Accessibility Audit for Double Tree by Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel.
This information is about the hotel structure and features and is not intended to be event-specific. To find out what the event team are doing to increase accessibility for WFC 2025, please see our Accessibility policy.
Overall
Most of the hotel is accessible to wheelchair users, but some function rooms are not. There will be different routes to access the hotel, so signage will be needed to ensure everyone can get to where they need to be.
Parking/Drop-off
Blue Badge users can be dropped off in the loading bay at the front of the hotel, which necessitates stopping on the double yellow lines, which is permissible with a Blue Badge. There are also drop off/unloading options either side of the hotel, including close to the wheelchair-accessible side entrance.
There is a large car park at the rear of the hotel, with ramped access to the hotel. It has a height restriction of 1.83m. There are marked bays for Blue Badge parking. There is another car park at Churchill Square; this has a height limit of 1.93m. There is parking for higher vehicles (no height barrier) on Queensbury Mews. Most of the bays are limited to 2-hour periods between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m and is chargeable unless you have a Blue Badge.
A Blue Badge holder can park in chargeable bays without paying, but is still subject to the time restrictions. There are parking spaces marked “disabled” where Blue Badge holders can park as long as they like without charge. Street parking is not height restricted and so would be suitable for higher sided mobility vehicles. These are on a first come first served basis and cannot be reserved.
There are Blue Badge parking spaces on Queensbury Mews, Regency Square and Cannon Place which are all adjacent to the hotel. There are also spaces on Madeira Drive, which might be useful if you wanting to visit shops, cafes and the seafront. A full map of street parking and restrictions can be found on the council website https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/parking/street-parking-information-map
We have been told there is free parking without a height barrier on Rodean Way, BN2 5RJ, which is about 3 miles away. This might be helpful for dealers and others bringing a higher vehicles without a Blue Badge or those who are not keen to pay for parking. We will be checking this information on a site visit and updating further.
General Travel information can be found on our Travel and Accommodation page
Lower Ground Floor
Entrance/Public areas
The front of the hotel, facing the sea, has 3 entrances. One is a stepped access that leads to the public bar; the second is a stepped access to the main reception and the third is a ramped access to the main reception.
The ramped access is 1 meter wide and has a gradual slope into the glass foyer. It has a 90-degree corner , which might make it difficult for some mobility scooters. The surface is metal with a textured grip surface. The door into the building is automated.
There are two alternate entrances if you are coming from the car park or from Queensbury Mews. The car park has a sloped ramp to a single door (90cm wide) into the building, but it is possible to continue through a gate up to the larger entrance. Getting through the gate may require assistance if you are not able to stand and press the release from the gate. If you are coming from Queensbury Mews , this entrance is accessed via a covered walkway. This entrance has two sets of automated double doors and will provide access for larger mobility scooters. The pavements leading to this walkway are narrow, but there is very limited traffic down this side street. The corridors in the hotel have a short-pile carpet as surfacing.
Once in the main building the lobby has a smooth floor.
There are no steps or barriers to the hotel reception, a line of desks to the left of the main entrance.
There is some informal seating in this area.
There is step free access to the bar, breakfast room (1980 at the Met) and to toilets.
The bar area has good space around tables and a variety of seat types, making it easy to move around, but it does have limited capacity. 1980 at the Met serves breakfast only; it is not open to the public at other times. The Salt Room restaurant is accessed by leaving the hotel building and re-entering from the street.
Function Rooms
A number of function rooms have step-free access directly from the lobby. Others, on the Upper Ground floor and Floor M, can be accessed by a lift and stairs. Some other function rooms not accessible without stairs should not be used for events; this includes a mezzanine room halfway up the stairs.
The function rooms and corridors are surfaced with a short-pile carpet. The transition between rooms/corridors has no step or bump.
One of the function rooms has the option of a private bar and can have food served also.
Lifts
The Lobby lifts goes to the bedrooms on levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The door width is 90cm and the internal dimensions of the lift are 180cm x 98cm.
The rear lift (by the side entrance) goes to the function rooms on the Upper Ground Floor and Floor M, and bedrooms on floors 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. The door width is 90cm (2ft 11in) and the internal dimensions of the lift are 100cm x 130cm (3ft 3in x 4ft 3in).
Bedrooms
The hotel has 340 rooms in total with:
– 8 accessible rooms with a wet room/wheel-in shower.
– 8 accessible rooms with a bath.
There is a very small lip at the bathroom door, shown in the photo of the shower above.
Leisure Facilities
There is a swimming pool and gym, but these have not been assessed for accessibility.
Nearby Facilities
There are a great many other hotels and restaurants nearby which allow options for a wide variety of budgetary, dietary and accessibility needs.
Resources and Information
Scooter Hire (if you plan to visit for longer than the event itself).