Accessible events require accessible venues. Include accessibility requirements in your RFP from the start, not as an afterthought. Check physical access (ramps, lifts, doorway widths), sensory access (hearing loops, visual aids), and cognitive access (clear signage, quiet spaces). European hotels must comply with local accessibility laws, but compliance varies widely — verify in person.
Why Accessibility Must Be in Your RFP
Accessibility is not optional — it is a legal requirement under the European Accessibility Act (2025) and national disability legislation across EU member states. Beyond compliance, 15-20% of your attendees may have accessibility needs they have not disclosed. Building accessibility into your venue selection ensures everyone can participate fully, which is the point of your event.
What to Include in Your Accessibility RFP Section
Ask hotels to confirm: number of accessible guest rooms, wheelchair access from entrance to all event spaces, lift access to all floors, hearing loop availability in meeting rooms, accessible restrooms near event spaces, and whether they have hosted events with specific accessibility requirements before. Hotels that respond vaguely likely have gaps.
How to Evaluate Accessibility During a Site Visit
Test the route a wheelchair user would take from arrival to their room to the meeting space to lunch. Check doorway widths (minimum 80cm), ramp gradients (maximum 1:12), lift size (minimum 110x140cm), and accessible restroom locations. Count the accessible rooms and verify their condition — some hotels label rooms as accessible but have not updated them.
Beyond Physical Accessibility
Consider hearing accessibility (portable hearing loops, real-time captioning services), visual accessibility (high-contrast signage, braille room numbers, accessible printed materials), cognitive accessibility (quiet rooms, clear wayfinding, event apps with accessibility features), and dietary accessibility (allergen management, labelled food stations).
What to Do When No Venue Is Fully Accessible
Perfection is rare. Choose the venue that best meets your core requirements and negotiate improvements: portable ramps, temporary hearing loops, additional accessible furniture. Document what the hotel will provide and what you need to bring. Communicate accessibility features and limitations to attendees before the event so they can plan.
European Accessibility Standards and What They Require
Across the EU, the European Accessibility Act sets baseline requirements for goods and services, and hotel venues fall under its scope. However, implementation varies significantly by country and by the age of the building. A recently built conference hotel in a German city is likely to meet or exceed the standard. An 18th-century palazzo converted to a hotel in Italy may have structural limitations that prevent full compliance, even with modifications.
When evaluating a venue for accessibility, go beyond whether the hotel has a lift. Ask specifically about the door width of accessible bedrooms and bathrooms, the gradient of any external ramps, whether hearing loops are installed in conference rooms, and whether the hotel can provide documents in alternative formats. These are the details that matter to attendees with specific needs, and they are not always visible during a standard site visit.
Questions to Ask Hotels Before Confirming the Venue
Send a short accessibility questionnaire to every hotel on your shortlist before visiting. Ask how many accessible bedrooms they have, whether those rooms are distributed across different price categories or clustered in a single room type, and whether accessible rooms can be guaranteed at the time of contracting rather than allocated at check-in. Also ask whether the hotel has hosted events with a significant number of attendees with disabilities before and whether they can provide a reference.
On the day of the event, designate a member of your team to be the accessibility liaison. This person should know the locations of all accessible entrances, lifts, and restrooms, and should check in with attendees who flagged accessibility requirements during registration. A hotel can have excellent facilities and still provide a poor experience if the event team does not know how to direct people to use them.