Booking an accessible room at a Marriott hotel is about to become easier. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado has announced an agreement with Marriott International, which addresses barriers to making accessible-room reservations at Marriott-branded hotels across the U.S.
Negotiations stemmed from numerous complaints by individuals with disabilities regarding reservation of accessible rooms. Under the agreement, the U.S. Attorney’s office agrees to close its investigation and refrain from filing suit in exchange for Marriott-branded hotels in the U.S. enacting the following accessibility improvements:
Marriott properties will be required to accurately list accessible rooms in the company’s centralized electronic reservations system and make this information available to major third-party hotel reservations systems like Expedia.com or Booking.com.
Hotel websites will list their inventory of accessible rooms in a single location and Marriott will have to report whether they meet the Americans with Disabilities Act requirement for offering a minimum number of accessible rooms.
Marriott also agrees to make a greater number of accessible rooms available for reservation through its rewards system.
The company will train its call center employees on handling requests for accessible rooms, and track guests’ complaints about reserving accessible rooms.
Marriott denies it violated the ADA and does not admit liability. However, as part of the settlement agreement, it agrees to pay a $50,000 civil penalty in addition to making the changes above.
Marriott is one of the world’s largest hotel chains, with direct management of over 600 hotels in the U.S. as well as over 5,000 franchised hotels in the U.S. under more than 20 hotel brands. Hotels that fall under the Marriott umbrella include the Ritz Carlton, W Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, Aloft, Courtyard, Four Points and more.
The “agreement with Marriott International will significantly improve the experience for individuals with disabilities when they reserve accessible rooms at Marriott-branded hotels,” says Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “We commend Marriott International for addressing obstacles these individuals face in obtaining the accommodations they need. This agreement reflects our commitment to enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires equal treatment for people with disabilities.”
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