In Brief: This article highlights the five most common website accessibility issues under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that are leading to an increased number of lawsuits against hotels.
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Top 5 ADA Website Accessibility Issues Triggering Hotel Lawsuits – Image Credit Vizergy
ADA website accessibility lawsuit locations are broadening nationwide, moving from larger cities to everywhere hotels are. Turning website compliance into an urgent legal and operational priority for hoteliers everywhere, not just major city hotels.
In the U.S. alone, ADA website accessibility lawsuits were up 37% in the first half of 2025, and the hospitality industry continues to be a prime target. Why? Because hotel websites are considered a critical part of the guest experience — especially when it comes to researching rooms, understanding accessibility features, and booking stays (making an economic transaction).
The good news: most hotel ADA lawsuits stem from a small set of well-known, fixable website issues. Below are the top five ADA website accessibility failures most often cited in lawsuits against hotels, and what hoteliers should understand about each.
1. Missing accessibility information
One of the most common ADA violations on hotel websites is the failure to provide hotel and room accessibility information.
Federal guidance and court rulings consistently flag hotel websites that:
- Do not allow guests to reserve ADA-accessible rooms online
- Fail to clearly describe property accessibility features, such as wheelchair-accessible rooms, roll-in showers, grab bars, or TTY equipment
When this information is missing or difficult to access, guests with disabilities are denied the same ability to book accommodations independently which is a direct ADA concern.
Why this matters: The reservation system is often the primary focus of hotel ADA lawsuits. Even if a property is physically accessible, a non-compliant booking experience can still trigger legal action.
2. Missing alternative text (alt text) for images
Hotel websites are highly visual, and that’s exactly where problems often begin.
Images without descriptive alternative (alt) text prevent screen readers from explaining what’s on the page to users who are blind or visually impaired. This includes:
- Room photos
- Property amenities photos
- Navigation icons
- Call-to-action buttons
This issue has been repeatedly cited in ADA web accessibility lawsuits, including the landmark Domino’s Pizza case, which reinforced that digital experiences must be accessible under the ADA.
Why this matters: Without alt text, critical information becomes invisible to assistive technology users — a clear accessibility violation.
3. Poor color contrast
Low-contrast text is one of the most widespread and easily overlooked ADA issues on hotel websites.
Examples include:
- Light gray text on white backgrounds
- Brand color combinations that look attractive but reduce readability
- Text over background images without sufficient contrast
For users with low vision or color blindness, these design choices make content extremely difficult — or impossible — to read.
Why this matters: Insufficient color contrast is one of the most frequently cited WCAG failures in ADA lawsuits, and it’s typically simple to correct with proper design standards. Another problem is you usually need a human scanning the site to see all the color contrast issues and make sure you are 100% compliant. An automated scan is not a good fit for this.
4. Keyboard navigation barriers
Not all guests navigate websites using a mouse.
Many users rely on keyboard-only navigation or assistive devices to move through web pages. ADA violations commonly occur when:
- Menus, forms, or pop-ups can’t be accessed via keyboard
- Focus gets “trapped” on an element with no way to move forward or backward
- Interactive elements require mouse-only actions
The U.S. Department of Justice has explicitly identified mouse-only navigation as an accessibility concern.
Why this matters: If a guest can’t navigate your site to explore rooms or complete a booking using a keyboard alone, your website will be non-compliant. If a disabled person can’t book a room they have easy grounds to file a complaint.
5. Form and input labeling issues
Forms are another major source of ADA risk — especially booking engines and contact forms.
Common issues include:
- Missing or improperly coded labels on form fields
- Dropdowns that screen readers can’t interpret
- Error messages that aren’t announced to assistive technologies
When form fields aren’t correctly labeled in the site’s code, screen reader users have no way of knowing what information is required.
Why this matters: Form accessibility failures are a frequent trigger for ADA website lawsuits, particularly on hotel reservation pages.
Proactive ADA monitoring with Vizergy’s ADA scan
To help hotels stay ahead of accessibility risks, Vizergy offers an ADA Scan tool built directly into the Vizergy Marketing System. This tool gives hoteliers a proactive way to monitor website accessibility and document a good‑faith effort toward meeting WCAG and Section 508 guidelines.
The ADA Scan:
- Quickly identifies potential accessibility issues across a hotel website.
- Pairs with a Website Developer expert in ADA to use a screen reader to make sure main functions of the site are accessible. This finds errors scans don’t and keeps you protected.
- Generates date‑ and time‑stamped reports that can be exported and tracked over time.
- Supports ongoing documentation of accessibility improvements, which can be critical in demonstrating proactive compliance efforts.
Rather than waiting for a complaint or legal notice, hotels gain ongoing visibility into accessibility gaps and the confidence that issues are being actively monitored.
Accessibility is more than compliance — it’s good hospitality
An ADA-compliant website isn’t just about avoiding lawsuits. It’s about:
- Expanding your reach to more travelers
- Improving usability for all guests
- Protecting your brand reputation
- Demonstrating your commitment to inclusive hospitality
At Vizergy, we help hotels identify and address ADA website risks through proactive monitoring, auditing, and performance analysis, so accessibility issues don’t become legal problems.
About Vizergy Digital Marketing
For over 25 years, Vizergy has served the hospitality industry with leading marketing technologies and exceptional service for clients worldwide. Vizergy’s platform is easy to use, turnkey, and SMART — continually enhanced to help hotels compete within the market and maximize revenue. By leveraging a data-first approach, hospitality marketing is not only the mission, but Vizergy’s sole focus. Reach out to our team for more information.
