I feel like hotels do some things right, but it mostly depends on the hotel. Most of the things that make ease of access ideal in a hotel exist in the main lobby or public spaces. I have a platinum-tier status with our travel app, so I have an extensive understanding of hotels. My family travels quite a bit, so I can provide an in-depth perspective. In my recent travels, I haven't found a single hotel that made my access easy, but I'll tell you which hotel came the closest. Below are some of the most common problems and compliments related to hotels and persons with severe disabilities.
Room Design:
For individuals who use wheelchairs, traveling and finding suitable accommodations can be a challenging and frustrating experience. The lack of consideration for wheelchair users in hotel room design is evident in the numerous obstacles they face on a daily basis. The tables in hotel rooms are often too low for wheelchair users, making it difficult or often impossible for them to comfortably eat or engage in activities with their families.
The placement of the TV is often inconveniently positioned, making it impossible for wheelchair users to watch it with their children. The sofa has no room for me to pull my chair up beside them as I would at home.
The sinks are usually not wheelchair accessible, preventing me from carrying out simple tasks such as washing my hands or brushing my teeth without assistance. Although I always need assistance at the sink, I appreciate small considerations like using disposable cups to rinse my mouth when brushing my teeth. Extra space around the sink for the user and their caregiver.
The narrow doorways in hotel rooms not only impede wheelchair users' ability to move freely but also raise concerns about compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. Hotel managers must take proactive steps to understand and address the unique needs of wheelchair users by providing wider doorways, adjustable furniture, and accessible bathroom facilities. By doing so, they can ensure that all guests, regardless of their mobility limitations, have an enjoyable and comfortable stay. It is high time for the hospitality industry to prioritize accessibility and implement comprehensive accessibility standards that cater to the needs of wheelchair users.
Beds:
Transferring in and out of beds becomes nearly impossible due to the lack of space. The height of the bed, along with where my wheelchair can be placed to transfer, can be exhausting before even starting the transfer. Sometimes it is impossible to transfer from my chair to bed, and I sometimes think about sleeping in my chair. As a result of limited space for the chair in the room, my caregiver sometimes has to carry me across the room to get me on the bed.
We try to combat this by bringing our travel lift with us when transferring. There is rarely enough space under the bed frames to accommodate the lift. Even though our lift is small and designed to allow a quadriplegic to move and transfer easily. In 2023, I brought a travel lift with me to 20+ hotel stays, but zero of them allowed us to use it. This is a very frustrating situation, as it limits our mobility and independence. We can only hope that more hotels understand the importance of providing accessible accommodations for travelers with disabilities.
This hinders my ability to move independently, which is a major issue. How Hotels can improve for wheelchair users is by designing the rooms to accommodate wheelchair users' needs. To ensure the room is navigable, I would think they would consult actual wheelchair-dependent users.
Bathrooms:
Bathrooms in hotels for the disabled are normally tough. Using a walk-in shower causes a wet mess. I have a roll-in shower at home and my bathroom floor never gets wet. This is because my bathroom was designed to understand that I am wheelchair dependant. This means my showers are taken in a custom manual chair. Most hotel showers are not wide enough for my travel shower chair. Showers are so small that you get everything wet and slippery and that's a hazard.
Grab bars are essential for maintaining balance and stability while using the toilet or getting in and out of the shower. Without them, I am forced to rely on having a second caregiver for assistance, which can be frustrating, expensive, and diminish my sense of humanity.
Because all toilets are different in height, it is always good to check the commode height. You should also check if the toilet seat is wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. The bathroom should be fully accessible with grab bars, a raised toilet seat, and a sink that is low enough for a disabled person to use comfortably.
Parking:
Additionally, it is crucial that the handicapped parking space is wide enough to allow for the deployment of my lift without any obstructions. The space should also provide ample room for maneuvering my wheelchair or mobility device once I have safely exited the vehicle. It would be ideal if the parking space is located near the entrance of the hotel lobby, minimizing the distance I have to travel and reducing the risk of encountering any potential hazards along the way. Furthermore, clear signage and markings indicating the designated handicapped parking spots would greatly assist in ensuring that these spaces are not mistakenly occupied by other vehicles. Overall, having designated parking spaces that cater to the unique needs of individuals with medical-converted vehicles, like my SUV, would greatly enhance my ability to move safely and independently from my vehicle to the hotel lobby.
Noteworthy hotels:
The most ADA-compliant hotels we have ever had the pleasure of staying in is Homewood Suites by Hilton Grand Rapids Downtown. The customer service is phenomenal. It's easy to navigate the suite, and the roll-in shower is actually a roll-in shower. The location in town is perfect with easy-to-walk access to almost everything. The parking is rough because navigating the parking garage is a terrifying experience for a wheelchair user with children. There aren't enough accessible parking spaces, but we have stayed here several times over the last three years and will book again.
The second best would have won first place had the customer service reflected the quality of the room. In 2023, we booked one night at Marriott's Monarch at Sea Pine's. We did not book an accessible room because it was a rest point booking on our way home. The room was wonderful! I would love to see their accessible rooms because the regular suite was spacious, well-planned, excellently designed, and very wheelchair friendly. The shower was not wheelchair accessible nor was the back porch or pool from the room - but again I must reiterate that we did not request an accessible room knowing we were only using the reservation to eat and sleep.
Comments