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New Jersey hotel caters to children with autism
One New Jersey hotel is hoping to help families traveling with children with autism. The Clinton Inn Hotel in Tenafly has opened its Alpine Suite, specifically designed for kids with autism. Tony Morreale, the hotel's manager, and parent of an autistic child, came up with the idea after having trouble finding hotel rooms that were safe for children with varying degrees of autism. The Alpine Suite in the Clinton Inn Hotel is complete with furniture with rounded corners, décor that cannot be moved and an alarm on the door to alert grownups if a child tries to leave. Other added touches include plastic glasses instead of glassware, a flat-panel television set affixed to the wall, and safety latches on all the cabinets and drawers throughout the suite.
According to reports from a New Jersey government task force, 1 in 94 children in New Jersey has a form of autism; 1 in approximately 110 children across the nation falls somewhere on the autism spectrum. The Clinton Inn is hoping to help travelers with autistic family members sleep a little easier on vacation knowing their kids are safe in the hotel room.
The Clinton Inn Hotel is located minutes from New York City, so families looking for a New York escape can easily make the trek into Manhattan.
Filed under: North America, United States, Hotels and Accommodations
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Melanie Nayer Feb 9th 2010 12:17PM
Thanks, Nick.
I agree - it's nice to see hotels doing something to make travel more accommodating for families with special needs. I hope to see more of these in the future!
Aboona [Fr.] Joe Feb 10th 2010 7:04AM
wonderful! My eyes began tearing up! Many more hotels should "see the light" and do this.
April Robinson Feb 10th 2010 7:20AM
I wished there were more hotels like The Clinton Inn. We travel at least three times a year to special assemblies. My nephew is autistic and when he was younger we would have to put furniture in front of the doors or we couldn't get much sleep because we were afraid that he would get out. But if there were more hotels that had alarms on the door to alert parents, I think people would feel some what at ease when they are on vacation with their child. I know we would. My thanks goes out to the owners of The Clinton Inn and I hope other hotels will follow in their footsteps and give parents who have children with autism the same type of security.
Jodi Feb 10th 2010 8:38AM
In what cities do you go to for your special assemblies? Are they always the same and do you use the same hotel?
Kandi Feb 10th 2010 8:10AM
Absolutely wonderful! I read about this place in the Columbus dispatch a month ago. I have an autistic child, and only those who have them know the hard hard road we go down. I wish that every hotel would just set aside one room for the special needs, i bet they would be surprised the attention they would get.
Kathy Feb 10th 2010 8:15AM
Even though this room is geared up for a family traveling with a special needs child (which is great!), it seems to me that it would be an ideal room for any family traveling with small children! I wish there were more rooms like this available for all families! I had a heck of a time when I took my then 4 year old with me to visit family and he kept trying to get out the door to go two doors down to see his grandparents. It took him all of 2 seconds to figure out that he could use the chair to reach the security chain.
Tammy Feb 10th 2010 8:32AM
Being a mother of an autistic child, I know this room would be awesome to stay in. Having a special needs child and going on vacation is usually a strenuous time. He either can open the doors and run off, or gets hurt often on the furniture. My hats off to this hotel for making special rooms to cater to the needs of families of special children. Thanks!
mb Feb 10th 2010 1:41PM
This room also sounds as if it would be a nice place to stay if traveling with an older adult with dementia, too. Especially the door alarms and furnishings that cannot be moved. My mom has dementia and she and my dad still do some traveling, but he's always worried she will wander when he's distracted or asleep. Kudos to the hotel manager for taking the time to put something like this in place.
Rebecca Feb 10th 2010 9:14AM
This hotel is to be congratulated because there are so many families in need of places like this. Not only families dealing with autism, but toddlers, parents with Alzheimers, and single parents would benefit from these features. My nephew is autistic and my mother has Alzheimer's so just getting together for a family event (recently a funeral) requires strategic planning. I hope to see more accommodations like this.
Reggie Feb 10th 2010 9:31AM
I must give credit to Marriot Hotel because for the last 4 years they have been so good to me with my austistic son. For people that don't have any idea how difficult it is for us parents words are truly not enough to explain. I am very happy to hear that other establishment is opening up to us.
B Feb 10th 2010 9:33AM
Excellent idea. Hopefully many will follow what The Clinton Inn has started. Thank you for reporting. But Ms. Nayer, please note first person language: "children with autism," not "autistic children." (Think: "child with cancer," not "cancerous child.")
mudbug55 Feb 10th 2010 9:59AM
Thanks for thinking about us!! My grandson is autistic and just the fact that corporations are THINKING about doing something is fabulous. The truth is that there are SO many disabled folks in such various degrees, these types of rooms will be an across the board succuss. Thanks again from all who will benefit.
KJA Feb 10th 2010 10:07AM
I HAVE A SON WITH AUTISM, AND HE'S OLDER, BUT STILL LIVES WITH US ....AND THE COMMENTS I GET , I JUST WANT TO SCREAM AT SOME PEOPLE.....ALL OF THE MIS-CONCEPTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT AUTISM, ETC...... FOR INSTANCE---PEOPLE WITHOUT AUTISTIC KIDS ASSUME BECAUSE I HAVE A KID WITH AUTISM, THAT THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG MENTALLY WITH ME OR MY HUBBY------WRONGGGGG !!!!!!!!!!.......HUBBY AND I HAVE COLEGE DEGREES, AND MY OTHER CHILD IS 13 AND AN HONOR STUDENT WHO WANTS TO GO TO COLLEGE FOR MED SCHOOL WHEN SHES OLDER .....SO PEOPLE -- DO NOT EVER ASSUME ANYTHING , UNTIL YOUVE WAKED A MILE IN THE PERSONS SHOES WHO HAS TO DEAL WITH AN AUSTICTIC CHILD ON A DAILY BASIS --- WE.....INSTEAD OF BEING APPLAUDED FOR OUR IMMENSE AMOUNT OF PATIENCE , ,PEOPLEHAVE TO WHISPER, POINT, ETC , OUT IN PUBLIC .....I HAVE TOLD PEOPLE OFF BEFORE, BECAUSE IMTIRED OF THE STARING ....JUST SO YOU "PEOPLE WITHOUT AUTISTIC KIDS" KNOW , AUTISM IS SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENS --- JUST IKE CANCER --IT JUST SHOWS UP IN CERTAIN PEOPLE ,......ONLY DIFFERENCE IS CANCER CAN BE CURED ....AUTISM CANNOT YET BE CURED ......ALL OF YOU THINK OF THIS FOR A MOMENT : " JUST THINK IF YOU WERE IN A BAD CAR ACCIDENT, AND HAD A PROSTHETIC LEG FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE ---WOULD YOU WANT OTHERS WHISPERING & SNICKERING , AND STARING ???????? NO !!!......BUT YOU ALL DO THAT TO ANYONE WHO IS DIFFERENT.......BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS TO YOU ONE DAY , WE WILL SEE THEN .......REMEMBER-- THOSE OF YOU WHO LAUGH AT THESE POSTINGS , OR LAUGH AT PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT,WHETHER, A SCAR, SOME PHYSICA THING, OR MENTAL THING ---- THERE IS SOMETHING CALED KARMA--- AND KARMA HAS A WAY OF COMING BACK AROUND TO BITE YOU IN THE BUTT .....YOU JUST REMEMBER THAT !!!!....GO TO A SITE CALLLED: AUTISMSPEAKS.COM, AND LEARN A THING OR TWO TODAYINSTEAD OF SITTING ON HERE TRYING TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN MAKE FUN OF ON THE HEADLINES TODAY .....SOO, SOOO , SOO MANY IGNORANT PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD !!!!--BUT THE IGNORANT ONES WILL GET WHATS COMING TO THEM , JUST WHEN THEY LEAST EXPECT IT !!!!!!!!! BOOM !!!!!!!!
darsoo Feb 11th 2010 11:12AM
I have an autistic nephew, and what you say is 100% true. People can be so cruel and never stop to think about what it would be like to be walking in the other person's shoes. I do see a lot of anger in your message and am a little concerned about that. You have a right to be angry, but I felt this very strong, and I sure hope this isn't coming out in every day life as children are so perceptive. Plus totally not good for you. I am not making light of your complaint at all, as like I said I agree 100%, but feel there was more to that then just the issue you were speaking about. I may be wrong, but I felt a sense of worry for you, as well.
April Robinson Feb 10th 2010 10:18AM
Roanoke VA. and Richmond, Va. and yes we use the same hotels.
John Feb 10th 2010 12:03PM
One family's account of autism cured.
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/another-autism-case-report.shtml
postman Feb 10th 2010 4:06PM
can the hotel owners please post mr morreales phone number on there web page...would love to call him and congradulate him on a wonder job he has done for for the autism world...keep up the good work mr morreale...your a good person for what you are doing.
Melanie Nayer Feb 10th 2010 9:40PM
Thanks for all your comments! I think this hotel's initiative to help families and children with autism is commendable and I hope more hotels follow.
Bernice Mar 2nd 2010 1:16PM
This is wonderful. I haven't been on vacation since before my son was diagnosed in 2006 and afterwards it really seemed impossible. My major concern is a hotel with an alarm or where the locks are high out reach. ( I had beg my management to install a special lock up high where he couldn't reach) My family thinks that I'm over anxious about traveling and believes that he won't leave the room. If the hotel is not set up like this, then I wouldn't take the chance. Even though this is not far from me, I think a vacation here is better than no vacation at all. Good job!
Pam Aerts Mar 6th 2010 10:34AM
Bravo!!!! Wonderful to see this. I hope more hotels will take a cue from them. We have a son with autism and have had issues with EVERY one of the things they have modified in the "autism suite". What a wonderful idea and with the increasing rate of autism, I would imagine they will be booked all the time!