Handicap Room Defined

ADA accessible rooms are required in every hotel built after 1993.

The Americans with Disabilities Act celebrated its 20 anniversary in June 2010. Though common in most motels, few Americans are familiar with the history or requirements behind the ADA accessible hotel room.

History

The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990. All lodging facilities, including hotels and motels constructed after January 26, 1993 must comply with requirements mandated and regulated by the Justice Department. All lodging establishments built after 1993 are required to provide at least one handicap accessible room.

Purpose

ADA standards or specifications detail all architectural requirements as issued by the law and the Justice Department. These are written with the intent to make hotel rooms usable for those with disabilities. This is defined as those afflicted with blindness or low vision, deafness or hardness of hearing, and people with mobility impairments.

Requirements

The required ADA accessible room should include visual alarms for the hearing impaired and an entry providing a minimum 32 inch width. Hotels with over 50 rooms are required to provide a roll-in shower and a fold-down seat. An additional ADA room is required for every 25 rooms, up to 400 rooms. A full list of requirements is available in the Resource section.

References

• ADA: Common Problems
• Mobility Advisor: Wheelchair Accessible Construction
• Access Board: ADA Requirements

Resources

• ADA: Specifications