TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Eliana Satkin

New Partnership Launches a center for Assistive Technology to Advance Accessible Travel Innovation

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The Schoolhouse Hotel announces a groundbreaking partnership with TravelAbility and Samaritan Partners to establish the Center for Assistive Technology, the first-of-its-kind innovation hub for accessible travel technology for the hospitality industry.

Located in historic White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, The Schoolhouse Hotel stands as the world’s first fully accessible boutique hotel. This architectural marvel, transformed from a 1912 high school building, showcases universal design principles throughout its 30 guest rooms and public spaces. The hotel’s commitment to accessibility extends beyond physical accommodations with a restaurant seating over 100 guests, a 385-person capacity ballroom, and a rooftop bar offering panoramic views of the Allegheny Mountains. The hotel is expanding with an additional 85-room wing, spa, micro distillery, and retail offerings, enhancing guest experiences while maintaining its commitment to welcoming all guests, regardless of ability.

“This collaborative initiative creates a living laboratory where entrepreneurs can refine travel-focused assistive technology solutions in real-world hospitality settings.”

This collaborative initiative creates a living laboratory where entrepreneurs can refine travel-focused assistive technology solutions in real-world hospitality settings. The Schoolhouse Hotel provides an ideal environment for guests to experience and provide feedback on emerging accessibility innovations.

TravelAbility, a leader in advancing accessible tourism, brings its expertise in connecting innovative technology solutions with travel destinations committed to universal access. Their involvement ensures that developed technologies and services align with the actual needs of travelers with disabilities and the hospitality industry.

Samaritan Partners, a social impact venture fund, strengthens the partnership through its investment focus on early-stage, for-profit companies serving the disability community. The fund dedicates a portion of its portfolio to companies developing assistive technology for travelers with disabilities and will provide mentorship and funding for promising innovations showcased at The Schoolhouse Hotel.

This partnership represents a significant step forward in creating more inclusive travel experiences through technological innovation. The Center will serve as a proving ground where new solutions can be refined through direct feedback from travelers with disabilities, ensuring that developments truly serve the community’s needs.

The Envelope Please…Winners of the 2024 InnovateAble Pitchfest Are…

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This year’s presenters impressed judges with tech that is reshaping the world, even beyond the travel industry. Read the summary here, and be sure to congratulate the winners.

First Place: 360 Direct Video. See their award-winning pitch here.

Second Place (tie): Hero Door Opener and Be My Eyes. Check out the Here Door Opener pitch here, and the Be My Eyes pitch here.

Third Place: Aira. Find Aira’s pitch here.

A special thanks to our judges:

Allie Rowe, Marriott

Allison Rowe is a hospitality leader deeply committed to operational excellence and disability inclusion, ensuring every guest experience is seamless and welcoming. As Director of Rooms & Guest Experience at Global Operations, she has introduced accessible technologies, comprehensive training programs, and inclusive practices that meet the diverse needs of today’s travelers. A mentor and advocate, Allison fosters a culture of inclusivity within her teams, embedding accessibility as a core value across all aspects of hospitality—from room design to service delivery—while shaping a more equitable and inclusive future for the industry.

Ron Petit, Royal Caribbean

As the Head of Disability Inclusion at Royal Caribbean, Ron Petit he developed the world’s only global cruise program tailored to the autism community, impacting an estimated 75 million individuals. With a career focused on advancing accessibility and fostering cultural change, Ron has influenced senior leadership, mentored teams, and collaborated with stakeholders to embed inclusion across organizational practices. A passionate advocate, he combines strategic vision and hands-on expertise to inspire lasting progress, proving that accessibility is fundamental to creating a more equitable world.

Paul Kent, disABLED Life Alliance

Paul Kent is the founder of disAbled Life Alliance (dALA), a nonprofit established in 2022 to create sustainable change for individuals with disabilities by addressing disparities in healthcare, employment, and access to vital resources. Leveraging his business acumen and a patient capital approach, Paul leads dALA in structuring and executing high-impact programs and technologies that improve quality of life while amplifying the social impact of private funders. Under his leadership, dALA has become a key driver of innovation and collaboration in the disability sector, advancing accessibility and inclusivity through measurable, long-term solutions.

Jeff Ossenkop GM San Francisco, W Hotel

Jeff Ossenkop is a seasoned hospitality leader with over 22 years of experience in boutique, luxury, and full-service hotel management. As General Manager of the W Hotel San Francisco, he excels in overseeing complex transitions, enhancing revenue, and fostering exceptional guest and team experiences in the heart of SoMa. Previously, Jeff led the historic restoration of The Tremont House and launched Canopy by Hilton San Francisco SoMa, earning accolades like Marriott’s Hotel Opening of the Year award and recognition on Galveston’s 40 Under 40 list for his contributions to the industry and community.

Ron Kuzon, Owner,The Schoolhouse Hotel

The School Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia is the world’s first fully ADA-compliant hotel, ensuring comfortable stays for neurodivergent individuals including those with mobility issues, blindness, and deafness. This fully accessible boutique hotel transformed the former historic White Sulphur Springs schoolhouse into a hub for the community and visitors alike. It features 30 uniquely appointed guest rooms, an upscale southern cuisine restaurant, rooftop bar and flexible ballroom space perfect for weddings, conferences and so much more. The Schoolhouse Hotel showcases the best in West Virginia lodging in a completely inclusive atmosphere, leading the way in inclusion in hospitality.

Waiting for Elevators – MTA Accessibility Update

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Snail pace progress, but at least it’s progress. 

The recent court ruling on elevator maintenance is a win, but seven years seems like a long time to the 12% of the population who can’t utilize most of the current Metro system. Wheelchair users are grateful for the 2023 settlement to build more elevators, but it still feels like riding an elevator lottery. Read the full scoop here.

What Would You Do?

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Each month we try to address various accessibility issues that may arise within the TravelAbility community. 

November’s scenario: 

You see a guest approaching the door in a wheelchair with packages in her lap. It looks like opening the door may be a struggle. Do you: 

  1. Rush to open the door before she gets stuck
  2. Look away: you don’t want to offend or step on her independence
  3. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help
  4. Something else

Responses:

This question revealed a lot of uncertainty in how to respond to the disability community. Comments like, “I’m actually not sure. I know if it was a pregnant woman or elderly person I’d probably just open the door because it’s nice and polite. But sometimes I feel like with a person with a disability, in a wheelchair, blind, etc., that I’d need to ask if they need a hand first” remind us that a lack of awareness is stunting our kindness.

Our own Tricia Roth, DIrector of Marketing and Engagement for TravelAbility recommends you, “don’t assume the guest needs help – ask. If a package does drop down, offer to pick it up – just as you would with someone not in a wheelchair.”

While responses from the hospitality community and other would-be door openers were split pretty evenly between just opening the door and asking to open the door, responses from within the disability community were a little more diverse.

While responses from the hospitality community and other would-be door openers were split pretty evenly between just opening the door and asking to open the door, responses from within the disability community were a little more diverse.

Overall social media responses

Comments ranged from, “PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR. it’s not about being in a wheelchair, (which I am) it’s human decency” to “the assumption that we need help can be off putting.”

Other responses included:

From a wheelchair user’s perspective, I always appreciate when people ask and don’t assume. I can tell you that in my wobbly walking days, I often used doors for balance, and if someone opened one without asking, I’d fall.

As an ambulatory wheelchair user – ask – whether I’m in the chair or if I’m walking. It helps give us autonomy and independence if we want it

I would be happy with them opening the door for me as a wheelchair user, especially with packages in my lap. They don’t need to rush like it’s a 911 emergency because sometimes then I feel pressure to rush through the door and then risk dropping the package and also I feel like I’ve inconvenienced them more. And then there’s the question about how the door is held open. Standing in the doorway to hold it open is always awkward. Making a casual comment like you would to anyone else who has their hands full could be nice too, “Can I get the door, you’re carrying quite a bit!” Also, if there is an automatic door opener, they can just hit that for us so the door is already opening when we approach and the path is wide open (but wait for a second to make sure the button actually works). 

If this is for the hospitality industry, then I’m wondering why the front door to the establishment isn’t accessible in the first place. I mean, it’s fine if someone politely asks to open the door for me, but an automated door would be accessible to anyone carrying packages, whether they are a wheelchair user or not. And those heavy outside doors? Very difficult to open from a wheelchair even without packages in your lap.

In SummaryThere is no one-size approach. Personality and preference impact the players on both sides of the door. Overall, it seems best to offer assistance and graciously accept whatever response is received. You can read more of the conversation, here.

InnovateAble Pitch of the Month

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Each month we feature the 3-minute pitch from an innovation, technology or amenity presented at the 2024 InnovateAble Showcase held on July 26th. 

Hero Door Opener took second in both Judge’s Selection and People’s Choice. The Hero Door Opener is an ingenious adaptive hinge mechanism that automates doors in hotels using a battery operated unit in the door hinge. You can check out their winning pitch, here.

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