You’ll love Prince Edward Island!
I usually don’t start a travel article with information about accommodations I stay in but rather the destination. But this time is different.
The Delta Prince Edward Charlottetown Hotel, in the capital of Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, is different. I have stayed in suites at the Four Seasons in Hawaii and beautiful resorts in the Caribbean. I have been housed in 5-star hotels. The Delta Prince Edward Charlottetown is not the most glamorous or largest, and doesn’t offer the most amenities…but it has something special.
What I have found in my extensive travel as a person with a disability is that the hospitality industry is generally filled with wonderful people. Very upbeat, positive, and caring.
So, why is the Delta Prince Edward Charlottetown different? Well, I could say the location is super. The majority of its 211 guest rooms offer spectacular harbor views. Plus, the convenient location provides the perfect setting to enjoy the city’s quaint shops, restaurants, theater, nightlife, and Charlottetown’s many festivals and events.
Maybe it was because the hotel is just steps or a nice wheel away from the winding boardwalk and adjacent to the many shops of Peake’s Wharf, including the delicious COWS Ice Cream.
Maybe it was when I arrived, the curbcut at the front entrance is the best I have seen. It certainly helped when I viewed the eight accessible rooms for people with disabilities. Or was it the lift into the pool? Yes, it was hand cranked—but still a lift.
Amenities featured a king-size bed, private full bath, and fully equipped kitchenette (including mini fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave, and all the necessary utensils).
Now, all of this does add up. So what we have at Delta Prince Edward Charlottetown is a convenient hotel with great views, indoor pool and recreation area, excellent dining area and bar, meeting rooms, good accessible rooms, plus wonderful accessibility through the hotel.
All this is situated on Prince Edward Island, one of the most enchanting places, with renowned beaches, festivals, children’s activities, and a real down-home warm feeling.
So, really the above should be enough. But there is more to the Delta Prince Edward Charlottetown. It is that special something you can’t always touch but you can feel…you can’t always see it but you certainly know when it isn’t there.
It was the attitude of the staff—not only toward me as a person with limited mobility but also, I noted, with everyone.
Sitting in the lobby one morning, I observed the comings and goings of staff and guests and the interaction between them all. It was most amazing to watch. It was subtle but heartfelt. It was gracious yet friendly. This is why the Delta Prince Edward Charlottetown is so special: the staff—all the staff, from the bar to security.
As a guest for several days, I noticed the staff day in and day out, and they were always friendly, upbeat, and just kind…. What a wonderful hotel to visit.
Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest and greenest province. Cradled on the waves of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, PEI is known for the vivid colors of its gently rolling landscape, surrounded by miles of sandy beaches and red sandstone cliffs. It has had several names, but in 1799 became Prince Edward Island in honor of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the father of Queen Victoria.
PEI is located on the east coast of Canada and is connected to the mainland by the Confederation Bridge. In July 2009, the province’s population was estimated at about 141,000. The island is a place of natural beauty where the air and water are fresh and clean.
PEI’s capital city is Charlottetown. The Charlottetown Conference, one of the most significant political events in Canadian history, took place in 1864 to discuss the possibility of Canadian union. It led to Canada’s officially becoming a nation in 1867. PEI became a province in 1873 after negotiations that promised a continuous link to the mainland.
When you arrive via the Confederation Bridge—an 8-mile-long structure joining PEI and New Brunswick—make sure you stop at the Visitors Bureau, one of the nicest I have seen. It has shops as well as tourist information. The bridge is reportedly the longest in the world crossing ice-covered water and is one of Canada’s top engineering achievements of the twentieth century.
B&Bs, cottages, inns, campgrounds, hotels and motels—take your pick! You have more than 1,000 to choose from. “Access Canada” is a four-level standard used by roofed-accommodation [motels, etc.] operators to meet the needs of mature travelers and people with disabilities. The program is voluntary. Participating establishments have agreed to provide a minimum number of rooms at their Access Canada level. Contact the establishment directly to ensure your specific needs can be met.
In PEI, 32 properties have chosen to participate in the program. Following are brief descriptions of the Access Canada levels:
(1) Seniors with normal aging limitations of hearing, vision and agility, and mild disability
(2) People with mild hearing, visual impairments, and stamina, strength, and agility limitations
(3) Individuals with moderate hearing and visual impairment or people who are independent wheelchair users
(4) Those with severe hearing or visual impairments, people who are deaf or blind, and dependent wheelchair users
For more information, visit www.canadase lect.com.
Visit Prince Edward Island—and be prepared to enjoy yourself!
