This topic connects to the day-to-day management of a hotel. Learn about our management approach, explore the operating platform and contact the team to discuss how it applies to your property.
A useful decision depends on information the team can find and act on, not merely a written rule. This guide offers a working method; confirm the property’s procedures, asset conditions and responsibilities before applying it.
- Put essential details in text that screen readers and magnification can interpret.
- Offer a clear way to request information or assistance in advance.
- Confirm the guest’s preferred format and describe actual facilities accurately.
Identify the information guests need to act
A guest may need to find the entrance, check-in process, room controls, breakfast hours, emergency instructions or a way to contact staff. Put this information in a stable location before arrival and make the path to it understandable. Avoid hiding essential details inside an image, a scanned PDF or a map without equivalent text. The Portuguese Tourism Board’s hotel accessibility guidance includes visual impairment and recommends attention to communication as part of the accommodation experience.
Ask what format or support would be useful instead of assuming that every guest has the same preference. Some people use a screen reader, others enlarge text or prefer a verbal explanation. State what the hotel can provide and confirm details rather than making broad claims such as “fully accessible.” VisitPortugal similarly advises guests to contact accommodation directly to confirm specific facilities; precise descriptions help both guests and teams make informed arrangements.
Make digital information work with assistive technology
Use semantic headings in a meaningful order, descriptive links and text labels for controls. Provide useful alternative text for images that convey information; mark decorative images so assistive technology can ignore them. Ensure the page can be navigated by keyboard and that text remains usable when enlarged. W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines provide testable criteria for web content, including support for people with blindness and low vision. A single automated scan cannot establish that a hotel website works well for every visitor.
Test booking, pre-arrival and contact journeys with a screen reader and magnification where possible. Check that dates, room choices, buttons and error messages can be understood without relying on visual position or colour. If an information resource is a PDF, confirm it has selectable text, a logical reading order and labelled headings; otherwise provide an accessible HTML version. Keep contact information in plain text as well as in linked buttons or QR codes.
Prepare the physical information and staff response
Offer to explain routes, facilities and emergency procedures in the format the guest requests. Staff should identify themselves, ask before offering assistance and give clear verbal directions without grabbing a person or mobility aid. Confirm what help the guest wants; do not assume a companion should answer. For a property visit, describe relevant features accurately: steps, lighting, lifts, room controls, signage and the route from reception. The accessibility guide from Turismo de Portugal offers hospitality-specific recommendations, but staff should use the guest’s own description of what is useful.
Keep emergency information consistent across accessible formats and staff briefings. Identify who is responsible for communicating an alarm or change in route according to the property’s safety procedures. A digital message should not be the only route to urgent assistance. Follow applicable local requirements and consult qualified accessibility and safety professionals when changing physical infrastructure or emergency plans.
Build an update and feedback loop
Assign an owner to the information and review it when a room, entrance, lift, service or emergency procedure changes. Record when it was checked and who can approve updates. Ask guests whether they could find what they needed, but make feedback optional and do not request medical details that the hotel does not need. Track practical problems such as a link that cannot be reached by keyboard or a staff member giving conflicting directions.
Prioritise issues that prevent a guest from completing a booking, entering the property or receiving essential safety information. Fix the source content and update every channel that repeats it. If a feature is temporarily unavailable, tell guests before arrival and offer a realistic alternative. Accessible communication is a service process involving the website, reservation team, reception and facilities; one accessible page cannot compensate for inaccurate information elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Should every image have alternative text?
Informative images need a concise description of the information they convey. Decorative images should not add repetitive content to a screen reader.
Can a hotel promise that every guest will be accommodated?
Avoid blanket promises. Describe facilities and services accurately, invite specific questions and confirm what can be arranged.
Is an accessibility statement enough?
No. The actual booking and stay information must be usable, and staff need a reliable process to answer questions and provide agreed support.