Accessibility statement from the Barceló Hotel Group
First publication date: 19 June 2025
Last updated: 18 December 2025
I. Organisation and scope
- Responsible entity: Barceló Hotel Group
- Websites Covered:
- https://www.barcelo.com
- https://reservation.barcelo.com
- Mobile apps: A full audit was not performed; only a basic manual smoke test was carried out on the mobile website on iOS (VoiceOver + Safari) and Android (TalkBack + Chrome). A full accessibility evaluation of the mobile experience is included in the assessment plan, and a comprehensive audit will be scheduled at a later stage.
- Audited modules: Booking Home, LP Hotel Booking, Navigation Menu, LP Destination, LP Hotel Info, CBE and Extras. Additionally, between July and December 2025: Corales Suites, Corales Resort, Login/Register, Booking (Corales), 12 Corales URLs and hotel detail pages. In terms of design, four Figma files were reviewed: Flash Sales, Corales, Step 3 and the Corales menu.
- Methodologies and tools: Thorough auditing with manual testing (NVDA, keyboard-solo, mobile screen readers) and automated assessments (axe DevTools, WAVE).
II. Regulatory framework, level of conformity and legal deadlines
This website is partially compliant with the UNE-EN 301 549:2023 standard due to the exceptions listed in Section 5. On a voluntary basis, we are also working to meet the relevant success criteria of WCAG 2.2 at AA level.
Legal References and Timeline:
| Date | Obligation under Act 11/2023 (transposing Directive (EU) 2019/882 in Spain) |
| Jun 28, 2025 | New digital products and services introduced to the market must be accessible from launch. |
| Jun 28, 2025 | Effective date of the legal framework derived from Directive (EU) 2019/882 (EAA). |
| Jun 28, 2030 | End of the transitional period for certain scenarios (e.g. continued use of pre-existing products and/or service contracts, as per the applicable transitional regime). |
III. Measures to support accessibility
Comprehensive accessibility audit carried out by A11ySolutions specialists, supported by automatic tools and tests using screen readers.
Methodologies and tools used
Integration of accessibility testing into the development and QA flow.
Internal training programmes (February–June 2025):
Strategic introduction to accessibility.
WCAG 2.2 for technical teams.
Inclusive design for UX/UI.
Development of accessible components.
Annual roadmap with quantifiable budget and goals.
Since the last update, the improvement plan has been implemented continuously, with a significant number of issues corrected and verified between July and December 2025 (e.g. improvements to datepickers, announced statuses/messages, dialogues and carousels with proper semantics, reflow handling and visible focus).
A more proactive approach was also adopted, with accessibility reviews in design (Figma) and additional audits in the live environment covering new areas and critical user flows. Fixes have prioritised high-impact issues related to: keyboard operability, ARIA structure and semantics of dialogues/carousels, visible focus, screen reader announcements for messages and statuses, reflow at 320px, text resizing (up to 200%) and contrast.
IV. Evaluation method
Comprehensive audit carried out by A11ySolutions specialists through:
- Desktop Testing:
- NVDA + Chrome (Windows 11)
- NVDA + Firefox (Windows 11)
- Keyboard-only navigation
- Additional automatic assessments: axe DevTools, WAVE.
Mobile smoke test:
VoiceOver + Safari (iOS)
TalkBack + Chrome (Android)
V. Non-accessible content (representative examples)
Module |
Barrier detected |
WCAG Criteria |
Priority |
Status |
Home Booking |
Date selector inaccessible by keyboard |
2.1.1 Keyboard |
High |
Fixed |
Core Booking Engine |
Insufficient contrast on "Select" buttons |
1.4.3 Minimum contrast |
High |
In progress |
Extras (mobile) |
Dialogues missing role="dialog" and aria-modal (or equivalent semantic attributes) |
4.1.2 Name, role, value |
Medium |
Fixed |
Booking Home |
“Room and Guest popup”: accordion-style control not accessible |
2.1.1 Keyboard |
High |
Fixed |
Core Booking Engine |
“Select dates”: datepicker not implemented accessibly |
4.1.2 Name, role, value |
Medium |
Fixed |
Global Menu (Header) |
Navigation controls not focusable with Tab or operable via keyboard |
2.1.1 Keyboard |
High |
In progress |
Global Menu (Header) |
White text in “What’s New” section lacks sufficient contrast over background images |
1.4.3 Minimum contrast |
High |
In progress |
Global Menu (Header) |
Menu content becomes obstructed at 200% zoom |
1.4.4 Resize text / 1.4.10 Reflow |
Medium |
In progress |
Login/Register |
Error messages not announced by screen reader in the “My Barceló” popup |
4.1.3 Status messages |
Medium |
In progress |
Note: The improvement plan is underway and this listing will be updated as fixes are released.
VI. Compatibility with browsers and technical aids
Tested with the two latest stable versions of Chrome and Firefox and with the following combinations of assistive technologies:
- NVDA + Chrome (Windows 11)
- NVDA + Firefox (Windows 11)
- VoiceOver + Safari (iOS)
- TalkBack + Chrome (Android)
There may be limitations on browsers older than three versions or on Internet Explorer 11.
VII. Feedback and contact
If you encounter accessibility barriers, please contact us by:
- Email: a11y@barcelo.com
- Customer service telephone number. (local number)
We usually respond within 72 business hours.
VIII. Preparation of this statement
This statement was reviewed and updated on 18 December 2025, based on the detailed audit described in Section IV and the remediation and verification work carried out between July and December 2025.
It will be reviewed at least every three months or whenever there are significant changes to the site.
Statement prepared by A11ySolutions for Barceló Hotel Group following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the declaration model recommended by W3C.
