Accessible rooms: booked right, held right, delivered right
A guest who needs an accessible room plans the whole trip around it. When the room isn’t what was promised, the trip is over. Most mistakes come from three gaps, and all three can be closed.
Updated October 2026
1. Describe the room with measurements
“Accessible” means different things to different guests. Record what they need to know: door widths, bed height, a roll-in or tub shower, grab bars, the route from the entrance and parking, visual fire alarms. Then guests can search by what they need, and decide for themselves.
2. Hold accessible rooms for the guests who need them
Offer accessible rooms last to guests who don’t need them, so they are still free for those who do. In the United States, the ADA’s reservation rules require exactly this, and travellers expect it everywhere.
3. Keep the room for the guest, and check it before arrival
Once a guest books an accessible room for its features, the room is theirs: never moved in a room shuffle. On arrival day, housekeeping confirms the features are ready, from the shower seat to a clear route.
What Ontario asks of every business (AODA)
Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the customer service rules apply to every business with at least one employee in Ontario. In short:
- Communicate in a way that takes a person’s disability into account, and allow assistive devices such as wheelchairs and walkers.
- Welcome service animals and support persons.
- When an accessibility feature is out of service, such as an elevator or an accessible room, give notice: why, for how long, and the alternatives.
- Train employees and volunteers on accessible customer service.
- Offer accessible ways to give feedback.
Businesses with 20 employees or more also file an accessibility compliance report every three years. The next deadline is December 31, 2026.
Businesses with 50 employees or more also write down their accessibility policies and make them available, keep a record of the training, provide documents in accessible formats on request, and keep a multi-year accessibility plan.
How TableFlow Hotels helps
Every room keeps its measured details. Accessible rooms are held for the guests who need them, locked to them once booked, and checked before they arrive. A private access-needs note is shown only to the staff who need it. The booking page and guest messages are built to WCAG 2.2 AA, and a building accessibility checklist keeps your common areas on record.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For your own obligations, see ontario.ca.