7 accessible resorts in the Middle East and beyond

As Lightley observes, only a portion of the world’s 1.3 billion Disabled individuals use wheelchairs. The overwhelming majority live with more subtle, though no less significant, challenges – visual impairments, hearing conditions, invisible disabilities – an entire spectrum of nuanced needs that often get swept under the blanket term “fully accessible”. It’s a phrase, she rightly points out, that “begs more questions than it answers”.

Àni, a collection of exclusive-use private resorts strewn across Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean, is aiming to change that with a more custom approach. Its founder, Tim Reynolds, paralysed from the waist down after a spinal cord injury in 2000, has poured his personal expertise into making accessibility more than a glossy brochure promise for Disabled travellers.

Guests must reserve the entire property – with a minimum of six suites, starting at $16,000 per night – but that means every inch of the experience can be tailored for different access needs. As well as extra-wide door frames and pathways, room mirrors tilt to catch every reflection, ramps slope at the gentlest of angles and elevators are tucked discreetly within traditional facades. Should guests venture beyond the resort’s borders, a crack team armed with portable ramps travels ahead so the experience is totally seamless.

The company is preparing to “take things to the next level”, says Àni’s CEO, Yeshi Phuntsho, with plans to train staff in medical care and personalised nutrition — everything from custom menus for guests who struggle with eating, to discreet assistance with showering and dressing. They’re also appointing a dedicated accessibility lead at each resort, so when guests need extra support, they won’t be left awkwardly flagging down a random member of staff. “Our aim is simple,” Phuntsho concludes. “We want every guest to have the time of their life, without their disability ever crossing their mind.”

Accessible hotels in the Middle East and beyond

Amilla Maldives has wheelchair-friendly beaches and a host of other adaptions

Courtesy Amilla Maldives

Amilla Maldives

This island resort, set among thousands of mature coconut trees and frangipani blooms on a secluded Maldivian atoll, is committed to “total guest inclusion” through an extensive programme that includes wheelchair-friendly beaches and adapted rooms for guests with hearing and visual impairments. Modified versions of overwater and beach pool villas are available with wide doorways, spacious showers and ramps, while safety rails, shower chairs, commodes and a wide range of other access equipment can be provided on request. Amilla offers Disabled guests a beach wheelchair to assist with moving on loose sand, a floating wheelchair for the water and a portable hoist that can be used in the pool and on snorkelling excursions. The resort team can also create quiet, low-lit spaces for autistic guests, tailor menus for those with difficulties swallowing and provide a portable hearing loop to assist with communications.

Lujo Hotel Bodrum is a great base from which to explore Turkey’s trendiest resort town

Courtesy Lujo Hotel Bodrum

Lujo Hotel Bodrum

With three private white-sand beaches and a series of swish stone-clad rooms scattered on the hillside, Lujo Hotel Bodrum is an ideal (and accessible) base to explore one of Turkey’s trendiest towns. The resort offers wheelchair-friendly rooms, ramps and accessible pathways for guests, plus large-print menus, visual alarms and assistive listening devices available on request. All staff members have participated in “rigorous training” on inclusive hospitality practices.

Poolside at Villa Monara in Sri Lanka

Courtesy Ani Private Resorts / Ben Richards

Àni Sri Lanka

Widened doorways, grab bars, gentle ramps and step-free pathways are among the accessibility features subtly integrated at Àni’s exclusive-use resorts in Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean. All excursions and experiences can be tailored for guests’ access requirements. When guests leave a resort, an accessibility team is trained to go ahead with portable ramps to make travelling a seamless experience.

Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, is designed like a traditional palace

Courtesy Ritz-Carlton / Joe Chua Agdeppa

Sharq Village & Spa, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Doha

Designed to evoke a Sheikh’s traditional palace, while remaining close to key Doha attractions like the National Museum of Qatar and Souq Waqif, Sharq Village & Spa sits among 10 hectares of landscaped gardens, pools, and walkways — all of which are fully accessible for wheelchair users. Modified rooms feature lowered surfaces, grab bars and spacious bathrooms designed for ease of movement, while a floating beach wheelchair can be used access the beach or pool.

St Regis Red Sea Resort has adapted facilities

Courtesy St Regis Red Sea Resort

The St Regis Red Sea Resort and Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

While each island officially offers just one fully wheelchair-friendly room, all beach villas across these dazzling resorts are designed with accessibility in mind, featuring spacious layouts, wide doorways, and convenient ground-floor access. Most public areas, including the shimmering sandy shores, are easily navigable thanks to wide-wheel mobility chairs provided by the hotel’s medical clinic, as well as wheelchair-accessible buggies. The dive centre staff are all PADI-trained adaptive support divers, and at the St Regis’ WAMA water sports centre, adapted boats and specialised staff are available to ensure guests with physical disabilities can enjoy sailing. The resort’s mobility fleet includes accessible luxury vans and golf carts, offering easy transfers for guests with access needs straight from the airport.

Six Senses Southern Dunes has a breathtaking desert setting

Courtesy Six Senses Southern Dunes

Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea

This resort tucked into Saudi Arabia’s striking desert dunes provides fully wheelchair-accessible rooms, villas and public spaces. All areas, from the reception to dining venues feature wheelchair-friendly tables and pathways, and the swimming pool is equipped with ramps and handrails for easy access. Wellness experiences, including spa treatments and relaxation sessions, are also fully inclusive.

A refurbishment has made the Westin in the Mina Seyahi complex more accessible

The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina

A recent retro-chic refurbishment at Dubai’s well-established Westin has seen accessible rooms upgraded with new features, including lowered vanity units, non-slip grab rails, roll-in showers and wheelchair-height toilets for easy transfers. The on-site pool also has its own accessible entrance, while the wider Mina Seyahi complex is wheelchair-friendly through flat pathways with gentle inclines.