Acessible room.... Isn't.
Jul 14, 2014, 2:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA, USAir, UA
Posts: 868
Acessible room.... Isn't.
Went on-line and booked 2 nights in the Days Inn - Mission Valley/Qualcomm for myself and my elderly father who is confined to a wheelchair. San Diego in summer is tough to book....lots of big events & lots of tourists led me to book w/ this two star place. I'm not worried that the place is under renovation...
Except....
On arrival, there is no obvious way for a handicapped individual to get to the front desk, as it's down a flight of stairs. Yes, you can reach it from the underground parking garage, if the contractors had not decided to camp out with their equipment in the handicapped parking space nearest to the office.
On check-in, the guy at the desk mentions the room they have assigned does not have a roll-in shower. "Will that be a problem?" I ask if there are accessible bathing facilities. He says, just a tub. I said, we will see.
So I get to the room, and it seems OK at first glance. A queen bed for each of us. Low desk that dad can use his wheel chair at. It's comparatively clean and newish. (for a two *) Layout is a bit strange and tight for a chair, but not impossible.
Until I look in the bathroom. And it's nice...but not particularly accessible.
The sink is 36" high, which puts it awkwardly high for wheelchair use. The toilet has *no* grab bars, just an encircling extension of the sink counter on the back and one side, and the tub/shower on the other. And it is a standard molded-fiberglass tub & backslash. No transfer bench. No installed or portable seat. Standard high fixed shower nozzle instead of a hand shower. No grab bars. The only apparent concessions to accessibility seems to be a horizontal hand rail on the opposite side of the room from the tub, a lack of enclosure under the sink, and a wide enough door. I'm more than a little horrified, as I'll suddenly have to help dad w/ clean up & toilet, because he *won't* be able to use these by himself.
My complaint to the desk is met w/ a shrug, and "that's what we have." I note the lack of ADA compliance, and they mumble that they will mention it to the owner... "tomorrow."
What should I do?
Except....
On arrival, there is no obvious way for a handicapped individual to get to the front desk, as it's down a flight of stairs. Yes, you can reach it from the underground parking garage, if the contractors had not decided to camp out with their equipment in the handicapped parking space nearest to the office.
On check-in, the guy at the desk mentions the room they have assigned does not have a roll-in shower. "Will that be a problem?" I ask if there are accessible bathing facilities. He says, just a tub. I said, we will see.
So I get to the room, and it seems OK at first glance. A queen bed for each of us. Low desk that dad can use his wheel chair at. It's comparatively clean and newish. (for a two *) Layout is a bit strange and tight for a chair, but not impossible.
Until I look in the bathroom. And it's nice...but not particularly accessible.
The sink is 36" high, which puts it awkwardly high for wheelchair use. The toilet has *no* grab bars, just an encircling extension of the sink counter on the back and one side, and the tub/shower on the other. And it is a standard molded-fiberglass tub & backslash. No transfer bench. No installed or portable seat. Standard high fixed shower nozzle instead of a hand shower. No grab bars. The only apparent concessions to accessibility seems to be a horizontal hand rail on the opposite side of the room from the tub, a lack of enclosure under the sink, and a wide enough door. I'm more than a little horrified, as I'll suddenly have to help dad w/ clean up & toilet, because he *won't* be able to use these by himself.
My complaint to the desk is met w/ a shrug, and "that's what we have." I note the lack of ADA compliance, and they mumble that they will mention it to the owner... "tomorrow."
What should I do?
Jul 14, 2014, 8:00 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: IAD
Programs: United MP
Posts: 7,822
Find another hotel. Next time, call the property and ask what specific accessibility features are in the room. Don't accept it when someone says it is "accessible". To most that word seems to mean that there is a ramp, or that you can get to the room with a wheelchair. They don't think about the bathroom, or anything else.
Jul 14, 2014, 8:34 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Rio Rancho, NM - USA
Programs: DL, UA, WN, Amtrak, Hyatt, Accor
Posts: 1,793
If this happened to me I would escalate the issue. I would write letters to the local general manager and to the CEO of Days Inn. At the very minimum the total cost of the room should be refunded.
Jul 15, 2014, 9:24 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: DEN
Posts: 1,962
In a perfect world, yes, you should find somewhere else and Days Inn should refund your money.
In a non-perfect world, ask for a shower bench. You may have to ask more than one person - head of housekeeping is most likely to know. If (hard to believe) they don't have one, insist that they rent one.
I'm very leery of motels under construction - the accessible stuff (parking spaces, curb cuts, accessible routes) always goes under the bus first, because of the perception that nobody really needs that stuff.
In a non-perfect world, ask for a shower bench. You may have to ask more than one person - head of housekeeping is most likely to know. If (hard to believe) they don't have one, insist that they rent one.
I'm very leery of motels under construction - the accessible stuff (parking spaces, curb cuts, accessible routes) always goes under the bus first, because of the perception that nobody really needs that stuff.
Jul 15, 2014, 4:03 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA, USAir, UA
Posts: 868
Too late now...
Checked out this morning. Well.... Tried to.
Got dad & his chair into the elevator (we were on the 3rd floor), pressed the button for the garage level, door closed... And nothing. Pressed "door open," nothing. Pressed the other floors...nothing. Only button that seemed to work was "alarm" So I pressed that... and pressed that... and pressed the sucker on and off for TEN MINUTES. No response. Finally tried my cell phone, and it had bars. Called the front desk. Put on hold. Finally got the desk clerk. Told him I was stuck in the rear elevator. 5 minutes later the elevator gives a jerk and the door opens. I wheel dad out to a clerk outside the door on the 3rd floor. Turns out the elevator alarm *does not sound to the front desk.* ...?!? Clerk shrugs, "...that's the way it's always been."
Wheel dad to the other elevator, which thankfully works. Had to wait for a prior guest with *other* complaints to check out. No, she can't speak to the manager, he's not here (11 am). When it's my turn, I ask for corporate ADA number. Desk clerk can't be bothered....here's the general customer service number... Decided that I'd had enough of his attitude and left.
Checked out this morning. Well.... Tried to.
Got dad & his chair into the elevator (we were on the 3rd floor), pressed the button for the garage level, door closed... And nothing. Pressed "door open," nothing. Pressed the other floors...nothing. Only button that seemed to work was "alarm" So I pressed that... and pressed that... and pressed the sucker on and off for TEN MINUTES. No response. Finally tried my cell phone, and it had bars. Called the front desk. Put on hold. Finally got the desk clerk. Told him I was stuck in the rear elevator. 5 minutes later the elevator gives a jerk and the door opens. I wheel dad out to a clerk outside the door on the 3rd floor. Turns out the elevator alarm *does not sound to the front desk.* ...?!? Clerk shrugs, "...that's the way it's always been."
Wheel dad to the other elevator, which thankfully works. Had to wait for a prior guest with *other* complaints to check out. No, she can't speak to the manager, he's not here (11 am). When it's my turn, I ask for corporate ADA number. Desk clerk can't be bothered....here's the general customer service number... Decided that I'd had enough of his attitude and left.
Jul 15, 2014, 5:16 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: GEG
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Lifetime SkyClub, AS MVP
Posts: 2,410
Jul 15, 2014, 8:55 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
Too late now...
Checked out this morning. Well.... Tried to.
Got dad & his chair into the elevator (we were on the 3rd floor), pressed the button for the garage level, door closed... And nothing. Pressed "door open," nothing. Pressed the other floors...nothing. Only button that seemed to work was "alarm" So I pressed that... and pressed that... and pressed the sucker on and off for TEN MINUTES. No response. Finally tried my cell phone, and it had bars. Called the front desk. Put on hold. Finally got the desk clerk. Told him I was stuck in the rear elevator. 5 minutes later the elevator gives a jerk and the door opens. I wheel dad out to a clerk outside the door on the 3rd floor. Turns out the elevator alarm *does not sound to the front desk.* ...?!? Clerk shrugs, "...that's the way it's always been."
Wheel dad to the other elevator, which thankfully works. Had to wait for a prior guest with *other* complaints to check out. No, she can't speak to the manager, he's not here (11 am). When it's my turn, I ask for corporate ADA number. Desk clerk can't be bothered....here's the general customer service number... Decided that I'd had enough of his attitude and left.
Checked out this morning. Well.... Tried to.
Got dad & his chair into the elevator (we were on the 3rd floor), pressed the button for the garage level, door closed... And nothing. Pressed "door open," nothing. Pressed the other floors...nothing. Only button that seemed to work was "alarm" So I pressed that... and pressed that... and pressed the sucker on and off for TEN MINUTES. No response. Finally tried my cell phone, and it had bars. Called the front desk. Put on hold. Finally got the desk clerk. Told him I was stuck in the rear elevator. 5 minutes later the elevator gives a jerk and the door opens. I wheel dad out to a clerk outside the door on the 3rd floor. Turns out the elevator alarm *does not sound to the front desk.* ...?!? Clerk shrugs, "...that's the way it's always been."
Wheel dad to the other elevator, which thankfully works. Had to wait for a prior guest with *other* complaints to check out. No, she can't speak to the manager, he's not here (11 am). When it's my turn, I ask for corporate ADA number. Desk clerk can't be bothered....here's the general customer service number... Decided that I'd had enough of his attitude and left.
Jul 17, 2014, 11:03 am
#8
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
San Diego is a city with resources to deal with this issue:
Office of ADA Compliance and Accessibility | City of San Diego
1200 Third Ave., 9th Floor
Suite 924, MS-56G
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 236-5979
TTY: 711
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sandiego.gov/adacompliance/
Information will be made available in alternate formats upon request.
The mission of the City of San Diego Office of ADA Compliance and ... operated or funded by the City is fully accessible to, and useable by, people with disabilities.
Please do you father and every other individual who might have to deal with this property's noncompliance a favour and report them.
Office of ADA Compliance and Accessibility | City of San Diego
1200 Third Ave., 9th Floor
Suite 924, MS-56G
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 236-5979
TTY: 711
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sandiego.gov/adacompliance/
Information will be made available in alternate formats upon request.
The mission of the City of San Diego Office of ADA Compliance and ... operated or funded by the City is fully accessible to, and useable by, people with disabilities.
Please do you father and every other individual who might have to deal with this property's noncompliance a favour and report them.
Sep 29, 2014, 11:40 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23
I agree that don't go back on that hotel ever again. Ask for the amenities first before booking on any hotel and ensure that you can have everything that you will need. It is really hard to travel with someone disable but we can surely make them happy as they see different places despite of their disabilities. We should give them the comfort that they will need along the way so we have to ensure comprehensive planning on transportation, food and accommodation. Disabled love ones deserve comfortable travel and that is something that we can offer to them with our care.
Sep 29, 2014, 11:50 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
In California, you can sue for lack of adequate handicap access, a route which has unfortunately been abused by some plaintiffs and lawyers. With so many problems at this location, I'd report them to the folks noted above to assure the problems get addressed, and write the manager a letter insisting on a refund of your money for a pretty uncomfortable stay. If they offer accessible rooms they ought to actually have them.
I've found La Quinta hotels have good accessible rooms (I've been assigned to them randomly) and generally great staff, so that might be an option in the future in the SAN area.
I've found La Quinta hotels have good accessible rooms (I've been assigned to them randomly) and generally great staff, so that might be an option in the future in the SAN area.