What Hostels Still Get Wrong About Accessibility

Hostels have changed the way we travel: they offer community and affordable places to stay and open the doors to the world.

However‚ in terms of overall accessibility‚ there's still a meaningful gap․ While meaningful advances have been made throughout the hospitality space‚ many hostels still see accessibility as an afterthought or a compliance checklist․

Real inclusion is about making sure that travel is genuinely for everyone‚ which means realising the budget accommodation sector is not catering for everyone․

Characteristics of Accessible Hostels

In order for a hotel to be classified as accessible, it should comply not only with the UK government building regulations on accessibility, but it should also comply with Part M of the Building Regulations 2010 and the duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. In general, some of the guest rooms and all guest and employee common areas in hotels should be accessible to disabled individuals.

The Myth of the "Accessible Room"

Many hostels make the mistake of focusing only on the bedroom and thinking it's enough to make the hostel accessible. That is the wrong approach. If the road to the room is full of roadblocks, that's not accessible. Here are some of those common roadblocks:

• Step-only access to rooftop bars, common kitchens, and laundry facilities.
• Doors, especially fire doors, are heavy and cannot be opened independently from a seated position.
• Bunk beds are arranged with tight clearance gaps, making it impossible to manoeuvre a mobility aid.
• Roll-in showers that lack basic fold-down seating or reachable grab bars.

Focusing on Digital Access

Accessibility doesn't just pertain to the physical world; it begins at the initial point of contact for a traveller when they book a room. How one provides a means of accessing the facility, how you protect that access, and the security of your Wi-Fi network – they are all important factors in establishing accessibility.

Access Control – How Your Hostel Protects Space

Many contemporary hostels have adopted the latest access control technology, including key cards, PIN codes, and RFID wristbands. While these technologies are important, what really counts is to actually restrict entry to unauthorised individuals.

Most hostels are independently owned and run as small businesses, which means they rarely have a dedicated IT team watching over their systems. Anyone with the intent to hack into the hostel's computer system and cause chaos could exploit these devices to gain unauthorised access, putting both the hostel's and its guests' data at risk. That's why encrypting the access-control technology and running a reliable firewall or antivirus for a small business is a must.

Does Inclusivity Training Matter?

It is the social environment of the hostel that makes up its soul, yet sometimes this social element is the point where accessibility totally fails. With common rooms providing high-top tables only or hosting group trivia quizzes on the mezzanine floor without a lift, disabled travellers are effectively being excluded from the community.

Going Beyond Staff Training Compliance

Changing how we view travel and accessibility goes beyond the physical aspects. Hotel and hostel staff also need training to welcome everyone with equity and equality. Front-of-house teams need to have proper training to communicate without making assumptions about the guest's specific needs.

Prioritising accessibility training empowers individuals and is a step towards a more inclusive society. Investing in accessibility training for employees is equivalent to investing in your business.

Going Forward: Welcoming Everyone

With more people looking towards the aspect of travelling and discovering new places, accessibility is becoming something hostels shouldn’t ignore anymore. If a hostel manages to provide all the requirements for accessibility, both physically and digitally, and the staff members are trained to give the guests empathy and respect, then it allows travellers to explore the world with ease.