Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria Sheffield by IHG

We stayed one night at the Crowne Plaza. The location was perfect — only around 8 minutes by car from the arena — which made everything feel convenient and well-planned. The hotel itself has a lovely atmosphere. It’s peaceful and quiet, with a beautiful historic exterior and a clean, well-maintained interior. It felt calm throughout our stay, which made it easy to relax. As a wheelchair user, I always pay close attention to accessibility, and while the hotel has made efforts in several areas, there were a few challenges that made things more difficult than they needed to be. The accessible entrance is located around the side of the building, and the path to it is smooth and easy to navigate. However, getting through the entrance itself was a struggle. There’s no automatic door opener or push plate — which made it difficult to manage, especially with a wheelchair. You need to press a call button and wait for someone to let you in, which was fine because I wasn’t alone, but for solo guests it could become frustrating. Trying to open a heavy door while also positioning a wheelchair is far from ideal, so this is an area where an upgrade would make a big difference. Our accessible room was spacious and very clean. The layout was open and allowed for easy wheelchair movement, and the bathroom was clearly designed with accessibility in mind. The bed was comfortable, and overall, the room had a welcoming and practical feel. One issue, though, was the door to the room itself — it didn’t have a mechanism to keep it open, which made it quite difficult to enter while using a wheelchair. Having to hold the door and manoeuvre at the same time was tricky, so again, this would be particularly challenging for someone staying alone. We also found the lift to be quite tight. It was clean and functioning, but once inside with a wheelchair, there was barely enough space to turn around — especially if there were other guests in there too. It made entering and exiting a bit awkward and uncomfortable because of how close I was to others, and I felt bad trying to get out while avoiding bumping or hurting someone. A larger or better-designed lift would definitely improve accessibility and comfort for wheelchair users. In the morning, we had breakfast at the hotel, and the food was genuinely lovely. There was a generous variety of both hot and cold options, all fresh and well-prepared. The restaurant space was bright and pleasant, and the staff were friendly and attentive. The only issue we encountered was with the table layout — the tables were positioned quite close together, which made it difficult to get through with a wheelchair. It required careful navigation, and in a few places, it wasn’t possible to pass without asking other guests to move. A few more accessible tables in open areas would make a big difference and ensure all guests can enjoy breakfast comfortably. We ordered room service in the evening and were impressed with the speed and quality. The pizzas arrived in around 20 minutes and were delicious — hot, fresh, and exactly what we needed after a long day. It was a really easy and satisfying option. Despite the accessibility challenges, we had a positive experience overall. The hotel was comfortable, clean, and in a fantastic location for the arena. The staff were friendly, welcoming, and more than willing to accommodate any needs we had. While there are definitely a few areas that could be improved to better support disabled guests — particularly those travelling alone — none of these issues took away from the enjoyment of our stay. It’s clear that the hotel cares about providing a good experience, and with a few adjustments, it could become even more accessible and inclusive.