Accessibility tips for hotel management INTERNATIONAL
Every hotel is different. Hotels can be cities, with over 1.000 rooms or as small as 2 rooms as in a lovely family hotel in an Asian mountain village.
Accessibility 101 for hotels
Hotels have a focus on families, on business people, or both.
We feel that accessibility should be a standard, a given in every hotel, lodge or holiday home. There are many little things you can do to make the accommodation more accessible.
Here is a list every hotel can use to make a huge difference for hotel guests.
The room
Melanie, Hotel Inspector
10 easy eye openers, door openers and easy scores
Accessibility 101 for hotels
No cost, no investment – just a little amount of time and service
Make a smashing entrance
1
Make sure the door spy is at the correct height for wheelchair users.
If there is already one in the door, just add one.
2
Make sure all coat, towel and other hooks and knobs are at the correct height.
In the restaurant
3
Introduce a standard policy to use the ‘reserved’ sign during breakfast or dinner hours on tables nearby the buffet for guests in a wheelchair or with visual impairments.
4
Welcome assistance dogs with fresh water and dog biscuits.
In customer services
5
If a wheelchair user is with another person never assume that the other person will take care of your job. They are both staying in your hotel.
6
Use information from other hotel guests about accessible locations or tourist sites nearby (theaters, parks, shops, restaurants, musea, etc) and add this to a special folder you can hand out to hotel guests who would be interested.
A business approach
7
If you need advice, go talk to people with experience, people with a disability.
Invite the local/regional adaptive sports club (wheelchair tennis, surf club, swimming club, athletics or other). Also, meet with accessibility consultants in your area, and invite them for dinner.
Let them advise you. They really know.
Another video – hotel accessibility
8
Carpets and wheelchairs are not well together.
9
Happy and satisfied customers will return. If the accessibility in your hotel is great, news will travel fast in a large international community. It is such a great added value.
10
Awareness is the biggest win factor that will put your business above others. Start today!
Accessibility 101 for hotels
Hotel Info Downloads
We have created info sheets for hotel staff – easy to read pdf files. In the guides you will find important and practical tips how to welcome guests with a visual impairment or with a guide dog / assistance dog in your hotel. Download them here.
Guests with a visual impairment
Guests with a visual impairment in French
Guests with Assistance dogs
