A travel company has launched Inclusive Luxury Hotels, a dedicated platform helping travellers with mobility, sensory, or neurodivergent exceptionalities find luxury accommodation that caters to their needs.
Gone are the days when guests with disabilities arrived at a destination only to be greeted by cramped rooms or inaccessible spaces.
Inclusive Luxury Hotels features properties that have earned, or are working towards earning, the ‘Verified by IncluCare’ badge, which guarantees both accessibility and an in-depth institutional understanding of inclusive hospitality.
In the words of the company, they have ‘mastered the art of turning previously unattainable travel dreams into a kaleidoscope of achievable, authentically inclusive leisure and lifestyle opportunity, whatever a client’s visible or non-visible physical, sensory or neuro-divergent exceptionality. We call it the “luxury of possibility”.
The platform focuses exclusively on disability inclusivity, embracing both visible and hidden exceptionalities. ‘IncluCare goes beyond a narrow focus on the accessibility of the built environment to ensure the full destination is inclusive,’ the group explains.
Eighteen hotels and resorts in ten countries have so far been listed on the platform, with plans to reach fifty by the end of the year.
Before Inclusive Luxury Hotels arrived on the scene, finding accessible luxury accommodation was often tricky. With no reliable verification system and accessible rooms frequently hidden or request-only.
@surehandslifts Its … perfect. 🏝️Abita Kai property in Grand Cayman #accessiblevacation #accessibility #disabilityriktok #wheelchairuser #wheelchairlife #accessibletravel #inclusion ♬ original sound – surehandslifts
What distinguishes Inclusive Luxury Hotels?
The platform’s strength lies in its commitment to Conscious Inclusivity, a philosophy that sees inclusivity as much more than just physical access. Properties must:
- Undergo an independent, detailed appraisal of their facilities.
- Complete staff education programmes on inclusive hospitality.
- Commit to long-term improvements through customised action plans.
- Maintain and demonstrate inclusive excellence for at least 24 months.
Inclusivity is much more than just a marketing checkbox; it is real and tangible.
Inclu Group describes itself as ‘pioneers of crafting equity of experience in luxury hospitality and travel’. All too often, accessibility is treated as the only measure of inclusion, but the group insists that the real difference comes from ‘delivering impeccable, personalised and consciously inclusive service, through an aware, empowered and confident workforce’.
The group also highlights a significant market gap: it is estimated that US $1.5 billion worth of accessible rooms go unsold each year because they remain invisible or are only available on request.
Hotels on the platform
Amilia Maldives is the first five-star verified by the platform. Other verified properties include The Atlantic Hotel in Jersey, England; Euphoria Retreat in Mystras, Greece; Hotel Éclat Beijing in China; La Miniera Pool Villas Pattaya in Thailand; Leopard Walk Lodge in Hluhluwe, and Ximuwu Lodge in South Africa.
The platform also features eleven hotels that are in the process of certification, with locations in Costa Rica, the UK, Belize, and the US.
Luxury for all
The goal of IncluCare is to make luxury travel truly accessible. Leopard Walk Lodge and La Miniera Pool Villas were among the first to fully comply with the programme’s standards, proving that not only is it possible for people with disabilities to enjoy luxury travel – it’s something they should expect as a given.
