Lynnwood’s Hampton Inn Suites is part of an active investigation announced Monday by Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington is investigating six hotels following complaints that the facilities violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide requested accommodations to individuals with disabilities

Over the last year, the Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office received and resolved complaints about three hotels in the greater Seattle area. In addition to the six active investigations, three area hotels have entered into settlement agreements after findings that they were not compliant with the ADA.

The Lynnwood Hampton Inn Suites resolved a claim that it failed to honor a request for an accessible bathroom from a guest with mobility impairment. Under the terms of the resolution, the hotel will improve the reservations system and training for employees. If the hotel fails to have an accessible room for the person who has reserved one, it will assist the customer with finding an accessible room at another property or will move a non-disabled customer to provide such a room.

The MarQueen Hotel in Seattle allegedly ignored the customer’s request for a first-floor room since the customer has mobility issues and the historic hotel has no elevators. While the investigation did not determine whether the hotel had promised a first-floor room, it did conclude that the MarQueen does not have the required number of rooms that accommodate people with mobility disabilities. Under the resolution, the hotel is to provide the U.S. Attorney’s office with its plan to add an additional room for those with mobility disabilities.

The Bothell Holiday Inn and Suites also failed to have a room with an accessible bathroom for a customer who had reserved a room and believed the room would accommodate their disability. However, the hotel website was unclear as to the accommodation request and the room did not have an accessible bathroom. The hotel has agreed to make changes to its website and changes in training for its employees so that it is ADA compliant.

In each of the resolutions listed, hotel management has agreed to alert the U.S. Attorney’s Office to any complaints of ADA violations they receive over the next year. In some instances, the complainant will be financially compensated as part of the resolution, though those settlements were not disclosed publicly.

“As we enter the busy holiday travel season, it is critical that hotels and motels review their properties and reservation systems to ensure people with disabilities can reserve and be appropriately accommodated in rooms that meet their needs,” said Gorman. “I’m pleased that three hotels have agreed to fix their accessibility issues, and we thank those customers who brought these issues to our attention. However, we’d rather see the hospitality community embrace the ADA guidelines without an investigation and action from our office.”