Hotels.com Dramatically Improves Booking Experience for Disabled Travelers

DALLAS, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

About Hotels.com

Hotels.com® is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering more than 85,000 properties in over 60 countries from national chain hotels and all-inclusive resorts to local favourites and bed & breakfasts. With services such as welcomerewards™, an industry leading loyalty rewards program; the real opinions of other travellers captured in the over 3 million Guest Reviews and;  a Price Match Guarantee, so that travellers can be assured they are getting the best deal, Hotels.com is the smarter way to book either directly online or by speaking directly to a travel expert at 1-800-2-HOTELS 24hrs a day.  For more information, please visit hotels.com. Hotels.com is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE).

Hotels.com, Hotel Price Index, HPI and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP, a subsidiary of Hotels.com. Other logos or products and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners © 2009 Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved. CST # 2083949-50

SOURCE Hotels.com