Sensory-Friendly Munich: Travel and Hotel

Part Two

Read part one here

Munich was a trip that built core memories for everyone in my family (except for my two-year- old, most likely)! In part one of my post, I talked a bit about my top 3 spots to go to if planning a sensory-friendly trip to Munich. However, to be honest it wasn’t the sight seeing I was worried about for this trip: it was the ACTUAL travel and hotel. Those with family members on the spectrum, or with other neurodiversities, know that routine is a way of life every day. Taking a plane for 10 hours and staying in a hotel is far from that, at least for this family! My son was extremely comfortable during our travel and stay; so for those of you entertaining the idea of going abroad with your family, I have some suggestions!

IcelandAir

On my first trip abroad, my family booked with IcelandAir to fly. We loved it so much that it was a no-brainer when we planned this trip. This airline is SUPER family friendly. Now, I don’t know much about other airlines to compare, but I can speak on what IcelandAir did to accommodate our family and make everyone feel comfortable.

• Perks for the Kids – at no-added cost:
  • Headphones for the screens on the plane
  • Eye mask to help with sleeping or light sensitivity
  • Plush toys of native Iceland animals (my kids even took them sightseeing with us)
  • Reusable match card game
  • Reusable sticker scene of Iceland
  • Icelandic card game with 4 ways to play
  • Spot the difference pictures to support visual thinking skills and practice pen control
  • Meal on each flight, like many other international flights
• Perks for the Adults:
  • UNDERSTANDING FLIGHT ATTENDANTS – we had a screaming toddler for most of the plane rides. Thankfully, passengers were understanding for the most part (minus a few 20 something-year-olds). The flight attendants were so kind, one even helped rock our daughter for a few minutes just so we could get a break. My daughter then asked for the flight attendant the rest of the plane ride and was sad to be stuck with her boring parents!

IMPORTANT TO KNOW – All IcelandAir flights have a layover in Iceland. If you want a direct flight from the US to Europe, or any location that IcelandAir flies to, as of right now that is not possible. 

TRAVELERS WITH HIDDEN DISABILITIES (and other special needs) – You can call up to 48 hours ahead of your trip to let your flight crew know that you are traveling with someone who has an “hidden disability” or other special need. IcelandAir is a member of the Sunflower Program. This means they provide a sunflower lanyard to those passengers with invisible disabilities in order to better help with any needs that might arise. You can find participating airlines and airports who utilize the Sunflower Program here.

Parkhotel Leiser in Planegg, Germany

Knowing that sounds, lights, and sights can be overstimulating for my son with Autism, I knew we would need to book a hotel that was removed from the “hustle and bustle” of Munich. When looking for hotels on the outskirts of Munich, my husband came across the Parkhotel Leiser, and it seemed like a perfect fit. Perfect was an understatement! I am still daydreaming about the cappuccino and breakfast I had there each morning, and trying to recreate it at home. (SPOILER ALERT: I’m not coming close!) This hotel was affordable, clean, in a great location, and owned and operated by the most welcoming humans.

Perks of the Parkhotel Leiser:

• Small, family-owned hotel with only 50 rooms
• Holger Leiser, the owner, made us feel like family during our stay. He was thoughtful, accommodating, and informative.
• Excellent price for the accommodations
• Down the street from the S-Bahn (Munich’s train line) S6, so an easy commute to the city
• Quaint town with delicious restaurants, adorable shops, gelato options (which was a huge win for the kids), and the most lovely family-friendly place to get a beer
• While on the main street, it is very quiet which was beneficial for my son’s needs
• The homey atmosphere allowed my son to be comfortable, especially because there was no crowding
• BREAKFAST INCLUDED AND CAN’T BE MISSED – This breakfast was a great union of German and American breakfast foods, which was beneficial for little ones with particular tastes! Having familiar foods is important for my son, due to textural difficulties and other sensory sensitivities he has with food. However, he was able to have fresh berries, yogurt, cereal, cheese, and bread – all familiar foods he eats at home. All of the same foods are served each day, which allowed my son to have a sense of routine each morning, helping the day run smoother. (I miss my croissants, fresh fruit, and cappuccino every morning; while my husband misses the endless meats and cheeses!)

IMPORTANT TO KNOW – 

• The hotel is wheelchair accessible. Holger, and the majority of the staff, speak English in case your German is a little rusty (or non-existent in my case). 
• Holger even spoke in German with my husband when he was practicing his conversation skills.
• Parking is tough, but there is a parking garage that is available to guests at a daily fee.
• Planegg is extremely walkable.
• There is a playground with a sand pit across the street from the hotel. We went there quite a bit! This became a routine location that really helped with regulation for my son. We were usually the only ones there as well, which was nice for the peace and quiet.

Traveling can be overwhelming for anyone, especially someone who is neurodivergent. I hope that this information helps your family plan a trip abroad, or even encourages you to explore your own community!