OK to book handicapped accessible room if able-bodied? Elite upgrades?
 

Suppose you are Hilton Gold and you see a really good deal on a handicapped room in a Hilton-family hotel. You book it, even though you aren't handicapped, to save some money (over $100/night in this case).

When you get there and there is availability in a better non-handicapped room, will they upgrade you?

Or will they only upgrade you to a better handicapped room or suite, assuming there is such a thing?

Or neither? Do they look at you to determine whether you are indeed handicapped before making their decision?

Is it considered improper for an able-bodied person to book a handicapped room to save money?

The hotels I am looking at for this are specifically in Chicago, but info about policy at other locations is welcome. Thanks.

Ive booked them for the same reason, at the same time i understood that I just might be stuck in it. I usually add a comment that this Diamond member would appreciate an upgrade to any room and that a Handi-Cap room isnt necessary what so ever. Other times a call to the Hotel was able to have me keep the same rate and they switched me.

1 time they said no to a change of rooms, and a few days before my arrival called and said they would change my room as they were out of The Handi-Cap rooms and needed mine. I told them I wasnt interested in changing my room any longer and expected to have the Handi-cap room when I got there otherwise they will have to walk me and pay for my nights Lodging etc. They werent too happy, I told them all of this could have been avoided when I orginally called , but was told under no circumstances would The Hotel give me areg room at that rate. Now that The Hotel can use my room , you want to move me, Now I dont want to be moved.

Is it considered improper for an able-bodied person to book a handicapped room to save money?

Is it improper to park in a hadicapped space to save a few steps?

Utterly different situations.

There are laws against using a handicapped parking space if you aren't entitled, and you will be fined and/or towed if caught.

I know there aren't laws against me occupying a handicapped room, as I have been placed in them by hotel managements, most recently two weeks ago at Disney.

I've been given a handicapped room as an 'upgrade' several times at various Hilton brand hotels as both a Gold and a Diamond. Usually it's only for a night or two.

Without such a comment, I would expect never to be "upgraded" out of a handicap room.

BTW, I believe the designation is "accessible."

So you screwed over a handicap person to make a point to the hotel? You didn't really even hurt the hotel, you just screwed over the handicap person. Nice. I've heard some low down things on here, but this just may take the cake. Do you trip old ladys and still candy from babys as well? :mad: :td: :td: :td:

YIKES! Chill, bud. He hardly "screwed over" anyone. He just reserved a room that happens to be accessible, usually at Hilton meaning a few design changes in the bathroom. Doesn't mean he'll get it. More of a reserving of the RATE, not the room.

Did we forget to take our meds today? :p

As a person with a disability, I consider it absolutely unacceptable to book an accessible room when one is not needed, no matter the circumstances or the price. It is the ethical equivalent of parking in an accessible parking space, whether it is illegal or not.

Those rooms are there for people like myself who require those design modifications in order to complete basic, everyday functions like taking a shower. It is possible that harm will come to me if I'm forced to use a shower or other facilities without these modifications.

In the end, it is possible that you end up screwing a person who really needs the room. What if your hotel is the only hotel in the neighborhood with appropriate accommodations in that price level?

Consider also that many people with disabilities are limited in their transportation options. Renting a car may not be practical. Taxi use may be neither practical nor economical. Public transportation is hit or miss depending on the city. That hotel may be the only one within reasonable distance of the person's final destination, and you have possibly taken the last room available to that person at that hotel, out of greed, laziness, or general disregard for others.

I always find it interesting that Hilton offers the accessible rooms (whatever they call them) at a lower rate.

If you do reserve it, make sure to put a note in your comments that you do not necessarialy need an accessible room, and if somebody does, please take it.

I've been given one several times as an upgrade, and I've reserved them when presented with them.

I've never felt I was taking it from somebody, indeed when given it at check in it was fairly obvious to me that somebody else wasn't getting a regular room.

Like anything else, Hilton I'm sure on many days has way more accessible rooms available then they do people using them. They offer them at a discount to get people to reserve them.

I've been upgraded a couple of times at my local Garden Inn to an accessible room. Since it's usually a Jr. Suite, I don't complain.

The only difference I note is that the shower is the walk-in variety (and I love it) and there's a bit more room in the suite.

I would never book one (I've never even seen one offered at a lower rate -- maybe because I don't look for them), but I assume that Hilton knows what it's doing when they assign me the room.

If they asked me to to move I would do it in a heartbeat.

Please keep this discussion civil and on-topic.
 

Some comments were made in this thread that are just shy of qualifying as personal attacks.

Although this can be a controversial issue, please keep this discussion civil and on-topic.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Regards,

Canarsie
Co-moderator, Hilton forum
________________________

Now I am posting as a fellow FlyerTalk member and not as a moderator:

In all of the years where I have stayed in hotel rooms, there have been a few times where I have had no choice but to stay in a room designated for handicapped persons.

As far as I know, there was never a problem. Regardless, I would rather not stay in rooms meant for disabled people.

Actually I thought the person w/ disability made valid statements, so I'm not sure who was referred to (unless OT comments were edited).

Speaking only for myself, I DON'T reserve handicapped rooms (since I'm not) nor would I.

I've only been 'upgraded' once to one at arrival (and I'm assuming the hotel had no reservation for that room). Only dif in that case (can't remember hotel or chain) was a dif toilet & tub/shower.

Would I book a room for disabled if it was $100 cheaper? No. Much as I'd be tempted, I am totally not willing to take something away from someone who will need it.

And yes we can say Hilton wouldn't offer it if it wasn't available, but what if someone logged on after us & truly needed the room & it wasn't available because I took it?

Everyone has their own ethics line; that's one of mine. YMMV.

Cheers.

Umm.. no. He reserved the accessible room to get the lower price, all the while hoping he would get a regular room. When he didn't get one, even after he called, he apparently had a snit, and when Hilton called to ask him to take the regular room he really wanted, because they needed the handicap room he chose to make some pathetic statement. Why do you think the Hilton wanted the room back? Because someone with a disability was staying there and NEEDED the room. Instead, this ***** keeps the room he doesn't NEED OR WANT just to make some pathetic point. Utterly dispicable in my book. :td:

Ironically, the reason we have laws against non-disabled folks parking in accessible spots is because we can't count on people to do the right thing and no park in them absent such laws. As this thread illustrates, it seems we need similar laws for hotel rooms. Sad.