Accessibility is not something most people even consider in their day to day lives. I have always had empathy for those with handicaps, whether that be mentally or physically, but gave little thought about how they got around, how they handled toiletry issues, navigating a restaurant or finding a hotel where their comfort mattered more than a government requirement to label a room ADA. Much of the world has not realized how inaccessible a city/place is until they are needing to deal with it as the patient or caregiver; many public spaces put limits on millions of Americans every day. This past weekend, that was our experience at a Marriott Hotel.
At the end of the day, accessibility is more than ramps, elevators, parking spots and bathrooms; accessibility is about community inclusion. Accessibility is about telling and showing people of all abilities that they matter and that they have a place in the world. Many people do not grasp the issue until they deal with it personally.
Our recent stay at the Marriott Pyramid in Albuquerque, NM was not a good experience. They had the requisite ADA room, but it had no qualities linking it to accessibility. Following is the letter I wrote expressing my disappointment.
January 9, 2019
Dear Marriott Corporate Office,
My husband and I recently had to travel to Albuquerque to get the ramp on our ADA van repaired (can only be fixed at an authorized Braunability specialist). As he is in a wheelchair, we have to call to make hotel reservations to be sure we get an ADA room. Making a reservation took several phone calls, one time a wait of 20 minutes and a hang up and finally I was told “Make the reservation online and then call the hotel directly to make changes”. It was not a smooth process, just frustrating.
May I first say that the staff at the Marriott Pyramid Albuquerque was exceptional. They were courteous, caring, helpful and kind. From front desk to house keeping to wait staff to and every person we met in the halls, we found kindness. Whoever is in charge of training has done a professional job and I applaud them.
The ‘public spaces’ such as atrium, restaurant, gym and pool were great. The rest of our stay was below par. Quite frankly our room was the worst ADA room we have stayed in- ever. I was so very disappointed having thought booking at the Marriott would at least be acceptable.
One thing we have learned in dealing with Parkinson’s Disease is that adapting and flexibility are key. The room had not one good quality, but we made it work.
Here are the difficulties we encountered and you may be able to remedy in a remodel.
Bathroom:
- The shower design is great, the only part of the bathroom that worked for us. However when I first transferred my husband to the shower seat there was a loud clunk and he dropped a bit. He remained steady and we adjusted; we figured the seat had locked in place. On the last morning I noticed that the plates and bolts that held the seat onto the wall were about a ¼” out from the wall at the top. It believe the screws are stripped and the whole seat needs to be reset.
- I suspect the bathroom (the whole room in fact) was an older ‘regular’ room and renamed ADA when the shower was changed. The sink does not work with a wheelchair. Russ could not reach the sink to shave. Water dripped everywhere. I suggest you try shaving and brushing your teeth with that sink while you sit in a wheelchair. ADA sinks have no lip so the person’s legs can go under the counter and they can snug up to it.
- Grab bars were installed and they were helpful.
- Someone in a wheel chair needs a bit of counter space to put toiletries, as they are not able to reach and bend as others can.
- The entry hall is very narrow. It was difficult to get him in and out of the room.
- There was congestion with doors opening on one another, easier for an able body person to navigate.
- The turning radius from hall to bathroom was very difficult as was the raised bathroom threshold for the wheelchair; I was needed to assist Russ into and out of the bathroom. (everywhere actually)
- How uninviting the entry closet was. With the old ‘regular’ room, the accommodation was to take off the closet door and leave the track! Really? How difficult would it have been to take out the track as well giving some turning radius for the wheelchair.
- The carpet was poorly patched and wrinkled throughout the room. It is very hard to move a wheelchair over carpet independently if you are at all weak. I admit there are many wheelchair people who have very strong upper bodies, but many do not. This particular room and poor carpet meant I had to do all the pushing.
- The chair in our room ‘looked’ nice but really should have been at the end of someone’s driveway with a FREE sign on it. The springs were broken and if one sits in it they sank into a well making it very difficult to stand up. As well, when you sat in it you hit the framing. We did try Russ in it and it was unacceptable.
- The furniture was a bit too bulky for a space that size if the room was designated ADA. There was just not enough turning radius.
- The bed was just too soft. We brought a bed cane with us to assist Russ getting in and out of bed, but still he needed my help. A harder or lower bed would have been helpful.
As I said, we have learned that life is not what we want and that it is our job to adjust; we did. But if you plan to do some remodel for ADA, I have some suggestions (guess you figured that out by now!). Our daughter is a successful, amazing architect (https://joanheatonarchitects.com) and even she has used the phrase “but it’s to code”. I suggest, if accommodating those who are not able bodied is important to you, that you speak with a few folks in wheelchairs. Code for door width does not in fact accommodate all situations. Code is a wonderful step in the right direction, I am grateful.
I am well aware that you cannot meet every need. It is just that about every one of our needs were not met after being told it was an ADA room; I was disappointed. I encourage you with some suggestions if you remodel.
- Do not put carpet on the floor. Use a Pergo or other wood laminate.
- Use a ‘real’ handicap sink
To meet ADA guidelines, sinks shouldn't be mounted higher than 34 inches from the floor, and they should have a knee clearance of 27 inches high, 30 inches wide, and 11 to 25 inches deep. You also need a clear floor space and insulated pipes under the sink. - Simplify and expand your presence, make all ADA rooms with roll in showers, not just walk in. Full grab bars all the way around and a stable seat. This will require some solid bracing behind the wall. I suspect the room we were in had the tub taken out and the shower put in without all the proper bracing in place for grab bars and seat installed behind the walls.
- Perhaps, to reduce hall congestion, you could use a barn door system into the bathroom.
- If you are working with an existing hotel I would suggest you make each ADA room the size of a room and a half so that there is adequate turning radius. In a hotel the size of the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid I would think you could make this happen.
- Many wheelchair people can transfer from chair to furniture, but soft and squishy makes that difficult. Consider the type of furniture you put in the room.
I felt like a cast off in our room, the cousin no one wants to see. Nothing about our room made us feel Marriott Hospitality.
“As the signature brand of Marriott International, Marriott Hotels is one of the most recognized names in the industry. Building on the brand’s longstanding tradition of hospitality excellence, Marriott Hotels continues to evolve with contemporary style and design and innovative approaches to delivering service and amenities. Marriott Hotels aims to be the leading global premium hotel brand among Generation X and Y travelers. Understanding how each guest, each culture and each moment is unique is Marriott Hotels’ secret to being a brilliant host. Marriott Hotels guests live by their own standards and creatively find solutions to make all aspects of life work seamlessly. Curious and discerning, they are selective about what is a trend vs. what is lasting and meaningful, and they gravitate to environments where they can relax and be themselves while remaining connected and productive.”
We did feel cared for by the staff and for that I am very grateful. Thank you for considering the overlooked population of those with disabilities.
Respectfully,
Linda Heaton
In my own impassioned way, I am wanting to educate people. I am hoping to help people like the person I was, to grasp the issues we deal with daily. I am no different than anyone else; if you don't experience it, you probably don't fully understand. Of course we cannot all know these things without experience, but if I can help one or more persons have a comfortable hotel stay, or ease entering a building or a caregiver to be proactive, than I will make the effort.
I realize that for some people interacting with a disabled person can be daunting. They don't want to seem patronizing or say the wrong thing so it is easiest to avoid the situation all together. For some people, interacting with a disabled person is a scary notion. They become afraid, not knowing what to say, not knowing how to treat the person as a person. They think more of themselves, not wanting to feel awkward or uncomfortable.
It is truly amazing what we have learned on this journey about freedom and choice and spontaneity. If we can share our story, we can open the eyes of others and encourage them to ease into this world filled with folks who need their care.