Great article about a Hotel owner making accommodations for guests that have autistic children. Given the fact that my daughter is autistic, this article caught my eye and I have felt for years now that this is long overdue. Just wanted to add my appreciation and hope the trend continues because autistic children love the familiar and predictable. Hotel operators would be wise to create an environment that families could rely upon when making vacation plans.
TENAFLY, N.J. -- All the glassware in the Alpine Suite at the Clinton Inn Hotel in Tenafly, New Jersey is unbreakable -- the wine glasses, the water tumblers, even the glass in the cabinet doors.
The furniture has rounded corners with soft bumpers. A round table has replaced a square one. Flower vases and other decor have been glued down. The iron is stored behind a safety lock and the windows are locked. The television is fixed securely to the wall, instead of sitting on a credenza, as in other guest rooms.
Everything in the suite has been designed to give peace of mind to guests who have children with autism.
Even the inside lock on the door of the suite is mounted high, out of reach of small grasping hands. Most important of all, the door has an alarm that sounds -- beep, beep, beep -- if a child attempts a hasty exit.
"Autistic kids tend to wander," said Tony Morreale, the manager. "Parents need to know when they’re wandering."
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