Hotel Design

TravelAbility recently attended the BLUE BADGE ACCESS AWARDS 2023  held at London’s Great Scotland Yard Hotel. We also attended a West End performance of Little Big Things, an incredibly rousing, accessibility-themed musical. The Blue Badge Access Awards want to raise the profile of accessibility in the industry and to honor the venues that are excelling at—and proud of—their accessibility.

The 11 Awards—for everything from best and worst bathrooms (loos), to hotels, spas and bars—were presented to venues and individuals that have provided exceptional accessibility, style, and design in the hospitality business and beyond…as well as those who haven’t! Read more.

TravelAbility Takeaway: This was not only a wonderful ceremony celebrating the best of Britain’s accessibility with a cheeky nod to the not-so-great, but also a blueprint for any destination to create their own award luncheon to showcase and honor their industry partners that provide stand-out accessibility and perhaps even generate FOMO.  After listening to various speakers discussing their frustrations with the inconsistent and catch-as-catch-can accessibility, it made us appreciate the ADA which, inadequate as it may be, provides a baseline of physical accessibility that is generally available.  In the UK, which has had the Disability Equality Act since 2010, there is no enforcement and many buildings—including hotels—are centuries old and grandfathered out.