This specific issue addresses hotel management and staff in particular, as they will be accommodating the disabled tourist during his/her holiday period. It is thus important that they provide the maximum degree of autonomy and independence to their disabled guests.

A hotel perfectly accessible to all persons with disabilities does not exist but with some practical and technical advice the situation can be much better than expected. If the hotel has some technical aids available, the staff should know how to use them.

It is possible to identify a list of actions, which are fundamental for people with disabilities, as they are also for all of us.

Horizontal Circulation :

• Provide a specific parking place near the entrance;
• Ask somebody of the staff to park the car;
• Do not use carpets or organise circulation routes without carpets;
• Provide a direct entrance with a standard door (instead of a revolving door);
• Move all objects which can be obstacles;
• Equip all stairs with gripping bars and install wheelchair ramps;
• Use different texture on pavements and contrasting colours;
• Use non-reflecting materials on pavements and walls in order to avoid false perception that people with visual impairments may have.

Doors :
They should have a width of at least 75 cm, the ideal situation is 90 cm for electric wheelchair users. If necessary, the bathroom door can be removed.

Vertical Circulation :

Lifts and stairs :

• The best solution is to provide accommodation for wheelchair users on the groundfloor;
• In the lift, the buttons indicating the floors should provide the information in Braille and be embossed;
• A mirror will give the possibility to a wheelchair user to identify the floor where the lift stops.

Direct communication should be possible without obstacles (e.g.: reception desk, which is usually too high for a wheelchair user):

• Plan to organise another possibility in the reception hall where staff and client can seat together and have a friendly dialogue;
• To start a dialogue with a blind person give a touch signal in order to let him/her know that you have to give information or ask questions;
• When you are with a deaf person do not forget that you can write down what you want to communicate;
• An induction loop placed in the reception hall may be useful for persons with hearing aids.

• Produce the general information about the services in large print version and in Braille;
• Telephone booths should be accessible to all users;
• One text-telephone should be available at the reception for deaf people;
• Safety instructions must be placed at an accessible height.

• The bathroom should be accessible to wheelchair users: width of the door, space for turning with a wheelchair, gripping bar near the toilet seat and besides the bathroom. The ideal situation is a shower without edge;
• Have a shower-chair available on requirement as well as a raised toilet removable seat;
• The washbasin should be placed at a height accessible for wheelchair users.

• For deaf people, it is of crucial importance that they can be informed in case of fire alarm: in case of non availability of special equipment, the staff has to be informed on bedrooms occupied by deaf people;
• Staff should be trained for emergency situations;
• Disabled persons may need help in case of emergency; it is therefore important to provide the list of rooms occupied by disabled guests to the hotel staff.

• In case of self-service restaurant, people with disabilities should be served at the table upon request;
• Some technical aids should be available like specially designed plates, forks, knifes, spoons and straws;
• If the restaurant hs seats fixed to the table, there should be a place for wheelchair users where the seats are not fixed.