There Is Room at the Inn: Inns and B&Bs for Wheelers and Slow Walkers by Candy Harrington describes properties in 40 states. The book features reviews of 117 lodging choices, from Victorian inns and quaint B&Bs to mountain retreats, a dude ranch and even two safari parks.
Accessible Inns are Welcoming
The author has been writing about accessible travel for a dozen years.
“Many innkeepers have made their properties accessible because they have friends or family who are disabled," she says. "Others have done it because they want to welcome all guests.”
The locations in the book have the right combination of physical access and personal welcome. As far as access goes, Harrington’s basic requirement was that a person in a wheelchair had to be able to get through the door, get into the guest room and use the bathroom.
Accessible Bathrooms
Knowing that bathroom preferences vary, her list includes tub/shower combinations, roll-in showers and even low-step showers that can accommodate a shower chair. She strives to describe the access so that readers can make appropriate choices.
“I don’t just state that something is or isn’t accessible, because what is accessible to one person may present some serious obstacles to the next,” Harrington said.
Disability Attitudes Crucial
The innkeeper’s attitude also played an important role in property selection for the book.
"People want to go where they feel welcome, not merely accommodated, so I looked for innkeepers who had a genuine understanding of access issues,” Harrington said. “I happened across several innkeepers who had very accessible properties, however, they said they only wanted to attract guests that weren’t too disabled. Those properties were, of course, not included in the book. I spent just as much time interviewing innkeepers as I did measuring toilets.”
Harrington’s book is much more than a listing of accessible accommodations. She includes interesting details about properties, the owners and nearby attractions.
A Few Highlights
In Logansport, Ind. guests can stay at a luxurious B&B housed in a renovated 1849 dairy barn. Inntiquity is located on 23 acres near Purdue.
The owners of the Whale Walk Inn in Eastham, Mass. learned the importance of providing accessible accommodations when they took a B&B course. Despite being built in the 1800s, Carriage House 1 has wide doorways, a roll-in shower, roll-under sink and a gas fireplace. It’s a 10 minute drive to the Cape Cod National Seashore which has accessible nature trails and beach wheelchairs available for free.
B&Bs Appealing to All Travelers
Part of the appeal of a B&B is the attention to personal service and staff who know the area attractions. The Professional Association of Innkeepers International estimates there are 20,000 inns worldwide, with an average room rate of $143.90. Many offer specials, particularly during midweek or offseason — check online or call the property.
The number of B&Bs offering accessible lodging is growing. Harrington is continually discovering more, and says she just might write a second edition of There Is Room at the Inn.
There Is Room at the Inn: Inns and B&Bs for Wheelers and Slow Walkers, by Candy B. Harrington, 219 pages + index, 2006, $21.95. Demos Medical Publishing, (800) 532-8663.
If you are visiting a destination that is not in Harrington’s book, you can search for accessible B&Bs using the following websites:
BnBFinder has more than 3,000 listings in the U.S. and Canada. Use the “advanced search” feature and check the “handicap accessible” box. Consumers looking for a bargain should check the “current specials” section which is updated daily.
Bed and Breakfast Inns Online lists handicap-accessible inns under the “amenities” heading. The website has more than 5,000 domestic and international properties. Want to get a taste of a particular destination before you travel? Try one of the 2,000 “Innkeeper-tested and guest-approved” recipes showcased on the site.
See Related Articles
See In Search of an Accessible Vacation Home for more information about ensuring adaptable accommodations for travelers with disabilities.
Read Finding an Accessible Room Beyond ADA Compliance to learn more about accessible hotel rooms.
