Archie’s Blairgowrie. Mornington Peninsula
Finding genuinely accessible holiday accommodation can be incredibly difficult, especially when you’re living with a progressive condition and your access needs change over time. What worked a few years ago might not work now.
Planning trips can involve a lot of research, plenty of questions, and sometimes a bit of trial and error. That’s why discovering places like Archie’s in Blairgowrie on the Mornington Peninsula feels so special.
This family run holiday home has been renovated with accessibility in mind, and it’s clear that lived experience has shaped many of the decisions here.
No accessible space works perfectly for everyone. But when you walk into a place and can tell someone has really thought about how people move through it, it makes a big difference.
Here’s how the access worked for me during my stay.
As always with my reviews, I share the details that help people with access needs plan ahead, the good, the tricky, and everything in between.
Getting there and arrival
Archie’s is located in Blairgowrie on the Mornington Peninsula, about a 90-minute drive from Melbourne depending on traffic.
Parking is available directly at the property in a secure carport, which makes unloading luggage or mobility equipment much easier.
Entry into the home is step-free through a widened doorway, so getting inside felt straightforward right from the start, always a good sign.
Inside the house
Once inside, the layout opens into generous living spaces with plenty of room to move around using mobility aids.
The kitchen, dining and lounge areas flow together in an open plan layout, which makes navigating the space feel easy and uncluttered.
Large windows bring in lots of natural light and give the whole house that relaxed beach house feel, perfect for a Mornington Peninsula weekend away.
Bedroom setup
Bedroom one includes a queen hi-lo bed, which is a huge win for accessible accommodation and something you rarely see in holiday homes.
The doorway into the bedroom is a little tight. I was still able to get through using my mobility aid, but it did require a bit of careful manoeuvring.
A portable hoist is also available for use inside the home, which adds another level of support for guests who may need it.
Bathroom access
The bathroom has an open layout with a roll-in style shower, providing plenty of space to move around.
At the moment there are no grab rails or built-in shower chair, which may make transfers trickier depending on your mobility needs. I brought my own shower chair for the stay and have left it there for future guests to use.
There’s also a roll-under basin, and the toilet area includes grab rails and a backrest.
The open layout of the bathroom reflects the needs of the family who own the home, who also use a hoist.
As always with accessible accommodation, it’s worth checking whether the setup works for your own access needs before booking.
Outdoor access and pool
One of the standout features of Archie’s is the pool hoist.
Seeing a pool hoist in a private holiday home is incredibly rare, and it makes the pool far more inclusive for people who need additional support getting in and out of the water.
The outdoor deck has level access from inside to outside, making it easy to move between spaces with mobility aids.
From the deck, there is currently a portable ramp down to the grass and pool area. I managed this comfortably in my chair, and i’ve been advised there are plans in place to add a permanent ramp from the deck down to the pool.
Little details like this show that accessibility here is something that continues to evolve.
Who this stay might suit
Archie’s could work well for:
families travelling with disability
guests who benefit from a hi-lo bed
people using mobility aids who prefer open living spaces
travellers looking for a more inclusive beach house stay
My thoughts
Accessible holiday homes are still incredibly hard to find in Australia, which is why places like Archie’s Blairgowrie are such a great find.
It might not tick every accessibility box, but the thought and lived experience behind the design really shows.
When a place works, you can finally relax and enjoy the trip instead of constantly thinking about how you’ll manage the space… and that freedom makes a huge difference.
Invited stay — all access feedback is based on my honest experience.
This review is part of my Accessible Staycations & Weekends Away series, where I explore accommodation based on real-life access.
