How one Cape Town hotel is making travel easier for families with autistic children
The President Hotel in Cape Town is transforming the travel experience for neurodivergent families with new rooms designed for sensory comfort.
Image: Supplied: The President Hotel
As a parent of a 12-year-old autistic daughter, travel has always required an extra layer of planning.
While most families can throw a few essentials into a suitcase, I’ve learnt that our trips need much more planning - and a lot more luggage.
From special pillows and blankets and noise-cancelling headphones to her favourite snacks and sensory toys, I often pack an entire suitcase filled with the comforts that help her navigate a world that can sometimes feel too loud, too bright, and too unpredictable.
Travelling with an autistic child can be both rewarding and exhausting. For my daughter, every new place is an adventure, but also a sensory minefield.
The hum of air conditioners, the echo of hotel corridors, the unpredictability of restaurant menus - all of these can cause distress.
In most hotels, we adapt as best we can, and hope that understanding staff will help if she becomes overwhelmed. The reality is that most hotels aren’t equipped to understand the needs of neurodiverse guests.
That’s why discovering that The President Hotel in Cape Town has introduced South Africa’s first dedicated neurodivergent-friendly hotel rooms feels like a small miracle.
For once, a hotel stay doesn’t have to be an exercise in managing meltdowns or finding quiet corners.
Instead, it’s about inclusion that embraces the sensory needs of guests like my daughter, and adults too, who are neurodivergent.
The hotel is leading the way in inclusive hospitality. Developed in collaboration with Autism South Africa, the hotel’s new neurodivergent rooms are designed with sensory comfort in mind, not as an afterthought, but as the foundation.
Soft lighting has been incorporated to avoid sensory overload.
Image: Supplied: The President Hotel
Taking sensory needs into account
The rooms include a weighted blanket to provide soothing pressure for relaxation, along with a sensory tent for children who need a quiet retreat after a stimulating day.
There’s a white noise machine, aroma diffuser with LED lighting, and specialised lighting controls to adjust brightness and colour.
Guests can also request sensory seeker or avoider packs, tailored to their individual needs, and a sleep kit with earplugs for those sensitive to sound.
Even the check-in process has been redesigned to reduce anxiety, allowing families to avoid queues and complete check-in in a calm, quiet space.
For parents like me, these small details make a world of difference.
This initiative by The President Hotel is not just about comfort; it’s about recognition and inclusion. It tells families like mine, “we see you.”
Barbara Murphy, Compliance Manager at The President Hotel, says;“Neurodivergent travellers often face challenges finding accommodation that understands and caters to their specific needs. Working alongside Autism South Africa has been invaluable in ensuring we’re creating something authentic and truly helpful.”
General Manager Nikki Vardan added that this is just the beginning: “As the first hotel in South Africa to offer this service, we’re proud to lead the way in creating a space where every guest feels recognised, valued and truly at home.”
The President Hotel in Cape Town is making travel easier for families with autistic children.
Image: Supplied: The President Hotel
The start of a more inclusive travel movement
This move by The President Hotel marks a significant step forward in making South Africa’s hospitality sector more inclusive.
It’s a reminder that accessibility is not just about ramps and parking bays, it’s also about sensory awareness, compassion and understanding.
For families like mine, who love to travel but often feel the world isn’t designed for us, these new neurodivergent-friendly rooms offer something invaluable: the chance to relax, just like everyone else.
IOL Lifestyle