The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) took bold steps to see that disabled Americans were given greater access to public accommodations throughout the nation. However, despite the ADA's efforts in this area, it is not always easy to find and reserve wheelchair-accessible accommodations, particularly online. The following hotel chains have taken steps to help wheelchair-bound travelers and their families readily find rooms that will meet their special needs.
With more than 4,000 independently owned and operated hotels, Best Western is the largest chain of single-brand hotels. To track down wheelchair-accessible rooms at one of its many properties, visit the company's homepage and fill out the "Find a Hotel" prompt with the city and state of your prospective destination, along with the dates on which you want to check in and check out. Search results will list all the properties in the area you plan to visit. To find out about specific room offerings, click on "Check Availability." If the hotel is available, click on the "View Available Rooms" tab, which will produce a list of different room offerings and their respective rates. Check for a room designated handicapped that meets your needs and click to reserve.
Best Western International
http://www.bestwestern.com/
With more than ten different hotel brands under its banner, Choice Hotels International offers a wide variety of lodging choices. You can begin your search for a wheelchair-accessible room by filling in basic data on destination and dates of stay in the form on the chain's homepage. This will bring up a list of available properties in your destination area. Select one by clicking on the "Check Rates" tab. This will open up another menu that includes a variety of room preference options, including "Accessible Features."
Choice Hotels International
http://www.choicehotels.com/
The Hilton hotel chain encompasses not just Hilton hotels but a number of other popular brands as well. These include Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inns and Homewood Suites. To find a wheelchair-accessible room in one of the chain's properties, click on the "More Search Options" tab on the "Find a Hotel" prompt on the chain's Web site. Then, in the "Hotel Features" section of the advanced search page, click on "Accessible." You'll then want to fill in the specifics of the area in which you're seeking accommodations and the appropriate dates. Click on "Go" to bring up a list of hotels that meet your needs.
Hilton
http://www1.hilton.com/
The InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) includes such widely recognized hotel brands as Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, InterContinental and Staybridge Suites. To find a wheelchair-accessible room at one of IHG's properties, click on "More Choices" within the "Find an IHG Hotel" prompt on the chain's Web site. This will give you a broader set of options, including most importantly the ability to indicate a preference for a wheelchair-accessible room or suite. You then can narrow your search by filling in your desired destination city and the dates of your intended stay.
InterContinental Hotels Group
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/