How to Know if a Hotel Has Proper Disabled Access

Disabled-hotel-room Public buildings are required by law to improve facilities to give access to disabled Americans, after the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990. Since then, disabled travelers don’t feel restrained to move beyond their environment, thanks to the ADA. Hotels are part of the sector covered by the ADA enforcement. As not all people are familiar with the regulations, here are some of the guidelines to help you recognize disabled-friendly hotels.

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Parking Spaces

Parking areas must allot space for vans or vehicles that are used for handicap transport. The number of accessible spaces depends on the total number of parking slots in the entire parking lot. For self-parking, there should at least be one slot available.

Access to the Building

Access to buildings is an important part of the Disabilities Act. Ramps and walkways designed for wheelchair users should be built from the parking area towards the entrance of the hotel. Loading and unloading zones for public transportation like bus and cabs near the hotel must have wheelchair access as well.

Custom-made pathways provide ample space and must be free from obstructions for the benefit of visually impaired travelers. The materials used are also a concern, requiring constructed ramps to handle the weight of wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

Doors and Passageways

To enable disabled persons hassle-free entry to the room, doors should have an allowance of 32 inches of width for users of crutches and wheelchairs. The knobs or the door’s hardware should be handled easily without twisting or strong force, even with only one hand. The dead bolt or locks are within easy reach of wheelchair users, about 48 inches or lower.

Rooms

Like parking slots, the number of accessible rooms depend on the total count of accommodations in the hotel. If there are about a thousand rooms, then there would be more handicap-access rooms available.

Bathrooms

The bathroom or toilet poses serious concerns for disabled persons. Thus, the ADA reinforces many regulations related to bathrooms found in guestrooms.

• Grab Bars. Built on the side wall of the toilet and bathtub, grab bars are the most prominent feature of rooms in disabled-friendly hotels. The bar measures at least 42 inches in length and 36 inches long on the rear wall.

For the bathtub, the grab bar should be 24 inches long and installed not more than 10 inches above the tub, especially on the part where the faucet or control settings are located. The back wall must have two grab bars for sufficient support.

• Urinals should be constructed not more than 17 inches from the floor.

• Faucets. The type of faucet is a safety factor as well. The best ones for handicap access are the touch type, lever type and automatic type. For the latter, the water has to run for a longer period of time, about 10 seconds.

• Mirrors. If the mirror is located above a countertop or sink, it should be not more than 40 inches above the floor. Otherwise, mirrors cannot be placed higher than 35 inches from the floor.

Safety is a major concern for people who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids. Having hotels who do their part in giving safe access brings many opportunities for disabled people to be independent in their daily undertakings.

World’s priciest cities for a hotel room:

If you’re going to one of those cities be sure to call your banker first. While cities like New York are well known for their super high hotel rates ($320/night on average) other cities hold a hidden “sting”.

In Lagos, Nigeria, for example, you’ll shell out $341 per night on average and don’t expect a spectacular hotel in return. Moscow ($403/night), Geneva ($340/night) and Zurich ($332/night) join New York and Lagos to form the world’s top 5 priciest cities for a hotel room.