Leading the charge in inclusivity and accessibility among South African hotels, The President Hotel in Bantry Bay, Cape Town has introduced Deafgard devices in its rooms.
The Deafgard device, equipped with a vibrating pad and flashing lights, offers instant alerts during emergencies for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing.
How Will it Work?
The Deafgard device sits on the bedside table, while a vibrating dongle is tucked inside the guest’s pillowcase, ensuring it’s felt when you are asleep. There are tent cards in the room with instructions on how the device works, what to do in the event of it flashing and/or vibrating, and WhatsApp contact details for more information and assistance.
Reinard Korf, General Manager at The President Hotel, said the introduction of Deafgard aims to enhance the guest experience for deaf and hard-of-hearing guests.
“In our journey to become more inclusive and accessible, we wanted to improve the guest experience for our deaf and hard-of-hearing guests. The device gives them peace of mind when staying at the hotel so that they feel comfortable and safe – and in turn, we create a more welcoming environment for our guests,” he explained.
Making Strides
The Deafgard device is the latest in a series of inclusive measures implemented by The President Hotel.
These include accessible parking bays located close to the entrance, wheelchair accessibility to all floors of the hotel, and specially designed accessible rooms with wider doorways, hand bars in the bathrooms, and sleek wide showers that can accommodate wheelchairs. The staff are specially trained and proficient in sign language to assist guests.
Pet-friendly
The pet-friendly hotel also welcomes service dogs.
Korf said: “Pet-friendly hotels are not that common in South Africa, however, we realise how much people love and value their pets and how they improve the lives of their owners, so we introduced a pet-friendly policy as part of our mission to make The President more inclusive to all. “For many pet owners, this also removes the stress of worrying about their animals’ well-being if left in boarding kennels or with pet sitters.”
A Comfortable Stay For All
The President also offers Halal options on their menu, and there are Qibla arrows in all rooms so that Muslim guests can see which direction to face when praying.
Korf added: “We are committed to making every one of our guests feel respected, understood and as welcome, comfortable and safe as possible. We hold workshops to train our staff in dealing with a diverse range of guest needs, and we are constantly looking at ways to improve the guest experience. In addition to this, we strive to offer an inclusive work culture which improves our employee satisfaction and happiness – which ultimately translates to an enhanced overall guest experience.”
Visit www.presidenthotel.co.za
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