Building a comfortable, accessible experience for disabled guests

Following on from The Caterer’s round table event with hospitality accessibility experts to create better environments for the growing number of guests with disabilities, we highlight the importance of building comfortable accessibility into the design stage………

Building in time and cost for disabled access during the design of a restaurant or hotel is often considered a legislative element of the process. However, the ‘Purple Pound’ is worth £12 billion in the hospitality industry so ensuring that you offer comfortable surroundings in accessible areas is paramount.

One of the most basic goals of any restaurant is to provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience for every guest. Unfortunately, many guests with special needs find restaurant and hotel accessibility lacking, bringing unnecessary frustration or embarrassment to the experience of disabled customers and their companions. During the design process, think about the entire journey, end-to-end, from the guests arrival to their departure and take a step by step approach to building in appropriate accessibility which is in keeping with the comfort and décor that the non-disabled guests will experience.