ADA Guide for Places of Lodging: Serving Guests Who Are Blind or Who Have Low Vision

Check-In and Check-Out Procedures

Front Desk. Hotel staff working with guests who are blind or who have low vision should introduce themselves by giving their names and functions.

Do not make assumptions about the extent of a person’s visual acuity. Instead, you should inform the guest what services – including alternate format materials such as Braille, large print, and audio cassette versions of printed material normally provided to guests – are available, offer assistance, and be guided by his or her response. Many hotels have found it helpful to have a package prepared for guests who are blind or who have low vision. This package might include items such as alternate format materials, a high contrast template to fit over the telephone keypad, and a list of available services, such as increased lighting in a guest room.

If a guest refuses assistance or an offer of a particular accommodation, the law requires you to respect this refusal. If your guest requests assistance, let him or her guide you in the most effective way of responding to the request. You should not ask a guest for documentation that he or she is blind or has low vision. If more than one person is in a party with a person who is blind or who has low vision, you should treat the group as you would any other and communicate directly with whomever approaches and speaks to the desk clerk; if the person who is blind or who has low vision is the one to approach the desk and ask for a room, the staff should talk directly to him or her rather than any travel companions.

Using Appropriate Language. Use disability-sensitive language and etiquette. Using words such as blind, visually impaired, seeing, looking, watching television are acceptable words in conversation. Similarly, using descriptive language, including references to color, patterns, and the like, is appropriate. When referring to guests with disabilities, refer to the person first, then the disability.

Forms and Documents. Upon request, staff should read fully, and provide assistance in completing, registration folios, hotel bills, service request forms, and other documents. You may find it more helpful to your guests to provide frequently used documents – including registration instructions – in Braille, cassette tape or telephone recording, and large print. Many people who are legally blind or who have low vision are able to read documents printed in 18 or 20 point type in a sans serif font such as Arial.

Payment. When handing currency to a guest, bills should be individually identified and counted. Credit cards should be handed to guests after imprint, not simply laid on a counter or table. A piece of cardboard or a plastic or metal signature template can be used to indicate where a signature is required. Train your staff to simply place a cardboard edge horizontally below a signature line or orient the opening of a signature template wherever a signature is required.

Room Keys. Use of a passcard-type room key may be difficult for a guest who is blind or who has low vision. It is often not possible to determine by touch which way to place the card into the locking mechanism. One solution to this problem might be to place a small piece of tape on the card running in the same direction as the visual arrow and inform the guest as to its significance. Alternatively, a small corner of the card – on the side opposite the magnetic strip – can be clipped for easy tactile orientation.

Room Selection. Do not assume that a person who is blind or who has low vision will require or want to be placed in a room designated for people with disabilities. Just as you would with other guests, ask the person about his or her preferences. If someone is traveling with another person but they have requested separate rooms, ask whether they would prefer to be in adjoining rooms. For security reasons, most hotel receptionists inform the guest in writing of his or her room number. While guests who are blind or who have low vision should be told their room numbers orally, care should be taken so third parties do not overhear this information.

Information in Alternate Formats. Guests who are blind or who have low vision should be informed of all front desk information that is available to other guests through visual means – such as posted check-out times and acceptable methods of payment. All information that is available to others should be made available to people who are blind or who have low vision, in Braille, large print, audio recording, or orally. Some hotels have found it helpful to put all relevant information into a single package and inform guests who are blind or who have low vision of its availability at check-in.

Reviewing the Bill. Staff should give the guest a printed copy of his or her bill, even if the person cannot read standard print without assistance. If requested, you should also provide a large print copy. Staff should offer to review the entire bill with the guest in a way that respects the guest’s privacy. When the person has checked out, offer to provide assistance in locating the shuttle bus or a taxi.