Americans with Disability Act: Hotel Requirements

After the adoption of the Americans with Disability Act, hotel requirements changed.  The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, requires hotels, motels, and inns built after January 26, 1993, to be usable by persons with disabilities.  The Justice Department publishes regulations that hotels must meet.  The regulations protect a wide variety of people, including persons with difficulty hearing and seeing, and persons with limited use of their hands or arms who need the assistance of a wheelchair. For example, the ADA mandates that hotels use  Braille and raised letter signs in all hotel common areas to assist individuals that have problems with their vision.

Exterior of the Hotel

The exterior of a hotel includes all areas around the hotel.  To make a hotel ADA compliant, the hotel must provide at least one accessible route that allows wheelchairs or other mobility aids to approach, enter and use each facility.  In addition, the accessible route must not include steep slopes, cross slopes, abrupt level changes or steps.  A hotel must also consider what objects are protruding into the hotel’s walkways.  For example, a low hanging branch or statue may protrude too far into the walkway and harm someone with low vision.

Guest Rooms

Guest rooms must also comply with the ADA.  Hotels must provide one accessible room for every 25 guestrooms.  The accessible toilet in the room needs to have a horizontal grab bar along the wall behind the toilet that is at least 36” long.  The bar provides assistance for those who may need additional help using the restroom.  In addition, for every 100 rooms a hotel must provide one room with a roll in shower.  A hotel must also provide visual fire alarms for persons who are deaf, and visual smoke alarm devices.  According to the ADA, a hotel must ensure that all entry doors to accessible guestrooms and other interior doors permit at least 32" of clear passage width to accommodate persons who use wheelchairs, crutches, and walkers. The security latch or bolt on the hall door cannot be mounted higher than 48" above the floor.  This ensures the latch is within reach of persons who use wheelchairs.  

Getting Legal Help

If you suspect a hotel is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act’s hotel requirements, contact a disability lawyer as soon as possible.  An experienced disability attorney can explain your legal rights and options to you.