Planning for differently abled hotel guest rooms

According to the guidelines of the Ministry of Tourism, hotels in India need to follow certain norms for catering to Differently abled guest while opening a hotel and applying for classification

The requirement is that atleast one room in the hotel should have facilities for disabled persons.

The ministry also sets the standards for the differently abled hotel guest rooms

Standards for differently abled hotel guest rooms:

The room should have low height furniture, low peep hole, cupboard with low cloth hanger, audible and visible blinking light for door bell and alarm.

However this standard is quite vague and leaves a lot to interpretation.

Global standards are much more helpful for designing the rooms.

Accordingly while designing your room you can keep these points in mind.

Global standards:

• Doors to be atleast 35 inch wide. ( 90 cm)
• The peep holes should be no higher than 48 inch
• The entrance should not have a threshold greater than 1/2 inch high
• The door should have auto close feature and should close within 5 seconds
• The door should open 90 degree to provide ease of access to the wheel chair
• Closet rod should be mounted no higher than 48 inch high.
• The door of the closet should be operable with a closed fist
• Thermostats and switches should not be at more than 48 inch high.
• Atleast 36 inch gap between twin bed or if king 36 inch gap between wall and bed on either side

Standards for Bathrooms

Door width for room of the differently abled persons and bathroom of such rooms should allow wheel chair made available by the hotel to enter easily. However, for new hotels coming up after 01.04.2017 the minimum door width of such rooms & their bath room shall be minimum 90 cm. In existing hotels the door width of the room for differently abled persons & bath room of such rooms shall have minimum width of 90 cm w.e.f. 01.04.2023.

Global standards:

• The top of the vanity should not be more than 34 inch
• Faucet should be able to operate with closed fist. Round handles which require turning motion should not be used
• Plumbing if exposed should be insulated
• The bottom edge of the mirror should not be more than 40 inch
• Hair dryers and electrical sockets should not be more than 48 inch
• Towel racks not more than 48 inch high. Do not mount above toilets
• 48 inch wide space in the toilet.
• Toilet seat not more than 18 inch high from the bottom of the floor
• Flush valve to be mounted on the open side of the toilet.
• Toilet paper holder should be recessed and not more than 19 inch high from the floor
• Grab bar at 36 inch behind the toilet and 42 inch at the side of the toilet
• Shower should have a 36 by 60 inch clear space in front
• Folding seat should be mounted on a wall adjacent to the control
• Adjustable hand held shower should be provided with 60 inch long hose
• Threshold should be no higher than 1/2 inch or eliminated completely

Public area restrooms

All Star category hotels should have a public rest room for differently abled guests (uni sex) with minimum door width which allows wheel chair made available by the hotel enter easily. However, for new hotels coming up after 01.04.2017 the minimum door width of such public rest room (uni sex) shall be minimum 90 cm. For existing hotels the minimum door width of public rest room (uni sex) shall be mandatory after 01.04.2023.

Ramp

To provide access to all public areas of the hotel, and to atleast 1 restaurant . Main door must be atleast 1 meter wide