| Purpose | Understand how Cloudbeds approaches Booking Engine accessibility, review its independent WCAG evaluation, and know what information to provide when reporting an accessibility concern. |
| Best for | Property managers, administrators, and owners who need accessibility documentation, are responding to a procurement or customer inquiry, or need to report an accessibility concern. |
| Use this when | You need information about Booking Engine accessibility, WCAG conformance, the VPAT-based Accessibility Conformance Report, accessibility concerns, or related legal and procurement questions. |
| Requirements | Use the most recent Booking Engine Accessibility Conformance Report when documented evaluation results are required. |
| Expected result | You can accurately explain the Booking Engine's accessibility evaluation, share the current report, understand your property's responsibilities, and provide the information Cloudbeds needs to investigate a reported concern. |
| Limitations | The Accessibility Conformance Report covers the evaluated Cloudbeds Booking Engine Plus, not your property's complete website. No organization certifies or accredits WCAG, VPAT, or ADA conformance. |
Introduction
Cloudbeds works to make the Booking Engine usable by everyone. Accessibility is not a one-time project; it is an ongoing commitment built into how we design, develop, and improve the product.
Our goal is for every guest, regardless of ability, to browse availability, view rates, and complete a booking with ease. To support that goal, the Cloudbeds Booking Engine has been evaluated by an independent third-party accessibility firm against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
This article explains the results documented in our Accessibility Conformance Report, what VPAT and WCAG mean, how independent accessibility evaluation works, and what properties should know about their own responsibilities and reporting accessibility concerns.
Table of contents
- Who this affects and how
- Review the Booking Engine Accessibility Conformance Report
- What VPAT and Accessibility Conformance Report mean
- What WCAG means
- What independent third-party evaluation means
- Accessibility and legal considerations for properties
- Frequently asked questions
Who this affects and how
Different roles may use this accessibility information for different reasons, from managing property content and reporting concerns to responding to procurement requests or understanding accessibility responsibilities.
| Role | What to know |
|---|---|
| Property Manager / General Manager | Understand how Cloudbeds evaluates Booking Engine accessibility and which elements of your property's online presence you control. Review accessibility and legal considerations for properties when assessing your property's broader accessibility approach. |
| Administrator | Know what information Cloudbeds needs to investigate a Booking Engine accessibility concern and which property-controlled elements may affect accessibility. See the frequently asked questions for reporting guidance. |
| Owner | Use the current Accessibility Conformance Report when accessibility documentation is needed for customer, procurement, or RFP requests, and understand that the report covers the Cloudbeds Booking Engine, not the property's complete website. Review the Booking Engine Accessibility Conformance Report section for scope and evaluation details. |
Review the Booking Engine Accessibility Conformance Report
The Accessibility Conformance Report is the authoritative source for the results of the Booking Engine accessibility evaluation. It records, criterion by criterion, how the evaluated functionality performed against each applicable WCAG success criterion, together with the evaluator's remarks.
Review the current Cloudbeds Booking Engine Accessibility Conformance Report (PDF).
Report at a glance
- Product evaluated: Cloudbeds Booking Engine Plus
- Report date: August 2026
- Template used: VPAT 2.5, WCAG Edition
- Standards covered: WCAG versions 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 at Levels A and AA
- Booking flows evaluated: Search Availability, Choose Your Room and Best Price Guarantee, Add Ons, Number of Guests, and Payment
- Evaluation methods: A combination of automated and manual testing, including screen reader testing
- Prepared by: AudioEye, Inc., an independent accessibility vendor
Level AAA criteria, the most stringent WCAG conformance level, were outside the scope of this evaluation and are marked accordingly in the report.
Always use the most recent report. Cloudbeds refreshes the report as the product evolves. Because each report reflects the product as of its report date, always reference the current version when responding to a procurement request or customer inquiry.
What VPAT and Accessibility Conformance Report mean
The VPAT, or Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, is a standardized template published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). It translates accessibility standards into a consistent reporting format so results from different vendors can be compared.
One distinction is especially useful in procurement conversations: the VPAT is the blank template. Once it has been completed for a specific product using actual testing results, the finished document is called an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR).
In everyday use, people often say "VPAT" for both documents, and customers who request "your VPAT" almost always mean the completed report. The Cloudbeds report is an ACR based on the VPAT 2.5 WCAG Edition, so either term generally refers you to the same completed document.
The value of the report is transparency. Instead of asking customers to accept a general accessibility claim, it provides documented, criterion-level results they can evaluate for themselves. This is particularly relevant for properties serving government, education, and enterprise clients, where accessibility documentation can be a routine part of the purchasing process.
"Voluntary Product Accessibility Template" and "VPAT" are registered service marks of the Information Technology Industry Council.
What WCAG means
WCAG stands for the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG is an internationally recognized standard for making digital content accessible to people with disabilities, including people who are blind or have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, have limited mobility, or have cognitive differences.
WCAG is organized around four principles, commonly summarized by the acronym POUR. Content should be:
- Perceivable
- Operable
- Understandable
- Robust
In practice, this includes considerations such as readable text and sufficient color contrast, full keyboard operability, clear and predictable interactions, and compatibility with assistive technologies such as screen readers.
WCAG versions and conformance levels
WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 are successive versions of the WCAG 2 standard. Later versions build on the earlier guidelines by adding accessibility success criteria that address additional user needs and changes in web technology.
Within these versions, WCAG success criteria are grouped into three levels of conformance:
- Level A: The minimum level.
- Level AA: The level most organizations target and the level referenced by many accessibility laws and regulations.
- Level AAA: The most stringent level. W3C does not recommend it as a blanket requirement for entire sites because some content cannot satisfy every AAA criterion.
The Cloudbeds Booking Engine evaluation covers Levels A and AA across WCAG versions 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2.
What independent third-party evaluation means
An independent evaluation means an external accessibility firm assessed the Booking Engine rather than Cloudbeds teams assessing it alone. The evaluator tested the product against applicable success criteria and documented its findings, criterion by criterion, in the report.
Independent evaluation reduces bias and gives customers documented evidence rather than an internal opinion.
Accessibility conformance is not certified or accredited. No organization certifies or accredits WCAG conformance. Neither W3C, which publishes WCAG, nor ITI, which publishes the VPAT, operates a WCAG certification or accreditation program. There is no "WCAG certified," "VPAT certified," or "ADA certified" status.
What Cloudbeds provides is documented evidence from a qualified independent evaluator through the Accessibility Conformance Report.
Accessibility and legal considerations for properties
For hotels, accessibility is both an important part of serving guests and a potential source of legal exposure.
Under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), hotel websites and online booking flows are generally treated as extensions of a place of public accommodation. The Department of Justice reservations rule, 28 CFR 36.302(e), specifically requires places of lodging to identify and describe accessible features in enough detail for guests with disabilities to independently assess whether a room meets their needs, and to allow accessible rooms to be reserved in the same manner and during the same hours as other rooms.
Website accessibility litigation under Title III has been filed in significant volume for more than a decade. Filings have been heavily concentrated in a small number of jurisdictions, with New York and Florida consistently leading. Properties serving United States public-sector clients may also encounter Section 508 requirements, and properties operating in the European Union should be aware of the European Accessibility Act and EN 301 549.
Understand your property's accessibility responsibilities
Three realities shape how a property should think about accessibility risk:
- No authority certifies a website as ADA compliant, and no product or vendor can guarantee immunity from a claim.
- A property can demonstrate a documented, good-faith effort to follow recognized guidelines. The Booking Engine's WCAG evaluation and Accessibility Conformance Report are one meaningful part of that effort.
- The Booking Engine is one component of your property's online presence. Your property controls other elements that affect overall accessibility, including room descriptions, uploaded images, PDFs, and any pages outside the Booking Engine. Even a well-built booking flow works best when paired with accurate, well-described property content. Cloudbeds can help you understand which elements are ours and which are yours.
This article provides general information, not legal advice. For guidance about your property's specific obligations or how to respond to a legal claim, consult qualified legal counsel.
Frequently asked questions
Expand the questions below for guidance about legal notices, accessibility documentation, ongoing maintenance, and reporting accessibility concerns.
What should I do if I receive a legal notice or demand letter about accessibility?
Start with your own legal counsel, and do not let any deadline stated in the notice pass without advice. Cloudbeds is not a party to a claim against your property and cannot represent you or tell you how to respond.
Accessibility demand letters vary widely in specificity. Some identify a particular page, barrier, and WCAG criterion; others describe issues in general terms without naming a specific user experience. The more detail a letter contains, the faster Cloudbeds can investigate.
If a letter does not identify the specific page, date, or barrier encountered, your counsel can request that information from the sender. Once you have details that reference the Cloudbeds Booking Engine, contact Cloudbeds Support so the concern can be investigated.
Before contacting Cloudbeds Support, gather as much of the following information as possible:
- The exact URL and Booking Engine step where the issue was encountered
- The date and approximate time the issue occurred
- Screenshots or a short screen recording showing the issue
- The exact steps taken, including what happened and what was expected to happen
- The device, browser, and operating system used
- The assistive technology used and its version, such as NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver, if applicable
- The specific WCAG success criterion alleged, if the notice identifies one
- The affected property and the name and role of the person reporting the concern
- A complete copy of any demand letter, legal notice, or other formal document, including any stated deadline
A notice that identifies no specific page, date, or barrier gives Cloudbeds little information to reproduce or investigate. Some allegations may also concern content your property controls or pages outside the Booking Engine. Cloudbeds Support can route the information for review and help determine which area is involved.
Is the Cloudbeds Booking Engine certified or accredited as accessible?
No. No certification or accreditation exists for WCAG conformance.
Cloudbeds instead provides an Accessibility Conformance Report prepared by an independent third-party evaluator. The report documents how the Booking Engine performed against each applicable WCAG success criterion.
When a customer or RFP asks for an accessibility "certification," this report is typically the documentation they are looking for.
Do you maintain accessibility with each new release?
Yes. We are continually improving the Booking Engine, and accessibility is part of that work. Changes are reviewed against WCAG success criteria as part of our development process.
Our most recent Accessibility Conformance Report identifies areas where we meet criteria and areas where further work is underway. We maintain a remediation plan for identified gaps and update the report as improvements are completed.
If you identify an accessibility concern, contact Cloudbeds Support using the information listed in How do I report an accessibility concern?.
How do I report an accessibility concern?
If you find something that you believe does not meet WCAG success criteria, contact Cloudbeds Support so the concern can be investigated.
Before contacting Cloudbeds Support, gather as much of the following information as possible:
- The exact URL and Booking Engine step where you encountered the issue
- The date and approximate time the issue occurred
- Screenshots or a short screen recording showing the issue
- The exact steps taken, including what happened and what you expected to happen
- The device, browser, and operating system used
- Any assistive technology you were using and its version, such as NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver, if applicable
- The specific WCAG success criterion involved, if one has been identified
- The affected property and the name and role of the person reporting the concern
Assistive-technology information is particularly useful because the same page can behave differently across NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver. Knowing the technology and version helps Cloudbeds reproduce the issue more efficiently.
Cloudbeds Support will route the information to the appropriate team for review.
Can I share the report with my own customers or include it in an RFP response?
Yes. The report is meant to be shared.
Please share the current link rather than a saved copy, so recipients are always looking at the most recent results, and note that the report covers the Cloudbeds Booking Engine specifically, not your property's full website.
The report reflects the product as of the report date and documents both areas of conformance and areas where we are actively working to improve.
Where can I learn more about WCAG?
Review the W3C's official Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview for the complete guidelines and background.
Related resources
Use these resources when you need the current Booking Engine accessibility evaluation or want to review the WCAG standards referenced throughout this article:
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