About Lorraine

Lorraine Woodward is founder and CEO of Becoming rentABLE, the only listing platform dedicated exclusively to accessible short-term rentals in North America. She uses an electric wheelchair and lives with muscular dystrophy, as do her two sons. After years of failed vacation searches—including a Disney trip where buses had only two tie-downs and bathrooms weren't accessible—she built an accessible beach rental for her family. More than 500 families have since stayed there, all with the same story: finding a place that truly meets their needs is nearly impossible. A 2024 gift winner and FocusWire Hot 25 Travel Startup nominee, Lorraine is five years into building the platform she wished existed.

What we talked about

A family crisis that became a company — Lorraine's sons couldn't visit colleges or travel as a family until she built her own accessible rental, revealing a gap the entire lodging industry had ignored.

Beyond wheelchair stickers — Becoming rentABLE groups mobility, cognitive, hearing, and vision needs into 63 filters—far beyond the 8–16 vague options on major booking sites.

Verification over certification — Shifting language away from "certification" to avoid ADA lawsuit fears, with third-party virtual checks completed in 48 hours.

A supply desert — Fewer than 1,200 accessible rentals exist among 2.1 million U.S. short-term rentals, while over 123 million Americans need accessible features.

Zero-cost growth and big-platform friction — Expedia's accelerator and Vrbo partnership drove growth without paid marketing, but expanding filters at large OTAs takes years.

Accessible Retreat and outdoor hospitality — A $120,000 mobile park unit with roughly five-year ROI, plus state-park partnerships, expands access beyond private homes.

Sharpest moments

Why is this so difficult?

Mom, why are you doing this? Because it's a beach property. And they're like, we can't get on the beach.

It's really hard to find a place like this that meets our family's needs.

Dad gummit, they identify all of this. They didn't say there's five steps to the entrance.

I don't identify as a niche. We are looking at a traveler and what their needs are.

Key takeaways

• Accessibility in short-term rentals is not a niche—it spans mobility, cognition, hearing, vision, and aging across every life stage.
• Most hosts already have accessible features (driveway access, door width, zero-threshold entry) but don't know to list them.
• The U.S. has roughly 0.01% accessible inventory against a population where over half may need these features—a massive missed revenue opportunity.
• Fear of ADA lawsuits and property damage keeps hosts from participating; verification at under $200 can cost less than one night's stay.
• Major platforms fail on inclusion in filters, photography, marketing, and backend acquisition tools—not just property supply.
• Accessible short-term rentals are entering corporate travel and DMO strategy as a third lodging option beyond hotels.