Mobility scooters banned in Spanish hotel chain

ONE of the biggest hotel chains in Spain will be banning mobility scooters from its premises as of May 1, in news that has ignited controversy on social media, and among guests who have already booked their hotel rooms and suffer from mobility difficulties. 

The chain, which has hotels in Benidorm, Orihuela Costa and Mojacar among other hotspots popular with British tourists, has initiated the ban due to complaints from other guests that the scooters were causing a nuisance. 

The operations director of the hotel group has justified the decision on the basis that the scooters frequently clog hallways and cause accidents and damage, as well as numerous other headaches for guests and staff. 

Wheelchairs for people with disabilities will be allowed in rooms and throughout the hotel premises, and the nine hotels run by the company are fully equipped to help disabled people with ramps and elevators. 

Part of the problem is that mobility scooters are frequently used by people for fun, drunken antics, or out of sheer laziness, and the needful majority of users may now have to suffer due to the selfishness of a few.