Accessible holiday accommodation: check the details you need
What defines ‘great accessible holiday accommodation’?
By Kim · Originally published 24 February 2016
What participants can ask before booking an accessible room
Describe the features you need and ask about the actual room being reserved, not a generic example. Confirm entrances, bathroom space, equipment, bed access and routes to shared facilities. Request relevant measurements or current photographs where useful and keep the written response.
Check cancellation terms and what happens if promised equipment is unavailable. Current travel guidance recommends researching facilities and discussing specific needs directly. Ordinary holiday costs are not automatically eligible NDIS expenses.
Original article and dated context
Kim has been working in the disability sector for over 25 years. She has worked for a number of agencies in a range of roles including direct support, policy development, consultation, coordination and management. For more, call Montrose Therapy & Respite Services on 1800 193 262 or visit their website at www.montrose.org.au.
Planning a holiday is a big task. Where to go, when to go, how to get the best deal… but then add ‘must be accessible’ to the list and you have a real challenge on your hands.
Holiday accommodation options promising to be ‘wheelchair accessible’, ‘disability friendly’ and ‘inclusive’ sound great, but are they really what they say they are?
So, what defines ‘accessible accommodation’? More importantly, what defines ‘great accessible holiday accommodation’?
Accessible, by definition, means to be able to approach, enter and use. Accessibility is not generic – it is different things for different people, and therein lies the answer to our question. Great accessible accommodation is accommodation that meets your needs, accommodation that you can enter and use freely, fully and safely.
A person with a vision impairment may identify accessible accommodation as the provision of large print signs, uninterrupted textured pathways and handrails. A person who uses an electric wheelchair may identify it as wide pathways, a mobile hoist and an electric bed with a profile mattress.
Stories abound of ‘accessible venues’ that upon arrival offer a small ramp to the first flight of stairs or an ‘accessible toilet’ that can be accessed at the end of the narrow, inaccessible corridor.
With no standardised accessibility measurement tool currently in use within Australia, it can be difficult for accommodation providers to accurately assess and communicate their accessibility to would-be holiday makers.
__Helpful Tip: A strategy to ensure a venue is a good match for you is to design a checklist. __
Identify your essential requirements and create your own unique list. Inspiration can be found through formal avenues such as the Australian Standards or by googling the rich and diverse offerings online. The most important thing is that the checklist clearly identifies your requirements. Your checklist will help to determine if ‘accessible accommodation’ is accessible to you!
Holiday bookings are often made online or from afar. There are many online booking sites that identify the ‘accessibility’ of accommodation. Some sites do this really well by identifying and listing accessible bathroom facilities, accessible parking, and in-room accessibility etc., while other sites do not manage it quite as well. Choose a booking site that gives you the information you need to get started, but don’t stop there.
Take heed of the idiom “the devil is in the detail”. Wide doorways may offer wheelchair accessibility; however, there may be a lip that prevents easy access. A bathroom may be fully accessible, but the toilet may be in a separate, narrow room where a hoist cannot be manoeuvred. Arm yourself with your checklist and get online or on the phone to really determine the accessibility and suitability of the accommodation for you.
No-one knows your needs better than you do. Make sure the holiday you are dreaming of is the one you end up with. Don’t take your chances on the promise of ‘accessible accommodation’ – go the extra mile and ensure you book ‘great accessible holiday accommodation’.
Clickability editorial update: October 2026
Help verify details without deciding what is accessible for someone else
With permission, use the person’s own requirements to organise booking questions. Check equipment compatibility and the help you are willing and able to provide. A general accessible-room badge does not replace the person’s assessment of whether the arrangement will work.
Does an accessible-room label guarantee suitability?
No. Confirm the individual features and booked arrangement directly. Official guidance
Can I assume a holiday booking is an NDIS support?
No. Check eligible-support rules separately from accommodation accessibility. Official guidance
Find disability support for your practical assistance needs
Tell Clickability what assistance you need with daily routines or planning services. Compare profiles and reviews, then check eligibility and arrangements directly.
