Chris Russell, CEO of Spire Hospitality, knows firsthand how difficult travel can be for those with a family member with autism. As he told LODGING, it’s largely because one of his two daughters is on the autism spectrum that, for more than 20 years, his own family was among the 87 percent that don’t travel, because “there just wasn’t any place for us to go.”
This is something Russell is trying to change, with the commitment of his entire team at Spire and the help of Autism Double-Checked, an organization that helps travel companies develop autism-awareness programs and certification that designates autism-friendly accommodations as such.
Having a child with autism themselves, the challenges and misunderstandings that come with it were well known to Russell and his wife, who volunteers to help families navigate behavioral resources. There were so many stories, he said, like that of an adult man with autism thrown to the ground and handcuffed by police officers who misinterpreted his behavior; how their older daughter couldn’t have sleepovers when she was younger due to her little sister’s behavior; and, of course, the families that couldn’t travel due to challenges. “Impacted families are limited in what they can do. It’s the kind of club that you never want to be part of, but everybody knows somebody.”
Yet, it wasn’t until a member of his own leadership team mentioned that she was autistic that a lightbulb went off for him. “Our Leadership Council was discussing autism among initiatives for our company to consider supporting, when our accounting manager shared that she herself was on the spectrum. That moment changed everything. Knowing that our own employees were among those impacted, our thoughts turned to our guests. We recognized that as a hospitality company, Spire was in a position to improve the vacation experience for guests and their families and also make its own employees more comfortable,” he recalled. “We saw an opportunity to do something good for business that was also the right thing to do. It wasn’t even a decision; everyone agreed, ‘Let’s do it.’”
From that discussion came the idea to create truly autism-friendly hotel environments, thereby making travel more accessible for these families. To do this, they turned to Autism Double-Checked, which is now certifying several of its hotels and training employees to understand and support guests with autism. The training process, explained Russell, is multilayered: “Every manager completes specialized training focused on awareness and empathy, and all hourly employees—from front desk associates to housekeepers—undergo sessions tailored to their roles. The goal is to ensure that everyone, at every level, knows how to accommodate guests with sensory sensitivities, communication differences, and unique needs.”
According to Russell, the program is now part of Spire’s onboarding for all new hires. Training guides are customized by department, and every certified property provides resources to help guests plan their stay more confidently—from finding quieter dining options to local recommendations for supportive community venues.
At Spire’s corporate office, Russell said, staff also work to support neurodiverse individuals in the workforce. They host mock interviews for people on the autism spectrum, offering feedback on communication, presentation, and confidence-building.
So far, Spire has certified the following four properties: the Cincinnati Marriott, Hotel Fera in Lake Oswego, and the Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn in Broomfield. “We wanted to start small, learn, and improve,” Russell said. “The plan is to roll certification out to all our hotels by early 2026,” Russell explained.
Feedback from both employees and guests has already been encouraging. Russell mentioned a meeting planner who happened to have a child with autism who decided to book her event at a certified hotel after a site tour.
“For families seeking autism-friendly accommodations, our certified properties provide a place where they can plan vacations with confidence, knowing they’ll be understood and supported,” said Russell, adding, “It’s good for business, but that’s not why we do it. We do it because it’s the right thing to do.”
