Airbnb releases new filters and features to help disabled guests find the right accommodation

Colosseum Vacation Home in Rome, Italy - Level access is via a pretty courtyard which leads into the spacious, newly modernised home, with one bedroom and bathroom that have been specifically converted for guests with a disability or mobility issue. Source: Airbnb

Srin Madipalli, accessibility product and programme manager at Airbnb, continues his work to meet with Airbnb hosts and guests to ensure Airbnb meets their accessibility needs. “As a disabled person and passionate traveller, I am hugely excited by the changes we’re making at Airbnb. With these new filters, we are making it easier for everyone to share their adapted homes with disabled travellers around the world. Our mission is to enable anyone to belong anywhere, regardless of disability,” said Madipalli.

The introduction of the new filters is one in a series of steps Airbnb is taking to ensure its community is accessible to everyone. In late 2017, Airbnb acquired Accomable, the London-based accessible travel startup founded in 2015 by Srin Madipalli and Martyn Sibley – two friends with Spinal Muscular Atrophy in the UK. Accomable linked disabled travellers with listings that met their needs.

Going forward, Airbnb will be working closely with its community of hosts and guests to ensure the new filters offer information which is as useful and accurate as possible, with the aim to improve and expand the filters to ensure they support as many travellers as possible.

“The introduction of the new accessibility features and filters to all hosts and guests is just the first stage in our journey to improve accessibility at Airbnb,” added Madipalli. “We encourage everyone to use them and send through their feedback.”

Airbnb’s new accessibility features and filters include:

Entering the home

• Step-free access
• Wide doorway
• Well lit path to entrance
• Flat path to front door

Getting around

• Wide hallways Hallways at least 36" (90cm) wide.
• Elevators If needed, contact hosts about the width.

Bedroom

• Step-free access
• Wide doorway
• Accessible-height bed
• Wide clearance to bed

Bathroom

• Step-free access
• Wide doorway
• Roll-in shower with chair
• Bathtub with shower chair
• Accessible-height toilet
• Wide clearance to shower, toilet
• Fixed grab bars for shower, toilet
• Handheld showerhead

Common areas

• Step-free access
• Wide entryway

Parking

• Disabled parking spot There is a city-approved parking spot or a parking space at least 8ft (2.4m) wide.