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

Guiding Techniques. It is a routine practice in many hotels to offer assistance to guests in finding their rooms and other facilities. It may be a reasonable modification of this practice to assist guests who are blind or who have low vision in wayfinding throughout their stay. If it appears that a guest would benefit from a sighted guide, you may identify yourself and offer assistance. If assistance is accepted, you may offer your arm to the guest. The guest will lightly hold your arm directly above the elbow. You should not pull or push the guest or hold his or her arm. Instead, relax and walk at a comfortable, normal pace. Allow the guest to walk a step or two behind you, and indicate changes in terrain, such as stairs, narrow spaces, and escalators, by hesitating briefly as you approach them and explaining what you are about to do. When seating the guest, ask if you may show him or her the back of the chair. If the response is yes, simply place the guest’s hand on the chair back. When it is time for you to leave, indicate that you are leaving his or her presence. Staff should not touch or remove mobility canes unless requested to do so and should not interfere with service animals such as guide dogs.