Accessible Hospitality: Why DEI is Transforming the Hotel Industry from Within

We discuss why DEI is becoming the foundation of modern hospitality with Anna Kostrzewa, Learning and Development Manager Eastern Europe at Accor.

Anna Kostrzewa – Learning and Development Manager Eastern Europe at Accor.

On the topic of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), it’s easy to get lost in spreadsheets and metrics, but for me, as a leader, it’s primarily a story about other people and their right to dignity. I would like to show you why these three letters – D, E, and I – are the heartbeat of true hospitality.

Imagine a guest crossing the threshold of a hotel. In my DEI philosophy, this person should feel that the entire space was designed with them in mind – not ‘despite’ who they are, but with full consideration of their uniqueness. Hospitality is the frontline of human encounters: we serve people of various faiths, orientations, or abilities. If we create standards only for the ‘model guest,’ we will fail everyone else. And no one wants to feel like a system error.

I often tell teams that standard service asks about the needs of the “typical guest,” but inclusive hospitality looks into the eyes of a specific individual. It’s a shift from a mechanical smile to genuine attentiveness.

I remember a story that happened several years ago, and to this day, it remains one of my most important lessons in humility in management. In the hotel lobby, I observed an elderly man who communicated non-verbally. The receptionist, though well-intentioned, had no idea how to react to this “difference” from the standard client profile. He started speaking to the gentleman unnaturally loudly and very slowly, almost as if to a child, unconsciously stigmatizing him in front of the entire crowded lobby. He probably thought it would make it easier for the man to read his lips, but it didn’t help.

I saw immense embarrassment in that man’s eyes – he didn’t need pity or to be the “attraction” of the evening, but simply ordinary, respectful treatment and dignity. That one impulsive moment made the gentleman feel invisible as a person, and visible only as a “problem to be solved.”

That was the moment that clearly showed that without DEI tools, any hospitality is just an empty word. Today, we teach teams not to succumb to fear or learned patterns in such moments, but to focus on mindfulness and flexibility.

The shift from a rigid script to an authentic presence. To curiosity about another person. This approach is the essence of my management philosophy – we protect the dignity of every individual instead of pigeonholing them, and we build a sense of security that each of us needs to feel “at home.”

Yes – and on several levels. Firstly, a diverse team has a broader repertoire of experiences. An employee who has personally been “different” in some context has greater empathy for guests who feel insecure or invisible.

Secondly, inclusivity training develops what I call cultural competence in action – it’s not about encyclopedic knowledge of other nations’ customs, but about the reflex: “I check my assumptions before I react.”

From my experience – also from my time implementing changes in media – one simple truth emerges: if an employee feels invisible or excluded within their team, they will not have the energy to create a warm atmosphere for other people.

The guest won’t name it. They won’t say, “Oh, I felt this hotel had a great DEI policy.” But they will say, “It was nice here. I felt at ease. I’ll come back.” That is the measure of success.

In my work with teams, I always reiterate that barriers in hospitality are not just thresholds – they are primarily invisible walls that make people feel alien in a given place. When I think of exclusion, I see specific faces and situations, which I divide into three painful but curable categories:

A world full of “steps” – physical barriers

We often look at a hotel and see beautiful design, but a person using a wheelchair sees an obstacle course. Physical barriers are more than just a lack of an elevator or too narrow a passage. It’s that moment when a guest with a visual impairment cannot order dinner to their room because the menu is only printed, without a digital or Braille version. It’s the fear of a deaf person going to sleep, not knowing if they will perceive an alarm signal in case of fire because there is no light signaling in the room. As managers, we can measure and fix this, but we must first begin to see the space through the eyes of every guest.

Loneliness in a crowd – linguistic and informational barriers

This is exclusion that happens in silence. Imagine a guest who doesn’t speak our language and feels that every attempt to contact staff will expose them to judgment or impatience. Such a person often simply remains silent, giving up on asking for help. What we call “omission” – a lack of materials in multiple languages or unfamiliarity with basic sign language – sends a clear message to the guest: “We didn’t anticipate your presence here.”

The invisible burden – psychological and cultural barriers

These are the most difficult, because they reside in our minds and reflexes. It’s that moment when a person with a disability, instead of professional respect, encounters excessive, humiliating pity from staff. It’s the fear of a guest from the LGBTQ+ community or a person of a different cultural background, who wonder: “Can I just be myself here?”

Working with teams, I teach them to be authentic and mindful. DEI is a tool that allows us to recognize these micro-moments before they turn into an incident. Because a hotel’s success is not measured by the absence of complaints, but by whether the guest leaves feeling: “I felt at ease here. I’ll come back.”

From my experience – whether in hospitality or media – one thing is clear: just start by asking your people one question: “What makes you feel invisible here?” The answer to that question is the first step to transforming a standard procedure into true, inclusive hospitality.

I believe that in hospitality – and in every other business – we don’t just sell services, but above all, a sense of security and being noticed. When we strip away the layer of difficult definitions from DEI, we see simply another human being beneath it.

Here’s how I see these key issues, told from the perspective of my experiences and heart:

I remember a story that happened a decade ago, and to this day, it remains my most important lesson in mindfulness. I observed a receptionist during guest check-in who did not fit the “standard” schema she had in mind. Instead of asking about their needs, she rigidly adhered to procedures and the form. That one moment, when instead of seeing a person, she saw a “case to be served,” made the guests feel judged, and they simply left.

Today, when training teams, I teach them one magical phrase: “What bed arrangement suits you?” This is not just a technical question. It’s a declaration: “I respect your privacy and do not judge your relationships.” This is DEI in its purest, human form – replacing a rigid script with an authentic presence that protects the dignity of everyone who crosses our threshold.

During training sessions, I often encounter concerns that I call “myths about cold business.” I try to warm them up by showing what we lose when we close ourselves off to diversity… And that professionalism is not rigidity and routine at all:

I persuade leaders that inclusivity is not an ‘add-on’ – it’s our greatest advantage in a world where everyone yearns for authenticity.

Throughout my professional career, I’ve observed one constant: an employee who cannot be themselves will never give their best to guests or clients. The hospitality industry is bleeding from high turnover, but the remedy is simple: inclusive management.

I believe in the philosophy of being a leader who sees employees as individuals with unique stories and lifestyles. When we create a place where rules are transparent and diversity fuels creativity, people stop looking for other jobs. They stay not because they have to, but because they want to be here and feel they belong. Every leader can be different, just as our employees are diverse, and that is our greatest strength.

From my experience, the most wonderful changes begin with small steps and safe questions that open hearts and minds to others.

In recruitment: anonymizing CVs (removing name and age from the initial assessment stage), structured interviews with the same questions for every candidate, actively seeking candidates from diverse groups.
In service standards: neutral forms (without ‘Mr./Ms.’ as the only options), training on microaggressions and unconscious biases, procedures for responding to incidents of discrimination among guests and staff.
In space design: accessibility audit (not just for wheelchairs – also sensory, for people with autism or hypersensitivity), information in alternative formats.
In organizational culture: regular anonymous employee surveys, an open forum for reporting issues, mentoring and career paths for underrepresented groups.

A few indicators I recommend:

Success is not the absence of complaints. Success is a culture where complaints can be safely reported and are taken seriously.

If you’re afraid that DEI is too big a project, I have a piece of advice for you that I apply myself: start tomorrow with one small thing. Not with a grand document, but with a question asked to your people: “Is there anything that makes you feel uncomfortable here?”
By starting with safe topics and small steps, we open minds to others. Inclusivity is not about pleasing everyone – that’s impossible. It’s about not failing anyone in their fundamental need to be respected. Because ultimately, that’s what it’s all about: for each of us, regardless of which side of the counter we stand on, to simply feel at home.
DEI is not a project with a beginning and an end. It’s a shift in mindset – and every shift in mindset begins with one question asked with genuine curiosity.
Complicated becomes simpler when we stop asking “do we have to?” and start asking “how can we?”