Meeting Hotel ADA Requirements to Benefit All Guests

Why should someone with disabilities encounter unnecessary difficulties during their stay at a hotel they paid for? They shouldn’t. In the hospitality industry, being inhospitable isn’t an option.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was established and later updated to accommodate individuals with ranges of different abilities. Consequently, hotel ADA requirements address a wide range of difficulties guests might face each day.

Your choice of furniture and how it’s incorporated into your hotel design plays an important role. Consider how every guest must navigate every inch of their stay. Adhering to this detailed checklist of federal regulations will contribute to a safe, comfortable experience for your guests and strengthen your hotel’s reputation among individuals with disabilities and their advocates

Hotel ADA Requirements: 4 Areas of Focus

Every guest who decides to spend their hard-earned money at your hotel deserves a comfortable stay, regardless of their abilities. These four areas of focus for hotel ADA requirements help to create a more inclusive environment for all guests at the hotel:

1. Accessible rooms
2. Common areas
3. Communication features
4. Staff training

Note: These are just some of the Hotel ADA Requirements. It’s important to consult the ADA’s official guidelines or seek expert advice to guarantee full compliance.

1. Accessible Rooms

Space is already tight in hotels, and ADA-accessible rooms make it even more challenging. Your design should meet the following criteria for guests using wheelchairs or other mobility devices:

• Entrances to guest rooms and restrooms with at least 32” of clear passage and 54” of space on both sides of the door for 360 degrees of rotation

• Beds, chairs, and other furniture situated with at least 36” of clear passage for mobility

• Beds 20-23” in height from the floor to the top of the mattress

• Unhindered access to electrical outlets and data ports without stooping, kneeling, or reaching

• An accessible table has a surface height of no more than 34” and no less than 28” above the floor. At least 27” of knee clearance must be provided between the floor and the underside of the table.

While architects must implement dimensional aspects of a hotel's overall design, you must also make sure elements of your design don’t encroach on the space people with disabilities need. Poor placement of doorways, fixtures, or even safety instruments like fire extinguishers could block pathways and create potentially hazardous conditions.

Proper surveying and installation should work to overcome space limitations and avoid oversights.

2. Common Areas

Guests don’t spend all of their time cooped up in their rooms for the duration of their stay. They will be up and about, enjoying the amenities that your hotel has to offer. Hotel ADA requirements extend to common areas as well. We are going to focus on these four common areas:

Pathways and Ramps 

• Accessible routes: There must be at least one accessible route to all areas of the hotel, including those without elevators

• Ramp gradients: Ramps must have a maximum slope of 1:12 (for every 12 inches of horizontal distance, there can be no more than 1 inch of vertical rise)

• Handrails: Ramps must have handrails on both sides, extending at least 12 inches beyond the top and bottom of the ramp

• Curb cuts: curb cuts must be provided at all pedestrian crossings, with a minimum width of 48 inches

Doors and Entrances

• Door width: Doors must be at least 32 inches wide when open 90 degrees

• Door hardware: Door hardware must be operable with one hand and not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting. 

• Automatic doors: Automatic doors may be required in certain situations, such as at entrances and exits

Elevators and Escalators

• Accessible elevators: Elevators must have tactile and auditory indicators, Braille buttons, and a large, accessible call button.

• Escalator handrails: Escalators must have handrails on both sides, and the lower handrail must be at a height suitable for wheelchair users.

Restrooms

• Accessible stalls: Restrooms must have at least one accessible stall, with a minimum clear floor space of 60 inches by 56 inches

• Grab bars: Grab bars must be provided near toilets and sinks, with a minimum length of 42 inches.

• Lowered sinks: Sinks must be lowered to a height of 28 to 34 inches above the finished floor

• Accessible water fountains: Water fountains must be accessible to wheelchair users, with a minimum clear floor space of 30 inches by 48 inches

3. Communication features

Effective communication is important for providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all guests. Hotels must implement various communication features to help guarantee that guests with disabilities can access information and receive assistance such as:  

• Visual and Auditory Alarms: Provide both visual and auditory alarms to accommodate guests with hearing and visual impairments.

• Closed Captioning: Offer closed captioning for televisions and other visual media to benefit guests who are deaf or hard of hearing.

• TDD/TTY Devices: Make TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) and TTY (Teletypewriters) devices available upon request and train staff on their usage.

4. Staff Training

Your hotel staff are just as important as any feature or amenity that your hotel can offer. Effective staff training can help guarantee that your employees are ready to meet the needs of guests with disabilities and provide a positive experience. Here are some specific areas staff should be trained on:

• Disability awareness: Have a basic understanding of different types of disabilities and the challenges they may present

• Respectful interactions: How to interact with guests with disabilities in a respectful and inclusive manner.

• Knowledge of requirements: Be knowledgeable about the hotel ADA’s requirements.

• Ability to assist guests: Able to assist guests with disabilities in navigating the hotel and accessing its facilities and services.

• Effective communication: Communicate effectively with guests with disabilities, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Consider every guest in your hotel design

Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all guests should be a top priority for any successful hotel. Every guest has needs, and hotel ADA requirements mandate additional levels of consideration be given to those who may need a little more help.

Every detail, big or small, matters when it comes to your guest’s satisfaction.

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