Patients suffering from cancer are being offered the chance of a visit to a seaside retreat following the opening of a unique purpose-built hotel in Bournemouth.
The Grove offers patients and others with life-threatening illnesses the chance for respite and relaxation in an environment specially designed to combine the homely surroundings of a hotel with access to vital clinical care.
With nursing staff on hand, visitors and their families and carers can enjoy a week or two on the coast staying in modern accommodation just 100 yards from the clifftop and with access to a private beach hut, miles of golden sand and fleet of mobility scooters.
Speaking to BBH , hotel manager, Brenden Howard, said: “Several years ago the Macmillan Trust in Christchurch sent some cancer patients to Swanage for a holiday and it did them a lot of good. That sparked the idea for a purpose-built facility and The Grove opened last year.
“We designed the facility to look like a hotel and not a hospital, with modern furniture and light, bright décor. All the bedrooms look out onto the local scenery, with garden views from the side rooms. There are also stunning grounds which people can walk around.
“One of the 30 en-suite bedrooms is fully accessible to the disabled and has an electric bed, reclining chair and a body dryer. Two further bedrooms also have bathrooms that are DDA compliant and suitable for wheelchair access, and all rooms have a pull chord in the bathroom and an emergency chord by the bed and residents can request additional aids such as boosted toilet seats. But, apart from these small additions, the rooms are otherwise similar to those you would find in any modern hotel.”
But, unlike most hotels, the availability of nursing advice and support means patients who would not otherwise be able to go on holiday can get the relaxation they need to aid their recovery.
Howard said: “Often when people are suffering from a terminal illness or in recovery they cannot go on holiday because they cannot get the support they may need and feel vulnerable and anxious in case something should happen. While providing a hotel-style environment, The Grove has this vital clinical support, with nurses offering advice and help should patients need it. This is difficult to get in traditional holiday resorts.”
Patients and their carers also get the chance to talk to others staying at the hotel, providing another important support network.
“People come for a week or two and they all love it,” said Howard. “This is a unique facility and we want to help as many people as possible.”
The service is supported by Macmillan Caring Locally, with rates for patients starting at £301 a week for a standard room and £350 a week for a superior room.
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