
A few weeks ago, I went on a trip to Carpenteria with my partner. When I got to the hotel, I found out that we were given an accessible room. This week, I want to rank the accessibility of the hotel room I stayed in based on my experience needing accommodations without being a wheelchair user, and using the knowledge I have learned while being a disability advocate.
1. Room floor

The room was located on the first floor, which was very helpful because the elevator was out of order during my stay.
2. Bed

I want to rate the bed next, because most of the accessibility features were in the bathroom. The main thing I noticed with the bed, is that a wheelchair would easily fit on the left side of the bed, but not the right. The mattress slightly hurt my back, but overall the bed was comfortable, spacious, and felt accessible for my needs.
2. Shower Chair

I love that they had a shower chair. I personally didn't need it this time, but I did a lot of walking this trip and it was nice to know that if my legs really hurt, or if I overdid it, I had that option to shower safely. The slip mat for the shower is helpful for both the chair and any person who struggles to keep themselves steady. I was very happy to see this accessibility tool; I like how it could be used by those in a wheelchair and those who are still mobile with walking difficulties.
3. Shower

I did not like this shower design for almost every reason I appreciated the shower chair. The shower head only went as high as the handle bar, which makes it only accessible for those with a wheelchair. If you are any taller than me at 5'6", the shower head is not tall enough to reach your head. I have back pain, and so it is hard for me to use tools that make me bend backwards or forwards to use them. If the pole was higher and had a lever to move the height up and down, I think more people could use it. Also, the tub was not flush to the ground. This was great for a bath, but hard to climb into. The presence of a tub means the shower chair has to be lifted into the shower, instead of scooted into the shower. Overall, the shower had the largest issues for me, as the odds are that disabled people have families or partners who are not disabled. Therefore the shower should be accessible for everyone.
4. Toilet

These handlebars appeared helpful because they are at seated height, which makes them more effective to help lift yourself on and off of the seat if needed. I didn't need this feature, but I have had days where I cannot feel my legs for periods of time. When that happens to me, I rely on my arms to move me around until my feeling comes back.
5. Soap

The soap and hair care dispensers were accessed by squeezing them to release the product. However, many disabilities that affect the legs also affect the arms. I would have liked to see these be automatic so that those who struggle with hand strength can still use the products. It was fine for me to use, but I don't think it was universally accessible.
I would rate the accessibility of this room a 3/5 stars. All of the equipment was usable, and I could tell that effort was put into making the room accessible. However, I took off two stars because I do not think the tools were universally accessible. Some of the tools were only effective for those in wheelchairs, while others only accommodated issues seen with leg impairments. I advocate for universal design, where the same tools can be used by a variety of people. I think some changes could make this room accessible for a wider audience.
I hope you enjoyed reading about accessibility in hotel rooms. If you have any questions or ideas of places for me to review, please send me a message at @Anniekrollblog on Instagram and Facebook. Thank you for reading, and I will see you next week!
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