1203 - Keys, Beds, and Barriers: Designing a Pilot Tool to Unlock (True) Hotel Accessibility

Thursday, February 19, 2026

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM AST

Co-Author(s)

CL

Carla Lee Kim, MD

Research Lead
Philippine American Physiatrist Association (PAPA)
Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic

Co-Author(s)

KP

Kurt Panganiban, BA

Medical Student
Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific
Cerritos, California, United States
AN

Amogh Nagol, BA

Co-author
Drexel University College of Medicine
Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, United States

Presenting Author(s)

KF

Kai O. Francisco, BA

Medical Student
Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
East Lansing, Michigan, United States

Co-Author(s)

NT

Niña Carmela R. Tamayo, DO, MS, MPH

Founder/Physiatrist
Prime Directives PM&R, LLC
Lakewood, Ohio, United States

Submitter(s)

CL

Carla Lee Kim, MD

Philippine American Physiatrist Association (PAPA)
Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic

Objectives: Travel for people with disabilities (PwDs) is limited by barriers beyond physical access. A 2019 pilot study by Zuziak et al. demonstrated that online hotel accessibility features were poorly defined, and inconsistently reported. This study aims to address this gap by identifying key features for accessibility and creating a standardized scoring scale to help PwDs plan travel.

Design: We applied a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) method to develop a 26-item Hotel Accessibility Scoring Scale (HASS). A literature review of ADA guidelines, prior travel and disability and accessible hospitality research was conducted to identify essential accessibility features, informing the development of a scoring system emphasizing the needs of PwDs when choosing lodging. Each feature was scored as present (1) or absent (0). As a follow-up to the 2019 pilot study, the scale was applied to a sample of properties from the previously highest-rated hotel franchise in Manhattan, NY, with data collected directly from official hotel websites.

Results: All hotels had at least one accessible guest room and 32-inch entry/bedroom doors, but none mentioned hallway width data, slip-resistant floors, bedroom or bathroom turn radius, accessible bed railings, hand-held showers, or motion/voice-activated lights. While 75% reported roll-in showers, only 8.3% noted in-shower seats and 43.8% listed grab bars. The highest overall accessibility score was 14/26 (53.8%), achieved by two hotels.

Conclusions: Hotel accessibility reporting remains inconsistent and lacks standardization. While basic elements are often listed, crucial details—such as maneuvering space and bathroom supports—are frequently omitted or vaguely described. The 26-item scale captured a wide range of features, but is a pilot tool. Future refinements include forming clearer definitions, incorporating input from people with disabilities to weigh essential features, and expanding to additional hotel chains. Greater transparency—explicitly stating ADA compliance—would help travelers with disabilities identify suitable accommodations.