Hotels: ‘Joys’ of Accessibility.

Today, a couple of my friends wanted to book a hotel for a small city break. It was fine when they didn't search for accessibility features, but as soon as they did...all the AirBnBs vanished in the area and hotel results were reduced to around four.

Of those handful, only a few are actually accessible for me as some have steps leading into the building and no ramp...not exactly the best accessibility features for a physically disabled person with a mobility aid.

For my friends, this was a new, frustrating experience. For me, it was something I was already resigned myself to as soon as they started searching. It had already happened to me two weeks prior with another city break, after all.

When I mentioned this at a table of physically disabled people, we all shrugged and carried on, because this is the reality we face when travelling. We started sharing stories about hotels and inaccessibility, and though we laughed, our irritation and frustration at society was obvious.

My friends have phoned around, but all the hotels that offer 'accessibility' seem to lack even the most basic of accessibility features and ground floor rooms have an additional cost even though there is no lift to the upper floor.

The last hotel I stayed at was a big name hotel in a city...that decided to tell me that if I wanted to have an accessible room, I would be charged extra because it was 'bigger'. When I asked if they thought a form of disability tax was acceptable, they never responded.

I feel like apologising to my friends even though the lack of accessible hotels is not my fault. They have to keep telling me not to, I'm not inconveniencing them, but society is not being accommodating.

It seems like I still have a lot of internalised ableism to deal with, even though I have a very strong disabled identity. I guess we all keep on learning.

I've recently seen more and more tweets and posts about the shocking accessibility in hotels. Do they not think that disabled people travel? That we don't use hotels like everyone else? Why are these problems still happening?

One of the main problems I've faced when travelling with friends is that hotels that state they are accessible and aren't. Or, alternatively, they offer a lift and call the hotel accessible...but the bathtubs are knee high or the rooms have no room for mobility aids.

It's clear in many countries there needs to be closer inspections and policies about accessible rooms in hotels.

How?

Ask disabled people, work with them (and pay them for their time!), listen to us when we make complaints. Disability already comes with such a large pile of paperwork and stress, we don't write complaints for fun, we write them because we want real change and the commitment to change.

It would be nice to be able to book a hotel without the addition time, fees and stress just because I have a disability.

Have a nice summer, everyone!