Finding genuinely accessible accommodation can be one of the hardest parts of planning a trip. This checklist will help you confirm the room, bathroom and access features that matter most before you book.
Essential Room Accessibility Criteria
- ☐ Step-free entrance to the building and room
- ☐ Doorways wide enough for your wheelchair, including any equipment or attachments you travel with.
- ☐ Is there enough clear floor space for me to turn and manoeuvre my wheelchair comfortably?
- ☐ Flooring and thresholds that you can move across safely and comfortably, without unexpected steps, lips or difficult transitions.
- ☐ Light switches, power points and room controls positioned where you can reach and use them from your wheelchair.
- ☐ A desk or table you can approach and use comfortably from your wheelchair, if you need one.d
- ☐ Clear pathway between bed and bathroom
Bathroom, Shower & Toilet Requirements
- ☐ Roll-in / step-free shower (no hob/lip/tray edge)
- ☐ Are grab rails installed in the shower and toilet, where are they positioned?
- ☐ Shower controls reachable from seated position
- ☐ Do you have a shower chair or commode available, and can you confirm what type it is?
- ☐ Toilet transfer space on the required side (left/right)
- ☐ Sink roll-under access (no blocked cabinets/pipework)
Bed, Transfer Space & Furniture Layout
- ☐ Enough clear space beside the bed for you to position your wheelchair and transfer in the way that works for you.
- ☐ Bed height within 10cm of wheelchair seat height
- ☐ Furniture can be moved/repositioned by staff
- ☐ No fixed bed bases preventing hoist/leg positioning
- ☐ Clear path from the bed to the bathroom to exit
Questions to Ask Before Booking
- ☐ Does the bathroom have a step-free or roll-in shower without a hob, lip or raised tray edge?
- ☐ Is there enough clear space beside the toilet for me to transfer on the side I need?
- ☐ What is the height of the bed from the floor to the top of the mattress?
- ☐ What is the clear opening width of the doorway at its narrowest point?
- ☐ Can furniture be moved or repositioned to create the space I need?
- ☐ Can you provide real photos of the actual accessible room & bathroom?
Arrival Day Inspection
- ☐ Check that your usual transfers to the bed, toilet and shower are workable before you fully unpack.
- ☐ Confirm that you can access the bathroom and enter the shower safely with your wheelchair or usual transfer method.
- ☐ Check that the bed height and space beside the bed work for your usual transfer.
- ☐ If the room is unsafe or doesn’t meet your needs, ask whether another suitable accessible room is available.
- ☐ If no suitable alternative is available, ask to speak with the duty manager or another senior staff member.
Important Notes
Accessible features need to work for your actual needs, not just look accessible in a listing or photo.
A room is only truly suitable if you can enter, move around, transfer, use the bathroom, sleep and leave safely in the way that works for you
If the accessibility you were promised is not provided, raise it with staff promptly and clearly, and ask what suitable alternatives are available.