35 years after ADA, people with disabilities still find hotels unaccommodating
NPR • • nation
Key Points:
- Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requiring hotel accessibility for over 35 years, many wheelchair users still encounter significant barriers such as inaccessible bathrooms, improperly designed rooms, and tall beds that are difficult or unsafe to use.
- NPR's survey and interviews with wheelchair users reveal frequent issues including inaccessible reserved rooms, lack of staff training, and inconsistent enforcement of accessibility standards, leading many travelers to feel like "second-class citizens."
- Hotel industry representatives acknowledge the importance of accessibility and report efforts to improve staff training and accommodations, but challenges persist due to high staff turnover, complex hotel ownership structures, and fear of litigation.
- Problems extend beyond guest rooms to hotel facilities such as parking, front desks, pools, and shuttle services, while
