Rubén Montesdeoca and Briseida Bautista, co-owner and director of Hotel Taimar in Costa Calma
“We wanted to cover a tourist segment that was not covered properly in the usual hotels”
Just over two years ago, Hotel Taimar was inaugurated, in Costa Calma, with unique characteristics on the island, but possibly in Spain, and maybe, even in Europe. This is an inclusive hotel, totally accessible for anyone, whatever their handicap, so that they can enjoy their rooms and the rest of the hotel, without any obstacles and with all the means in place to ensure their easy integration and comfort. We are meeting with Rubén Montesdeoca, co-owner, and Briseida Bautista, the hotel director so that they can tell us about their innovations.
How and when did the idea appear?
R. Montesdeoca: the idea came, in 2013. We had part of this complex which consisted in two-key apartments, which were in disrepair. We got the idea of renovating them by taking advantage of the law promoted by the Canarian Government that encouraged the modernisation of obsolete hotels, in the Canaries. We looked at various perspectives as tourism is more and more sophisticated. Before, segments were about families, sports, etc., but they are more individualised now and we decided to go even further and specialise the whole complex, and amongst our various ideas, we chose accessibility. People tend to ask us if we did it out of empathy for a family member, but it's not the case, we simply wanted to cover a tourist segment that wasn't covered properly in the usual hotel premises. We know that there are eight million disabled people in Europe who can travel but don't know where to go.
So, when did the director, Briseida Bautista arrive?
B. Bautista: I started just before the hotel opened.
We assume that you came from the hotel industry, were you surprised by those premises?
B. Bautista: I had been working as a guest experience manager in the Barceló hotel chain and I saw upclose, the difficulties implied by only having four adapted rooms, which are slightly improvised and not adapted to all disabilities, unlike here. Personally, I thought the level of adaptation was surprising, I never imagined anything like this.
I guess that is what surprises us all, we could think it is simply a hotel with ramps for mobility and we couldn't imagine all that has been incorporated into this hotel, which is what we would like you to explain to our readers.
R. Montesdeoca: First of all, we instructed our team to treat everyone normally, whatever kind of tourist stays with us, whether they are blind, deaf or have mobility problems. This is why we organised basic sign language courses, which we will continue providing and our waiters also have instructions during their service at the table, to lay elements clockwise, so that blind people can easily find what they need. At the reception, we have also added innovations to ensure people can communicate with sign language if they need to, with a mobile magnetic induction loop that eliminates background noises that can affect people wearing hearing aids. There are flashing light bells so people can get calls in their rooms and vibrating alarm clocks. The whole hotel is fitted with tactile pavements so that blind people can find their way wherever they wish to go in the hotel, even to the swimmingpool, which is also adapted for anyone to be able to use it. The room numbers, lift buttons, etc., are embossed and in Braille.
B. Bautista: We have incorporated a technological application created in Chile. They came here to map out the whole hotel so that blind people can have an image of it and move around on their own. They also have a description of their room and a personalised service to call the restaurant.
Why have we not been talking about this hotel for years?
R. Montesdeoca: We didn't want to make too much noise about accessibility until we got the certificates that confirm that we are accredited. Last month, the Canarian Government presented us with the Accessibility International Symbol for 2021, we also received the prize for Best Renovation Project of more than 100 rooms, from the Canarian Government, for 2021 and, in 2022, the prize for Best Responsibility Social Corporative in the Canaries, as well as the Distinguished Tourism prize from the Cabildo for Best Diversification Initiative.
B. Bautista: We also want to explain the premises properly to avoid being seen mistakenly as a small hospital. We are an inclusive and universal hotel, for anyone.
R. Montesdeoca: We applied for the Zero Project, which, with the United Nations, works to create a world with zero barriers. To be in the short list of nominees which is being published, in August, would be a triumph, it would be an international reward, not talking about what it would represent to win a prize.
We truly hope you will get it and that other hotels will follow your lead, to create a world that is easier and inclusive for everyone.
