speed bumps) over cobbles so rough my chair fell apart and my leg started to spasm). Bricks and bits of mat being moved as I went. I to a tiny pantry , negotiating some form of gas canister and laundry bags. Into the hotel finally and up in a lift. They were definitely expecting me as our table had a wheelchair space rather than a chair. I am quite robust, anyone who is fragile or at risk of dislocations etc or with a longer chair etc would not manage the entrance. In recompense we received our post dinner tea and coffee for free. They appeared to think that this was generous on their part. I really don’t recommend this place until they get their accessibility sorted.

Cringletie House near Peebles is a luxurious country house with a great restaurant and lovely staff. I can’t really comment on the grounds as the weather was a bit too drizzly to explore but they look very nice! Our room was actually a junior suite so had a couple of armchairs (the rise and recline sort which was fun to play with!) – the website talks of them having just one accessible room but it sounded like they had more than one – they were on the ground floor while there was lift access to the first floor restaurant which has fabulous views. Dinner was very good and we even found room for dessert as none of the dishes were huge or stodgy. Breakfast was good although my scrambled eggs very much resembled omelette! It was quite pricey but I would love to go back to such a lovely place where they just take it in their stride that you use a scooter – no one stares or makes a big deal of it, which is just how it should be!