Visual Impairment Friendly Accommodation
Travelling With a Visual Impairment
Travelling with a visual impairment should never mean sacrificing comfort, safety, or independence. Thankfully, more and more properties are offering accessible and inclusive accommodation designed to support guests with partial sight or blindness.
These adaptations remove barriers, improve confidence, and make travel experiences more enjoyable, stress-free, and welcoming.
Why Visual Accessibility Matters
Accessibility isn’t just about ramps and lifts. For guests with visual impairments, thoughtful design and supportive service can make the difference between frustration and freedom.
Well-designed accommodation helps by:
- Reducing risks of trips, slips, and disorientation
- Promoting independence so guests can navigate without relying heavily on others
- Enhancing comfort with clear layouts, tactile features, and good lighting
- Encouraging inclusion, ensuring every guest feels welcome and respected
Key Benefits for Guests With Visual Impairments
1. Improved Safety and Orientation
- Bright, even lighting in corridors, stairways, and outdoor areas
- High-contrast colour schemes (e.g., dark door frames against light walls)
- Tactile floor markings at changes in level or near hazards
- Uncluttered layouts to minimise trip risks
2. Accessible Information
- Menus and guides in large print, Braille, and tactile maps
- Digital documents compatible with screen readers
- Clear, simple room instructions and emergency information in multiple formats
3. Technology and Assistive Devices
- Voice-controlled assistants for lights, blinds, or heating
- Talking clocks and smart speakers for easy information access
- Audio-described TV settings and remote controls with tactile markers
4. Trained and Supportive Staff
- Staff trained in visual awareness and sighted-guide techniques
- Ability to describe surroundings clearly (e.g., “Your glass is at 2 o’clock”)
- Confidence in giving respectful assistance only when requested
5. Confidence and Independence
With safe layouts, tactile design, and inclusive service, travellers with visual impairments can relax, explore, and enjoy their stay independently.
What to Look For in Visual-Friendly Accommodation
When choosing where to stay, check if the property offers:
- Good lighting in rooms, corridors, and outdoor areas
- High-contrast design on steps, switches, doors, and handrails
- Braille or tactile signage for lifts, room numbers, and facilities
- Large print and digital guides for menus, instructions, and welcome packs
- Accessible technology such as screen reader–friendly booking systems and voice-assist features in rooms
- Supportive staff trained to assist respectfully and describe surroundings clearly
💡 Tip: Contact the property before booking. A truly inclusive provider will gladly explain how they support guests with visual impairments.
Visual Accessibility in Scotland
Scotland has made steady progress in visual accessibility. Guests with visual impairments can now find:
- City hotels in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Dundee with tactile signage, audible lifts, and clear layouts
- Self-catering cottages in Fife and the Highlands with open-plan design, high-contrast interiors, and guide-dog-friendly policies
- Attractions like museums offering tactile exhibits, audio guides, and large-print maps
- Transport improvements including audio announcements on buses and trains, tactile paving at stations, and assistance services on request
👉 Planning a trip to Fife? TayStays offers inclusive accommodation designed to meet a wide range of accessibility needs, including visual-friendly features.
Case Studies
Anna, a traveller with partial sight in Glasgow
Anna checks into a hotel where:
- Room numbers are in Braille and raised tactile print
- Corridors are brightly lit with clear contrast markings on door frames
- The lift announces each floor audibly
- Staff offer a verbal orientation of her room
Anna feels safe and confident moving independently, without needing constant assistance.
David, a blind guest visiting Fife
David books a self-catering cottage that:
- Welcomes his guide dog with water bowls and a safe outdoor relief area
- Provides a large-print and digital welcome pack compatible with his screen reader
- Has a clutter-free layout with tactile markers on appliances
- Staff are trained in sighted-guide techniques and provide respectful help when asked
This allows David to enjoy his holiday with freedom and dignity.
FAQs: Visual Impairment & Accessible Accommodation
What hotel features help guests with visual impairments?
Consistent lighting, high-contrast décor (steps, doors, rails), tactile/Braille signage, uncluttered layouts, and audible lift/door indicators.
How can I check visual accessibility before booking?
Look for an accessibility page with details on lighting, contrast markings, signage, and staff training. Ask about Braille room numbers, large-print materials, and audio/digital guides.
What information formats should be available?
Large print menus, Braille/tactile room guides, accessible digital versions for screen readers, and tactile or audio wayfinding maps.
Are guide dogs and assistance dogs accepted?
Yes. Inclusive properties always welcome assistance dogs without extra fees. Many provide water bowls, relief areas, and safe outdoor routes.
What in-room tech is useful?
Voice assistants, talking clocks, audio-described TV, tactile remote controls, and smartphone-friendly digital guides.
How do properties make emergency procedures accessible?
Audible alarms, tactile or large-print evacuation instructions, staff briefings on sighted-guide techniques, and obstacle-free escape routes with contrast markings.
What staff training makes the biggest difference?
Visual-awareness training, respectful verbal wayfinding (left/right/clock-face directions), and knowledge of sighted-guide techniques.
Conclusion
Accessible and inclusive accommodation transforms the travel experience for people with visual impairments. From better lighting and tactile signage to staff awareness and assistive technology, these features promote safety, independence, and dignity.
When you choose an inclusive place to stay, you’re not just booking a room — you’re booking peace of mind and the freedom to enjoy your journey fully.