When I arrive at the hotel lobby, check-in desk ahead, I hear the clerk start:

“As you’ll see on your keycard the room number is…”
Then the voice stutters and catches: “um, the … room number is…”
I smile and say, “No problem at all, go ahead.” But the hesitation hangs in the air like a dropped suitcase.

That moment sums up what I want to talk about today: it’s not the word see that causes friction, it’s the pause. The mini-glitch in communication tells me the sighted person is worrying about offending me. Meanwhile I’m thinking: “Please don’t worry, just speak naturally.”

As someone who has traveled widely with my guide dog Fauna, advocates for accessibility, and speaks often to hospitality and travel teams, I’ve noticed this dynamic far too many times. What seems like caution often reads as awkwardness. And for the guest? It shrinks the moment of welcome, when staff means to make things easy.

I present this information as an education piece for travel and hospitality staff, but also for anyone who interacts with blind or low‐vision guests. The opinions here are mine, shaped by my own journey with blindness. Everyone is different; how one reacts to words like see, look, or color references depends on where they are in their vision-loss journey, their mood, their fatigue, everything in between.

Why sighted people freeze up

When a desk agent or concierge begins a sentence with “see…” or “look…” and then stops, what I hear is a mini-panic: “Is that wrong to say?”
Research and etiquette guides show this is real. According to one social-etiquette resource:

“Use everyday language, including words like see, look, or watch, these are part of natural speech and are not offensive.” teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Similarly, a low-vision blogger wrote:
“The word ‘see’ is not considered offensive … many people with vision loss use words like see, look, watch, view … even if they are not necessarily getting information through sight alone.” Veroniiiica
And from a state-level human services commission:
“Don’t worry about using language like ‘see’ and ‘look’, etc. I use those words all the time myself.” NJ.gov

So, yes: you’re not imagining it. That hesitation is happening. It comes from a place of kindness, but ironically it ends up putting the guest in the spotlight. It says: “I’m using special language. You’re unusual. I hope you’re okay.” And the guest? They sit through the pause. As I often say: the person who needs reassurance is not the blind guest, it’s the staff member.

The word “see” is not the enemy

Let’s clear this up: using “see”, “look”, “watch”, “view” is absolutely fine when speaking with someone who is blind or has low vision. It is normal. It is human. It is what many of us use ourselves.
· Etiquette guides for sight-loss professionals say the same. teachingvisuallyimpaired.com+1
· Comments by people with vision loss confirm: I don’t find the word offensive. Veroniiiica

For me personally: I never get upset when someone says “see you in the lobby”, or “look at the view from your window”. Honestly, I say those phrases myself every day. The value here is authenticity, you speaking as you would to any guest, rather than tip-toeing.

Color isn’t taboo either

Now let’s talk color. One of the most frequent “over-thought” topics: should I mention color if the guest is blind? My answer: yes, if it’s relevant, go ahead.
Why? Because color isn’t just visual fluff. It is information, it is cultural, it is descriptive. Guides and childhood-education materials for people with vision loss encourage talking about color. Be My Eyes+1

And consider this: many blind or low-vision travelers have some usable vision (color perception, light vs dark), many rely on memory of color, many never saw color but understand its meaning (e.g., “the blue sign”, “the red carpet”). Omitting color “just in case” means you’re assuming the guest cannot use that information, and that isn’t kind or necessary.

So yes: mention that the keycard is blue, the floor tile shifts from red-brick to light grey, the work desk lamp has a warm amber glow. And then add other sensory cues (texture, sound, orientation). Color + non-visual cues = excellent service.

Blindness is a spectrum, not a template

Here is a crucial piece: not every blind or low-vision person is the same. Some were born without sight, some lost it recently, some have partial vision, some were fully sighted for decades. How a person reacts to your words depends on many factors:

• how far they are into their adjustment to vision loss
• their mood, travel fatigue, stress levels
• previous experiences with staff or accessibility failures
• personality, whether they want the topic of blindness to be visible or invisible

For me: I’ve been traveling with blindness for years. I use visual language, I don’t blink at “see”, I bounce back from awkwardness quickly. But someone newly blind may still feel raw when the word “see” comes up, especially if it triggers grief. Some folks will overreact. Others will shrug it off. All of that is valid.

Because of that variety, staff should stop treating every blind guest as if they are “that one kind”. Instead: speak naturally, descriptively, confidently. And if the guest tells you they prefer something else, listen.

When someone does overreact

Yes, there are stories of people reacting strongly to visual language. I’ll share a few composite patterns (no names) so you see why it happens.

• A guest who had very recent vision loss hears “see the sticky note on your desk” and bursts out with “I wish I could see!” They keep your tone kind and composed, but the moment becomes emotional.
• A guest who was born blind and always heard sight-centric phrases from others may one day simply say “Please don’t use ‘look’, it pushes a visual world on me.”
• A fatigued traveler, stressed from a delayed flight, arriving with frustrations, may snap at the sighted staff’s language even though your intention was good.

In every case: the word wasn’t the culprit. The context was: vulnerability, mood, history.
As I often say: if someone reacts, acknowledge, adjust, move on, with dignity. But don’t let fear of reaction freeze your voice.

Myth-busting

Here are three myth/truth pairs you can share in staff training:

Myth: Never use “see” when talking to blind guests.
Truth: Many blind and low-vision people use “see”, “look” and “watch” themselves and find normal usage perfectly fine. Veroniiiica+1

Myth: Don’t refer to colors at all.
Truth: Color description is welcomed in many accessibility guides, it adds meaningful information. Be My Eyes

Myth: Blind people can’t handle visual references.
Truth: Etiquette guides say you can use normal speech patterns including “see” and “look”; what matters is how you orient, describe, and address, not the word itself. NJ.gov

Practical communication tips for hospitality staff

Here are ways you can speak like you mean it, confident, natural, descriptive:

Good example:

“Hello, I’m Tina at the front desk. Your keycard is on your left. It’s the blue card with a silver number 714. The elevator lobby is about 20 feet straight ahead; you’ll feel the carpet change from tile to plush as you step in.”

Less helpful example:

“Your blue card is over there… um… the elevator’s somewhere this way.”

Key takeaways:

• Use directional language (right/left, ahead/behind, number of steps) not vague words like “over there”.
• Mention texture changes (tile to carpet) and sound cues (ice machine hum, lobby music) where helpful.
• Use color if relevant and transparent.
• Don’t apologize for using “see” or “look”.
• If you feel a pause coming (the one I described earlier), reset your voice: “Okay, the door is right ahead; step forward five paces and you’ll feel it.”

A short note to blind and low-vision readers too

If you’re reading this as a guest: know this, you are not responsible for the staff’s language training. If someone says “see you tomorrow” or “look at this view”, and it sits weird, that’s fine. It may sit weird for you because of where you are in your journey. It may not sit weird at all.
My path: I’ve reached the point where the word “see” doesn’t phase me. But I respect that others are in different places. If you prefer “feel” or “sense” or something else, speak up. And if you just roll with it and let it slide, that’s fine too.

Remember travel stress applies to all guests

One final note for hospitality teams: a blind or low-vision traveler is also managing all the usual travel friction, delays, fatigue, awkward check-in, missing bags. Add to that orientation to the hotel, checking keycards, navigating to the room.
If your guest seems terse, impatient, or stumbles, they aren’t necessarily upset because of your language. They could just be tired. Acknowledge them like any other guest: “Thank you for your patience. Let me guide you from here.” Then use your descriptive language and natural tone.

Final notes

So, to sum up:

• Don’t panic when you use visual words.
• Speak to blind and low-vision guests with the same dignity, clarity and warmth as any guest.
• Use natural descriptive language.
• Use color and orientation cues.
• Recognize every guest is on their own vision-loss journey, some may react strongly, others not at all.
• If a guest signals a preferences, adjust gracefully.
• If you’re training staff or updating your handbook, add this: “Speak naturally. Use clear descriptors. There’s no need to revamp language around ‘see’ or color.”

If you’re part of a hospitality organization, I’m available to speak, consult, or do accessibility training. Invite me in. Let’s update training together. Let’s make your property just as welcoming to someone who travels without full sight as it is to people who do.

Thanks for reading. And to all my fellow blind and low-vision travelers: travel boldly, speak clearly, feel the world, and yes, you can “see” the big picture.