Staying At A Hotel
With Special Journeys
Most of the hotels where we stay have between 2 and 4 floors and an elevator.
The main entrance door leads to a lobby and the front desk. There will be staff at the front desk 24 hours every day. Most lobbies include a breakfast area although sometimes breakfast is in a separate room.
Most of the hotels we use have a main central hallway on each floor with rooms on each side.
Each room has 2 beds, and the Tour Leader assigns you a roommate.
If you have any problems with your assigned roommate, please talk to a Travel Companion or the Tour Leader about it.
When we arrive at a new hotel, the Tour Leader gets off the bus, checks in, and collects the keys to each room. At the same time, the Med Team gets off and sets up the area when meds will be passed. When the Tour Leader returns, most of the Travel Companions will disembark to prepare the hotel rooms; they make sure the keys work, turn on the heater or air conditioner, and make sure everything is set to go in each room. This takes approximately 15-20 minutes.
After the rooms are ready, those travelers who handle their own medicine – or who do not take medicine – are asked to exit the bus. On the first night of each trip these individuals need to check in with the Med Team to confirm that we are all on the same page. At this time, the Med Team also emphasizes the importance of having medicine pre‐packed and available every day when we are away from the hotel, or when the suitcases are stowed under the bus and not readily accessible. After the first night, these individuals are taken directly to their rooms by the Travel Companions.
The next people to exit the bus are those Travelers with 1:1 dedicated staff. The Travel Companions for these individuals receive their hotel keys and proceed directly to their room.
Finally, we lead Travelers off the bus room by room (a Traveler and their roommate). Each room of Travelers is brought to the Med Team for their bedtime medicine. Then the Travel Companions take the individuals to their room. Every night we reverse the order in which these travelers are called to exit. So, if you are last on one night, you will be first on the next night.
The most important thing to remember as you exit the bus is to take your carry-on off the bus.
The bus is locked at night so you can leave items on it, but it is inaccessible.
Your hotel room has 2 beds, one for you and one for your roommate. It has a heater and air conditioner unit with individual comfort settings. It also has a TV. Ask your Travel Companion if you need help with either item. Your room has a bathroom, with a shower/tub unit where you can take your daily shower. If you let Special Journeys know in advance that you need help getting in and out of the tub, we install an additional bar on the bathtub to help you.
While travelers are being escorted to their rooms, a Special Journeys team is working on delivering the suitcases to each room. This can take a while so you may arrive at your room before your luggage does. Do not unpack your suitcase into drawers, but dress directly from your suitcase. Your Travel Companion has your personal “onion bag” for your dirty clothes.
If you use a CPAP or an oxygen concentrator, these items are delivered separately from your luggage. Special Journeys automatically provides distilled water for CPAP usage each night.
The Travel Companion assigned to your room holds the hotel room keys and makes sure your door is closed at night. It is important for you NOT to latch the door once it is closed, so that your Travel Companion can access your room to assist you.
Each night your Travel Companion helps you with personal cares, makes sure you’re ready for bed, and tells you the wakeup time and the planned departure time for the next morning. Your Travel Companion’s room is either next to yours or nearby depending on the hotel room arrangements for that night, and you are told the room number and how to reach your Travel Companion if you need assistance at night. Your Travel Companion also tells you if we are checking out the next morning.
The front desk is staffed 24 hours a day, and the desk clerk also has contact information for the staff available to assist you. Just call “0” to reach them.
In the morning, your Travel Companion will wake you up. If you wake up before it’s time to get up, remember it’s a vacation, so rest in bed or just hang out in your room. Your Travel Companion assists you as necessary, and then accompanies you to get medicine and breakfast.
Swimming is available at many of the hotels we stay at. If time allows, you can go swimming as long as a Travel Companion is available to go with you. Talk to your Travel Companion about when the best nights would be for you to swim, and above all, do not go to the pool without a Travel Companion present.
On mornings when we check out, after assisting with your personal care, your Travel Companion helps you pack, sets your suitcase outside your door, and makes sure your room is empty before you go to breakfast and to get your medicine. A Special Journeys team delivers your suitcase to the bus and loads it underneath the bus. It is important that you keep your carry‐on bag with you so that you can bring it with you into the bus