Millionaire businessman Mike Holland can afford to stay in the most luxurious hotels.

But when it comes to booking one, he says he and his family face a constant battle because his son Christopher needs to use a wheelchair.

Now he has bought a Brighton hotel and plans to spend £3 million making it the most disabled-friendly hotel in the city.

The Abbey in Norfolk Terrace was home to Mr Holland when he first arrived in Brighton penniless 35 years ago.

While the hotel, which took in many long-term social security residents, went on to become known for fires, fights and other disturbances, Mr Holland started out as a jobbing builder and carved out a hugely successful career as a landlord and property developer.

The nephew of Eric Morley, who organised the Miss World beauty contests, he now lives with his second wife Nina in a luxury home in Withdean with its own indoor swimming pool.

One of his companies is developing the historic Stanmer House in Stanmer Park, Brighton.

Now he is going back to where it all began and has bought The Abbey through one of his companies, Thornton Lodge Hotels.

His determination to make it an ideal destination for disabled holiday makers is driven by the problems his own family has faced.

Christopher, 12, was born with cerebral palsy as the result of problems during birth at a French hospital.

He spends most of his life in a wheelchair, although he is progressing well at school and can walk with crutches.

Christopher loves going away on hotel holidays with his brothers Stefan, 13, and David, five.

But Mr Holland, 56, and his wife, Nina, 42, face difficulties because few hotels can accommodate the family.

Despite legislation aimed at making all buildings disabled-friendly, the Hollands find bedroom doors are often not wide enough for wheelchairs.

Mr Holland said: "It is impossible to access leisure suites, difficult to get to the restaurants and on to certain floors.

"We are sick and tired of having to fight for facilities for Christopher, quizzing every hotel we book to see if they can accommodate us.

"We have had horrendous difficulties and when we find a suitable hotel we sometimes have to book a year in advance.

"I don't want other people to experience the same difficulties at The Abbey.

"When it is fully refurbished I want it to be the most disabled-friendly hotel in the city.

"I don't want to turn anyone away because they are disabled.

"It is not going to be a hotel solely for the disabled. I want it to be the best medium-priced hotel in the city where businessmen, families and people of all ages feel at home."

He plans to reduce the number of rooms from 173 to 96, making most of them larger.

Some will have adjoining suites for carers.

Each room will have its own microwave, top-quality beds and be simply furnished.

When the refurbishment is complete, every room will have doors wide enough for wheelchairs and ramps to all parts of the hotel.

Areas will be colour coded to help partially-sighted people find their way around.

Mrs Holland said: "Christopher loves holidays and mixing with other children. We want him to live as normal life as possible and we want him to enjoy himself with our family.

"That requires finding hotels which are wholly accessible to wheelchairs."

The transformation of The Abbey marks the end of an era.

For the past 40 years it was owned by Ron Smith, who is now retiring at the age of 84 to hand over to Mr Holland, a neighbour in Withdean Road.

Mr Holland said: "I love The Abbey. It was fun to stay here. It catered for a need and I am grateful for the start it gave me."