Launched to the public today, AccessAllRooms.com is a new online booking system which specialises in allowing both disabled and non disabled customers to search globally and find accessible, available rooms in real time.
Founder of AccessAllRooms.com, James Price, was left paralysed after a diving accident whilst on holiday in 1999. The accident left him two-thirds paralysed and wheelchair dependent however as a young and adventurous individual he refused to allow his disability to prevent him from enjoying life.
As a sportsman, James went on to become a GB wheelchair Rugby Development Director as well as an elite athlete in wheelchair rugby. He competed at the 2006 wheelchair rugby world championships in New Zealand and is the current Leicester Tigers Wheelchair Rugby captain. James also presented on the BBC Holiday Show and BBC Beijing Paralympic wheelchair rugby pundit proving that there’s no reason that a disability should stop you from achieving your dreams. However whilst adjusting to life with a disability James quickly became aware of the daily struggles and obstacles that persons with limiting mobility impairments face.
As a keen traveller, both personally and through sport, James frequently found that basic, important details, such as room dimensions and door widths, were missing from hotel information. James has spent 10 years helping other physically and sensory impaired people retain their independence and as a result, AccessAllRooms.com was born.
AccessAllRooms.com supplies information about room types for disabled and non-disabled customers, including the ageing population, making booking a hotel quick and easy for everybody. To make things even easier, AccessAllRooms.com has The Global Access Award Scheme (GAAS), the first globally accessible hotel rating system. It operates like a hotel quality rating, with five tiers, except it’s based purely on accessibility for persons with disabled accommodation requirements. A hotel that achieves a level five rating will have excellent facilities including accessible light switches and a fully adapted bathroom. Lower grades imply fewer facilities and poorer access but may still be suitable for many travellers. GAAS also provides access information for those with sensory impairments by showing an ear or an eye as part of the logo.
GAAS is based on trust and each participating hotel will honestly complete a questionnaire, provide photographs for security information which will then be converted into their appropriate grade before going live on the AccessAllRooms.com. Although the scheme is based on trust, each listing is loaded by a trained expert, enabling mismatching information and pictures to be spotted, communicated and corrected by the hotel prior to listing. AccessAllRooms.com sole purpose is making, choosing and booking a hotel for persons with extra requirements easier and straightforward, therefore the booking capabilities have been built with this in mind.
This often forgotten and unappreciated section of the travel market will be launched and customers will be able to book a hotel room with less hassle, less embarrassment and fewer frustrating pre-trip phone calls thanks to AccessAllRooms.com.
James comments “I am delighted to be launching Access All Rooms and look forward to giving something back to the disabled community. After my accident I was determined that my disability would not stop me from seeing the world and I want to give others this opportunity too!”
