Accessibility Statement
The Metropole Hotel is committed to its policy that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to benefit from the goods, services, privileges, advantages, and accommodations offered by the hotel. Our website is fully compliant to WCAG 2.2 AA standards to make it more accessible however, some third-party sites / integrations may not conform.
Due to the historical significance of the property, we are constricted with regards to making all the structural changes required to be fully accessible. However, whether you have a mobility disability, a visual impairment, or are hard of hearing we will be able to suggest the best solution to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible.
Accessible Facilities and Services
Accessible Features
Entry and passage doors that provide 43” width
Ground floor accessible public toilet
1st floor accessible toilet
Emergency cord in the ground floor and 1st floor accessible bathrooms
Vibrating Pillow
Portable shower seat
Magnifying glass
Closed captioning on televisions
Hearing Loop Device in Reception
Allergy free pillows and duvets available on request
Our Accessible Routes
Public entrance to the accessible reception/Met Bar with a ramp gradient of 1:15
Public entrance to the registration area/front desk – Height of 30”
Entrance to the meeting rooms and event space areas (Our concierge team would be delighted to assist for access to the Douglas Vance Meeting Room)
Public entrance to all restaurants (Our concierge team can advise on the appropriate access to the Met Bar)
Parking & Transport
Secure Car Parking at St Patrick’s Quay near the hotel is charged at €12.00 per 24 hours. Guest should proceed to St. Patrick’s Quay Car Park and obtain a ticket from the machine when entering the Car Park. 2 disabled spaces are available along with lift access to each floor which are clearly marked. Exiting should be made on the MacCurtain Street access with the hotel located approximately 200 metres from this location. Please note there are no charging points available within this garage.
Taxi services are available to be pre-booked with our hotel team. We are partnered with Satellite Taxi Services where mobility taxi services can be arranged. Please contact a member of our reception or concierge team who will be delighted to assist.
Front Entrance: The entrance is wheelchair-accessible and compliant with accessibility standards. While the door is not automated, we do have a concierge team who will assist you with entering and exiting the building. The door width is 43” and the accessibility ramp on entering has a gradient of 1:12.
Elevators: Each lift features tactile buttons, and audible floor indicators to assist guests with mobility, visual, or auditory impairments. The lifts can accommodate wheelchairs and mobility aids, ensuring easy and comfortable access throughout the building.
Accessible Rooms: While our hotel bedrooms are not fully accessible for guests with mobility impairments, we are committed to providing assistance wherever possible to ensure a comfortable stay. Should guests require fully accessible accommodation, our sister property, Cork International Hotel, is equipped to meet these needs and offers a range of accessible rooms and facilities. Our team is happy to help coordinate arrangements to best support our guests. We are actively working toward upgrading these spaces to enhance accessibility as part of our planned refurbishment on a phased basis towards 2030.
Public Restrooms: An accessible restroom is available on the ground floor of the hotel for guests’ convenience and on the 1st floor meeting room space. Our accessible restrooms have grab bars, lowered sinks to ensure ease of use, and also include and emergency pull cord.
Common Areas: Our common areas feature accessible pathways, ramps (Reception ramp gradient of 1:15, Tearooms ramp gradient 1:20), and doorways to support ease of movement for all guests, including wheelchair users. Table heights in the tearooms are 27”.
Restaurants, Bars, Meetings & Event Rooms:
The Merchant Restaurant was renovated in 2025, with table heights of 30cm, and spacious access. Our team are on hand to provide assistant for any dining requirements that one may have.
The Met Bar & Restaurant: When arriving by the main entrance, there is a ramp available by reception with a gradient of 1:15 of and the Met Restaurant is accessible via the Tea Rooms with a gradient of 1:20 upon entry. Table heights in this location is 30”. A member of our team will gladly assist you. We would suggest booking your table in advance to ensure optimal comfort.
Meeting and Event Spaces: We are committed to providing an inclusive environment for all guests attending meetings and events at our venue. Key features include:
Step-free access to main meeting areas (Excluding the Douglas Vance Meeting Room)
Spacious layouts to accommodate wheelchairs
Accessible restrooms nearby
Adjustable lighting and sound systems
Please note that while our event spaces are generally accessible, some areas may have limitations. We recommend contacting our team who will direct you to the relevant manager in advance to discuss any specific requirements. We are happy to provide support and make necessary arrangements to ensure your experience is comfortable and accommodating as possible.
Medical and Dietary Requirements: If you are attending an event or to dine at Metropole Hotel and have any medical requirements – please let the member of sales and events team know and they can pass on the details to the dedicated department manager. At The Metropole Hotel we have a food and beverage policy that does not allow food and drink to be brought into the hotel public areas. However, we can make allowances in exceptional circumstances for medical conditions.
Service Animals: The Metropole Hotel welcomes service animals to accompany guests with disabilities throughout their stay.
Personal Assistance: If you require any additional assistance during your stay, please do not hesitate to contact our front desk. Our team are happy to assist guests with various needs and provides information on local attractions, transportation options, and services.
JAM Card Friendly: Here at The Metropole Hotel, we are dedicated to ensuring that all our guests have a comfortable stay. We want to welcome all JAM “Just a Minute” Card users in The Metropole Hotel, and we are supporting our colleagues to recognise the card to make our customers and guests’ experience as comfortable as possible.
Employment: Trigon Hotels is an equal opportunities employer and applications are welcome from everyone, including people with different abilities or disabilities. We are committed in making reasonable accommodation where possible for team members.
Health & Safety: We are committed to ensuring that the needs of all visitors and team members, including those with disabilities are catered for in emergency situations.
There is a hearing loop at the reception desk for people with hearing aids.
We have a defibrillator on site located at reception.
We can provide assistance to customers with wheelchairs or guests that require any assistance to reach their room, if requested.
Additional Information:
Guide dogs are allowed in the hotel
A wheelchair is available to borrow from reception
An Induction loop available at reception for hearing aid users
We provide a vibrating pillow-pad for guests with hearing impairments.
Trained first aid responders are available. Please contact a member of our reception team for assistance
Baby changing facilities are available in our disabled access bathroom on the 1st floor, and we plan to have an additional facility in place by September 2025 on the ground floor disabled bathroom
Website Accessibility:
Our website aims to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 to ensure a user-friendly experience for all visitors. If you encounter any difficulty booking online, please reach out to us directly. The following are some improvements that we have implemented.
Fully responsive website
Content is accessed through a keyboard in an accessible way
Naming of images
Heading styles are used correctly to organise the structure of the content
Implemented a content management system that supports accessibility
Using colour with care
Forms designed for accessibility
The following are some shortfalls we will work on to improve:
Documents & PDFs: We acknowledge that some of our digital content, such as downloadable documents, do not currently meet all accessibility standards, including the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA. We are actively working toward improving accessibility across our platforms to provide a more inclusive experience for all users. This includes our documents to identify and address barriers. If you have trouble accessing any part of our site or require content in an alternative format, please contact us, and we will do our best to assist you promptly.
Guest directory & Menus: Our current guest directory are not fully accessible to users with visual or motor impairments, particularly those using screen readers or keyboard navigation. We are reviewing its format and functionality to ensure it meets accessibility standards and can be used by all guests in addition to making improvements on our printed materials.
Credit cards Terminals: We acknowledge that our current card payment terminals may not meet full accessibility standards for guests with visual, motor, or dexterity impairments. Some devices may lack tactile feedback, screen reader support, or accessible placement for all users. We are actively reviewing our payment systems as part of our broader commitment to accessibility, and we aim to upgrade our terminals during future refurbishments to better support all guests. In the meantime, our team is available to assist with transactions upon request.
3rd Parties: Some content or services on our website and in our operations are delivered by third-party providers, whose accessibility may vary. We are working with these partners to encourage improvements and will always assist users who have trouble.
The Metropole Hotel is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. We are actively working to increase the accessibility and usability of our website and in doing so adhere to parts of the available standards and guidelines. We are continually enhancing our products and services through investments where accessible needs will be a pillar in the decision-making process.
We are continuously working on improving our facilities and services to meet the needs of all our guests. In this regard, should you encounter any difficulty using our website, have suggestions about improving the usability or accessibility of the website, or would like to know more about the hotel’s commitment to accessibility, please contact the General Manager, Louise McNamara, using the contact information below.
Louise McNamara
General Manager
MacCurtain Street,
Victorian Quarter,
Cork,
T23 EEC3
This statement was prepared on 28th June 2025., The accessibility of our website was designed and enabled by Net Affinity and a self-evaluation was conducted thereafter after the handover of the website.
