A truly accessible hotel goes beyond basic compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the landmark civil rights law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. When it comes to accessibility, it’s not just about elevators or ramps. Highly accessible hotels hold standards by incorporating a range of features and practices that ensure comfort, safety and ease of use for all guests. This might include roll-in showers, hallways and doorways wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs, and communication devices for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing. These five hotels in the mountains offer ADA-approved rooms, or go above and beyond that to provide guests with an accessible experience.
Buffalo Mountain Lodge
A handful of the suites at this resort up on Tunnel Mountain, a few minutes’ drive from the heart of Banff, are ADA-approved rooms, featuring widened doorways, ramped entryways, accessible bathrooms and lowered countertops. For a cozy winter stay, these suites also have wood-burning stone fireplaces, stocked daily with complimentary firewood, and kitchenettes featuring a microwave, two countertop hot-plate burners and a mini fridge.
700 Tunnel Mountain Rd., Banff, 403-410-7417, crmr.com/resorts/buffalo-mountain
The Rimrock Resort Hotel
The Rimrock offers seven wheelchair-accessible rooms, as well as an accessible entrance, lobby and dining options. Patrons can expect wide doorways, transition ramps, accessible bathrooms with roll-in showers, and grab bars. The hotel’s accessibility extends beyond features for those with physical disabilities, with hard-of-hearing alarm setups, valet service, service animal-friendly rooms and assistive listening devices for meetings.
300 Mountain Ave., Banff, 403-762-3356, rimrockresort.com
The Josie Hotel
Located at the base of Red Mountain Resort in Rossland, B.C., The Josie, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection portfolio of unique boutique properties, offers three spacious ADA rooms with full wheelchair accessibility. Features include lowered door peepholes, thermostats, closet rods and towel bars, as well as accessible sinks and commodes, grab bars, and roll-in showers with hand-held sprayers and benches.
4306 Red Mountain Rd., Rossland, B.C., 250-362-5155, thejosie.com
Red Fox Lodge
This luxury wilderness accommodation in Golden, B.C., was created using universal design principles and is accessible for guests who have limited mobility or use a wheelchair. Perfect for a group of four, the lodge is a single-level building with no stairs or steps, and includes a wheelchair-accessible primary bedroom and primary bathroom.
891 Crandall Rd., Golden, B.C., 250-344-8973, mount7lodges.com/red-fox-lodge
William Watson Lodge
This lodge in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park (Kananaskis Country) offers year-round, barrier-free stays and seasonal camping for persons with disabilities, seniors and their families. The property has 22 accessible cabins, 11 accessible RV campsites, accessible picnic sites and more than 20 kilometres of accessible trails, encouraging inclusive recreational opportunities in nature.
1 Watson Dr., Kananaskis, 403-591-7227, williamwatsonlodgesociety.com
