Do you know what it feels like to find a hotel or tourist attraction that really gets accessibility?
It feels like your travel possibilities just got bigger!
You can come back to this place again and you know you’ll be accomodated.
It even feels like someone out there actually cares about your needs.
On the other hand, when a hotel falls short of being accessible at all, it’s more than disappointing.
It can be the worst part of your trip.
Here are 6 super easy ways you can use accessibleGO.com, the travel platform for people with disabilities, to improve hotel accessibility.
#1 Know the Power of You Have
The device you’re reading this on has an Amazon.com rating.
What if every hotel and tourist attraction had an accessibility rating?
Accessible travel would truly open up.
There would be a public benchmark for hotel managers to strive for in order to win business from guests who care about accessibility (roughly 50 million Americans).
As silent individuals, things won’t change much.
But as a vocal, connected community, we can transform accessible travel.
The first thing you need to know about accessibleGO is that the travel platform is powered by the Priceline Partner Network, the world’s largest online accommodations network.
That means you can feel quite confident that the place you want to review for accessibility is listed on accessibleGO.com.
The only question is, how to write reviews that make a difference.
#2 Praise the Hotels that Get Accessibility Right
Ah, the power of positive feedback.
The best way to make sure you get more of what you want is to leave positive feedback for the establishment you visited.
When you find a hotel, motel, resort or tourist attraction that did a great job making your visit accessible, you want to encourage that kind of service.
Yes, do thank them in person. But when you also praise the venue publicly on accessbileGO, your positive feedback goes much, much further.
Your review helps send more business to the venues that deserve it.
#3 Let the Hotels that Fall Short Know How to Improve
Don’t let them get away with it.
The travel industry is highly competitive. Hotels and tourist attractions can only afford to ignore the aspects of their business that they think are ignorable.
If you had a negative experience, or even a mixed experience, you don’t have to feel powerless to do something about it.
accessibleGO’s 5-star system lets you rate the venue’s accessibility based on your personal experience.
For example, here’s a 4-star review of the Hampton Inn & Suites Milwaukee/Franklin hotel.
A reviewer on accessibleGO felt that this hotel got almost everything right for accessibility, but…
Great Accessibility July 2018
I have stayed at many Hilton brand hotels. I find the Hampton Inn in Franklin, WI to have the best accessible rooms. I was there in July of this year and had reserved an accessible room with a tub. I had wanted a roll in shower but waited too long to make my reservation. Oh well! The room I did get was wonderful! It was huge and there was so much room to move around with my walker or wheelchair. The bathroom was a wonderful size as well with bars by the accessible height toilet and the number of grab bars that were in the tub were more than I have seen in any other accessible tub. My only complaint is that the beds are way too high. I wouldn’t be able to stay there alone as i need help getting in bed when the bed is too high. This is a newer hotel and they did the accessible rooms better than many other Hilton brand hotels. I will always stay there when visiting in that area.
A general manager of a hotel will likely care much more about a negative review of his or her hotel when it’s publicly available on accessibleGO than if they hear it through the grapevine from employees (and who knows if the staff even share your feedback with their boss).
#4 Share Accessibility Tips for Other Travelers
We’re smarter together.
Be sure to include tips for other travelers when you write your review on accessibleGO.
accessibleGO gives you a “Tip” box so this is super easy.
Here’s an example of a great tip from one reviewer, Tracey H., who stayed at Thunder Valley Casino Resort in California.
Tip for traveler to choose an accessible room:
If you are wheelchair bound then get the room with the roll in shower. If you are on a cane or walker the other deluxe rooms ending in “08” are closer to the elevator.
Thank you Tracey H. for your amazing advice!
#5 Write Awesome Accessibility Reviews that Make a Difference
While every review helps, here’s how to make yours count.
Instead of writing short, generic statements like this:
Vacation October 2018
Went to have some time with my spouse. We were very pleased with our time there.
Take just an extra two minutes to add a couple magic ingredients to your review.
A) Give specific reasons for your positive or negative experience. What made the disability access work for you? Why would you go there again, or not go there again?
B) Give specific examples that will answer questions other guests might be wondering about.
When you write accessibility reviews like that, you really make a difference for other people.
And if it’s the hotel management checking out your review, they’ll know exactly what matters to guests like you!
#6 Get Involved with accessibleGO
accessibleGO is a travel community being built for you.
There are lots of easy, fun, and rewarding ways you can get involved with this travel community.
Write accessibility reviews
You should be an expert on this now! Head over to accessibleGO.com and search for the hotel or attraction you want to review.
Share accessibleGO’s travel articles with others
Giving someone a great travel idea could be the first step towards some of their fondest memories.
Sign up for the accessible travel forum
There are so many questions to ask and so many excellent answers to share with one another.
Be sure to sign up for accessibleGO’s upcoming travel forum.
Utilize hotel discounts of 10-60% off
accessibleGO has a hotel discount program, only for people with disabilities.
Not only do you get great discounts on select hotels, motels, and resorts, but when you book your hotels through accessibleGO, it supports their efforts to improve accessible travel for everyone.
Ask about accessibleGO’s Super Reviewer program
If you travel frequently and disability access matters for you, contact accessibleGO about their Super Reviewer program. contact@accessiblego.com
Write for accessibleGO
The accessibleGO team is always looking for great writers who love accessible travel. If you have a blog and would like to write a guest post, they’d love to hear from you.
Learn more about accessibleGO’s vision for improving accessible travel: vision.accessiblego.com
For more information about the clubGO hotel discounts, visit clubgo.accessiblego.com.
To learn how your non-profit can offer clubGO to its members, send an email to contact@accessiblego.com.
