My Experience at Darwin Escapes
My stay at Darwin Escapes was a positive experience overall. The staff were lovely, friendly and always keen to help whenever we needed anything.
There are lots of activities available on site, which is great, although unfortunately not all of them were accessible for people with disabilities.
The hot tubs were one of the facilities that were not accessible. For guests with mobility difficulties, there needs to be a safe and accessible way of getting into and out of the hot tubs. A pool or spa lift could be considered to make these facilities more inclusive.
There are different types of accessible pool lifts that could potentially be used, depending on the design of the hot tubs:
- Fixed pool lift: A chair permanently secured to the pool or hot-tub deck, providing a stable way for someone with mobility difficulties to enter and exit the water.
- Portable pool lift: A mobile lift with wheels that can be moved between suitable accessible facilities.
- Hydraulic or battery-powered lift: A powered mechanism that raises and lowers the person safely into and out of the water.
Standard pool ladders or steps are suitable for many guests, but they do not provide the same level of accessibility for people who cannot safely use steps or climb a ladder. These were not even provided and we were panicking about slipping.
It would also be fantastic if Darwin Escapes considered having a dog-friendly swimming pool or dog hydrotherapy-style pool. This could be a great additional facility for guests travelling with their dogs. It could also encourage dog owners to spend more time using the leisure facilities themselves, knowing their dogs have somewhere suitable to enjoy the water too.
The cabins were lovely, spacious and comfortable. However, we were not allocated an accessible cabin. I asked whether there were any ramps available to help with the stairs leading up to the cabins, but unfortunately there weren’t any. Having ramps available, or making accessible accommodation easier to access, would make a big difference for disabled guests. Also needs to be more cleaning staff to help change the beds for disabled guests, who would normally have adult social care to help them.
I also feel that having a medic or trained medical professional available on site, or an appropriate emergency medical provision, would provide additional reassurance for guests. Emergencies can happen at any time, including during the night, and having appropriate support available would be an important precaution.
Another area that I feel could be improved is support for late arrivals. We travelled for around seven hours to reach Darwin Escapes in Cornwall, and by the time we arrived it was around 11pm. We found this quite overwhelming, particularly because we were unfamiliar with the site. Trying to find your accommodation in the dark when you don’t know the layout of the site can be difficult, especially for disabled or neurodivergent guests.
It would be helpful to have a dedicated phone number that guests arriving late could call if they were struggling to find their accommodation or simply needed reassurance. Clearer directions, additional signs and someone available to provide support over the phone would make late arrivals much less stressful. Or even a map to be sent via email, after closing hours.
Food and Dietary Requirements
The kitchen staff were fantastic and were very friendly and helpful. However, I feel there could be more options available for guests who require gluten-free food, as well as clearer options for people with food allergies and other dietary requirements.
Having more clearly labelled allergy-friendly and gluten-free choices would make eating on site much easier and give guests greater confidence when ordering food, it would be useful if the bar could stay open a little later, particularly when late arrivals are due, or something that’s been pre made in there fridge that has been chosen for them, for this to be an option.
The Staff
One of the things that really stood out to me was how friendly and welcoming the staff were.
Kelly, the manager of the bar team, was particularly friendly. It wasn’t just towards us either — Kelly seemed genuinely interested in getting to know other guests, talking to them about their lives and interests. It was really lovely to witness because it created such a welcoming atmosphere.
Savannah was also incredibly sweet and kind. She was always around to say hello to the dogs, including taking an interest in our assistance dogs and finding out more about them. This made us feel really comfortable and welcome when moving around the site and using the different facilities.
Those little interactions made a real difference. Having staff who are genuinely interested, welcoming and comfortable around assistance dogs can make a huge difference to someone’s experience, particularly for disabled guests.
Dogs
The site was dog-friendly, which was really useful. However, there wasn’t a suitable safe area where dogs could go to the toilet off lead. Having a secure dog exercise or toilet area would make the experience much easier for guests travelling with dogs.
A dedicated dog pool or exercise area could also be a fantastic addition and would give dog owners another reason to spend time at the resort.
Overall
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay and the staff were fantastic. There are some areas where I think Darwin Escapes could improve accessibility, particularly around the hot tubs, accommodation, food options and facilities for dogs.
I also think improvements around emergency support and late arrivals would provide additional reassurance, particularly for disabled, neurodivergent and anxious guests.
At the same time, I want to highlight how welcoming many of the staff were. Kelly and Savannah in particular made us feel comfortable and welcomed