Plan the companion and accommodation details

Describe the practical needs before choosing a room

Write a short brief covering the number of guests and rooms, expected dates, preferred location and any access requirements you need confirmed. Ask the accommodation provider to confirm specific features rather than relying only on a general accessibility label.

A room photograph may not show steps at the entrance, bathroom layout, lift access or the route from the vehicle. Request the details that matter for your own plan. This is an accommodation checklist, not a clinical assessment of what support you need.

• Can the supplier confirm the room type and occupancy in writing?
• What is the actual route between arrival point, room and transport?
• What are the extension, cancellation and early-departure terms?

Separate room costs from per-person costs

Specify whether each rate is per room, per person, per night or per journey. Two travellers sharing one room should not accidentally be charged as two rooms in a planning spreadsheet.

Include the nights before and after any scheduled appointments that your provider advises. If dates are provisional, label them and compare flexible terms. The budget worksheet lets you change people, rooms and nights independently.

Make a workable transport and communication plan

For each transfer, note pickup location, destination, luggage, passenger count and the supplier's contact details. Clarify whether a quote is for one direction, a return journey or a time allowance.

Agree who receives updates, how the companion can contact the relevant team, and what information the patient has permitted to be shared. Being a companion does not automatically establish permission to access private records.

Leave room for changed plans

Ask about extending a stay, changing a transfer and adjusting a return ticket before you depend on them. A contingency amount is a planning allowance; it does not guarantee that additional costs will be covered.

Obtain real written confirmations for your stay, transport and support before treating any arrangement as booked.

Keep this checklist

Print this page or copy these headings into your notes. Keep sensitive medical details out of public planning tools.

• Confirm guests, rooms and nights separately.
• Request specific access details from the supplier.
• Compare cancellation and extension terms.
• Write down transfer scope and contacts.
• Agree communication permissions with the patient.