They’ve got hoists, you can ask to borrow a toilet chair or shower chair, just all these things. Its just - Tick, tick, tick. We were like we’ve got to go there, so we booked it”.
Promise to mother pushes hotel accessibility to new heights.
Victoria-Jayne Scholes • July 1, 2026
The Family-run Marsham Court in Bournemouth is award winning
because of their passion for access and inclusion.
Running around the halls of the Marsham Court Hotel playing hide and seek as a two-year-old, James Dixon Box didn’t know any better. To him it was his family home, just with a lot more people in it. Now as they get ready to celebrate their 40th anniversary, this family home, is an award winning establishment setting the hospitality industry ablaze.
In 1987, James’ mother Jennie Deavin, along with his dad Chris Dixon-Box, brother Russell and sister Rosie, purchased the Marsham Court Hotel set on the beautiful East Cliff of Bournemouth overlooking the sea. Unfortunately, Jennie sadly passed away in 2017 just before they celebrated their 30th Birthday to a severe form of cancer which attacked her spine. This saw Jennie go from fully mobile to a wheelchair user. What she left behind was not just a loving family but a legacy that not only lives on in the Marsham Court Hotel but is spreading in the Hospitality industry throughout the UK.
One of the longest family-run hotels in Bournemouth, James who is now the Operations manager at the Marsham Court, said he would often play around the hallways of the hotel and has fond memories of hiding with his cousins ‘I suppose that’s the nature of it being a family business. This is not just our business, its our home, we grew up here.”
The hotel over the years underwent changes, but another change came 18 months after Jennie was diagnosed with cancer. Having been living in private quarters in the grounds of the hotel, Jennie was no longer able to get up the stairs, and unable to adapt the property, the children suggested adapting rooms within the hotel.
After much persuasion and a promise from her children Jennie agreed to the move to within the main hotel.
The promise…. To continue using the equipment they had put in after she had passed away. A promise they would keep.
Not rushing into anything, the family consulted with charities and people with lived experience. They already had knowledge of disabilities in the family as one of their Cousins children Iesha has Cerebral Palsy and now helps them out when they need advice and can be found demonstrating parts of the hotel in their videos.
One of the first adaptions installed was a changing places toilet. The first of its kind in a hotel in the UK.
The hotel which has 95 bedrooms, and 2 flats, now has 5 bedrooms which are adapted including profiling beds, hoists and wet rooms as well as some with interconnecting and dog friendly rooms.
Other parts of the hotel have also been adapted including the addition of a sensory room, a lift from the outside ground floor to the terrace and entrance and a ramped slope to the swimming pool with a hoist.
One addition which can help disabled people considerably are videos of the rooms and hotel areas, which are available on their website, therefore allowing people with disabilities to easily pre-plan their stay.
Speaking with Sammy Buck who has been to the hotel 4 times with her son Alfie who has quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and Severe Dystonia, said “It’s clear that they have thought of every scenario of things you might need.
Image Caption: Alfie in the Marsham Courts Changing
Places Toilet including Beach
Wheelchair which is free to hire.
Credit: Samantha Buck
Its not just the owners and management that have knowledge and lived experience of disabilities at the hotel. 21% of the staff have a declared disability.
Pippa who runs Life of Pippa said “Its really obvious when people are more comfortable around disabilities, that are able to have confident conversations, they know what language to use and the best way to communicate, that’s something that really stood out to me during my visit to the Marsham Court Hotel”.
Image Caption: Pippa enjoying a day by the sea.
Credit: Pippa Stacey.
By 2023 the hotel won their first award for Accessibility at the Catey’s. Reminiscing, a passionate James said “The sense of achievement, the sense of pride that we felt was just huge. but I think for us, the why is why it was such a big deal for us. Because it was a legacy thing.”
The Marsham Court has gone on to win more awards including Gold – Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Business from the Dorset Tourism Board.
They were also awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award, Robin from the Dorset Tourism Board advised “It was about the people involved there, Rosie, James and the family. They do a lot within the hotel, but they do an enormous amount within Bournemouth, within Dorset and across the tourism community nationally to encourage business to become more accessible, sustainable and also more dog friendly”.
The passion for accessibility and inclusion, was palpable during the interview, James said "we will never lose the drive for this, ever.”
The hotel which is run on a day-to-day basis by James, Rosie and Business Development Director Jane Landridge, gives back in so many ways through charity. After the pandemic they donated £1,000 to ten different charities. They also host multiple charity nights throughout the year, and are heavily involved in The Crumbs Project, which gives opportunities, including training and life skills to individuals with disabilities, neurodivergences, mental health conditions, stabilised addictions, or acquired brain injuries.
The hard work put in has not gone unnoticed, and last year James was appointed, by the UK Government as a Disability & Access Ambassador for the Hospitality Industry. James' main focus is to get as many hotels to install ceiling hoists as well as Pre-visit information on websites not just in hotels but across the hospitality industry including pubs, bars and restaurants.
James has also joined the Accessible Hospitality Alliance, which brings together industry and business minds who want to make accessible changes. Whilst the industry has a long way to go, James expressed that hotels are are sitting up and listening. Elite hotels attending talks to listen to lived experiences and transforming over 10% of the rooms into accessible ones and half of them have hoists.
James said “with the AHA, I always come away going, that was incredible. The movement is real… I promise you, there is a bit of a revolution coming. And I hope that you get to enjoy it.”
He stated that the traction for making hospitality accessible was moving forward, and developing. James advised he did not like the word fully accessible in the industry as what was accessible for one is not for another and that every venue cannot get it right for all.
However, the Marsham Court have a understanding of what is needed, even in terms of dietary requirements, from Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy to a blended diet being available.
When Sammy and Alfie stayed and asked what was available in the area that was accessible, staff went out their way to find places. Sammy said “when we went the following year, there was photographs up all around the hotel about accessible places to go.”
Image Caption: Alfie on a day out on accessible Bournemouth Beach
Credit: Samantha Buck
Having a family run hotel seems to be the key, it’s the heart of what they do. Robin agreed “The Marsham Court get it, because it’s through the family, it’s from the top, and you see it with all the staff… and that is what really makes them stand out.”
What the family have done in terms of Accessibility and Inclusion has not just affected the hotel, but the people who stay there, that come from miles just so they can experience a stay in comfort, for many for the first time ever; for staff that have been given a chance; for the charities that have benefited from hours of fundraising; the community that are given an opportunity; and the UK hospitality industry which is learning from the changes made by the Marsham Court who are leading in the industry.
The Marsham Court still has ideas of how to add extra accessible features but it mustn’t be forgotten as a sentimental James said “it was always inspired by our mum. It's really her legacy. It’s something that she left behind that would have an effect on so many people's lives.”
Written by: Victoria-Jayne Scholes
Legally Powered
Thank you to everyone who helped to write this feature.
Sammy and Alfie Buck @Don't Pass the Buck
Pippa Stacey @Life of Pippa
Robin Barker at the Dorset Tourism Board
James Dixon-Box and Jane Langridge of the Marsham Court Hotel
And lastly to Jennie Deavin for leaving the legacy on accessibility.
