Hotel Accessibility Checklist: Questions to Ask When Booking

Hotel Accessibility Checklist: Questions to Ask When Booking, Red Flags in Hotel Listings, and How to Verify Access Claims Before You Arrive

Hey everyone, Andy Wright here from Andy Wright Travel! If you’ve watched my vlogs, you know I don’t just chase sunsets and street food — I chase real accessibility so that wheelchair users, mobility-impaired travellers, and anyone with hidden disabilities can actually enjoy the trip instead of fighting the hotel. Over the last ten years, I’ve stayed in a lot of properties across the world, and I’ve learned one hard truth: the word “accessible” on a booking site means almost nothing until you verify it yourself.

That’s why I put together this no-fluff Hotel Accessibility Checklist. Use it when you’re comparing options, emailing the property, or deciding whether to hit “book now.” It has saved me from disaster more times than I can count — from a “fully accessible” Lisbon hotel that had three steps to the lift, to a beautiful-looking resort in Bali whose roll-in shower had a 10 cm lip and no grab bars.

1. Questions to Ask When Booking (Always Email or Call — Never Rely on the Website Alone)

Don’t accept “yes, we have accessible rooms” as an answer. Be specific and ask for the exact room number or category they’re offering you. Here’s my go-to script:

Entrance & Getting In

• Is there a truly step-free path from the main drop-off/pavement/parking to the lobby and to my room? (Measure any slopes — steeper than 1:12 is tough for manual chairs.)
• Are entrance doors automatic or do they have a button at wheelchair height?
• Is there a portable ramp available if needed, and who will set it up?

Lifts & Circulation

• Does the lift go to my floor? What are the internal dimensions? (Minimum 110 cm × 140 cm for most power chairs.)
• Are there Braille buttons and audible floor announcements?

The Actual Bedroom

• Clear width of the bedroom door and bathroom door? (I need at least 82 cm / 32 inches clear.)
• Distance between bed and nearest wall/furniture for side transfer?
• Bed height from floor to top of mattress? (Ideal 48–58 cm.)
• Is there a 150 cm × 150 cm clear turning space inside the room?
• Height of light switches, thermostat, wardrobe rails, and peephole?
• Desk/kitchenette clear knee space underneath?

Bathroom (the make-or-break zone)

• Is it a true roll-in shower with zero threshold?
• Fold-down shower seat and grab bars on both sides?
• Grab bars beside the toilet (one fixed, one drop-down) and 40 cm clear transfer space?
• Roll-under sink with knee clearance?
• Non-slip flooring and emergency pull cord?

Extra Needs

• Visual fire alarm and vibrating pillow for deaf/hard-of-hearing guests?
• Accessible parking space within 30 m of the entrance with level access?
• Can I bring my service dog / portable hoist/shower chair without an extra charge?

Ask them to reply in writing and attach photos of that specific room. Polite persistence works wonders.

2. Red Flags in Hotel Listings (Run if You See These)

These phrases and images scream “we haven’t thought about this”:

• “Accessible room available” or “disability-friendly” with zero photos or details.
• Stock photos showing bathtubs, high beds, narrow doorways, or carpets with thick pile.
• “Steps to the entrance, but staff will assist” — code for “we’ll carry you.”
• No mention of roll-in showers on a property that claims full accessibility.
• Reviews (even one or two) mentioning “had to go up stairs,” “shower lip,” or “room not as described.”
• The hotel website has an accessibility page, but it’s just a generic ADA paragraph copied from 2015.
• Booking platforms show a green “wheelchair accessible” tick, but the hotel’s own site says nothing.

If the listing looks too good and the price is suspiciously low, dig deeper.

3. How to Verify Access Claims Before You Arrive (My Personal Toolkit)

1. Visual Proof First: Ask for a 30-second video walk-through (WhatsApp or email) of the exact room they’re holding for you — from lobby to lift to bedroom to bathroom. I’ve had hotels send me crystal-clear videos that revealed a surprise 5 cm threshold they “forgot” to mention.
2. Third-Party Eyes
   • AccessAble.co.uk / AccessAble.com — their photos and measurements are gold.
   • Google Reviews filtered by “wheelchair” or “accessible” — read the last 12 months.
   • TripAdvisor accessibility tags + recent photos uploaded by guests.
   • YouTube: search “[hotel name] accessible room tour” — you’d be surprised how many fellow disabled travellers have filmed exactly what you need.
3. Street-Level Check Google Street View the entrance and surrounding pavement. If it shows kerbs with no dropped sections or a steep driveway, that’s your answer.
4. The 48-Hour Confirmation Call Two days before arrival I ring the front desk, quote my booking reference, and ask them to describe the room out loud. If the person sounds unsure, I ask to speak to the duty manager or housekeeping supervisor.
5. Apps & Communities I keep Euan’s Guide, Wheelmap, and the Disabled Travel community on Facebook bookmarked. Real people post unfiltered photos within hours of check-in.

Final Thought from the Road

Hotel accessibility isn’t about ticking boxes — it’s about whether I can actually get out of bed, shower, and leave the room without needing three staff members and a prayer. The extra 15 minutes you spend verifying now can save you hours of stress (and sometimes hundreds of euros in last-minute re-bookings) later.

Drop a comment with your own horror stories or lifesaving tips — I read every single one and often feature the best in future vlogs.

Safe, accessible travels, Andy Wright, Wheelchair traveller, vlogger, and your biggest advocate for honest hotel access.