Hotels.com adds accessibility search feature

From PRnewswire:

DALLAS -- Hotels.com, the largest provider of lodging worldwide, today announced new site features that help travelers easily search for and reserve hotel rooms online with specific accessibility needs in mind. Hotels.com is one of the first travel Web sites to address this growing need for consumers.

Hotels.com users can now search for lodgings in the U.S. that offer wheelchair-accessible pathways, accessible showers, Braille signage, and/or telephone equipment for the deaf. Customers can also request a room with one or more specific accessibility feature on the online reservation page. All such requests will be reviewed by the Hotels.com customer service agents, who will contact the traveler directly to confirm the reservation or to offer to locate a similar room at an equivalent rate at another hotel.

"These new features let travelers with disabilities take advantage of all the convenience and discounts offered by Hotels.com," said Bonnie Lewkowicz, a travel industry expert and wheelchair user, who has written about the needs of travelers with disabilities. "It's a huge step forward."

The accessibility information is seamlessly integrated into the greater Hotels.com experience. Once a traveler has entered a destination and selected travel dates on Hotels.com, travelers can filter hotels based on accessibility features to find the hotels within their search criteria that can most accommodate their needs.

"Travelers with disabilities can finally take advantage of the smart site features we're most proud of, such as the welcomerewards program, no change or cancel fees and our price match guarantee," said Vic Walia of Hotels.com. "We can't wait for our valued customers to both take advantage of these new features and also let us know how we can improve even further."

The new search features is just the latest way Hotels.com helps consumers 'stay smart.' With a 24-hour call center, the best of breed loyalty program welcomerewards, Price-Match Guarantee™, millions of user reviews no change or cancel fees, and now increased search options, it has never been better to book with Hotels.com.