Reinfried and Heike Zaller are the parents of two very special young people. Julian is the oldest. Annalena, the younger of the siblings, has special needs as a result of her disability.

Reinfried and Heike first heard about the Curaçao Dolphin Therapy Centre (CDTC) through old friends who had previously stayed at Dolphin Suites. The friends recommended dolphin assisted therapy as something that could benefit Annalena, and mentioned that the hotel was accessible and perfect for the family.

This was what brought the Zallers to Curaçao.

It was our pleasure and privilege to have the Zallers stay at our hotel. Our suites are designed both with families and accessibility in mind, meaning the rooms had all the amenities required as well as all the serenity and beauty that comes with a holiday suite.

It was the family’s first time visiting the island. They arrived late on Friday, and took the weekend to explore and enjoy the warmth, the beaches and the local sights. After four days of acclimatisation, which included seeing the team of the dolphins and therapists, it was time for Annalena to get into the water.

Annalena has a waist tube for floatation and for a sense of control and safety, and the therapist is always with her. The third member is, of course, the dolphin. For Julian, the CDTC has a full programme - designed specifically for siblings of a special needs child.

Initially - and understandably - little Annalena was unsettled due to separation anxiety from her parents. However, after the very first session, she was able to rely on and feel safe with the dolphins.

The dolphin therapist explains that the dolphins instinctively know how to create bonds with children like Annalena. Each dolphin seems to know just the right approach to each individual child, and with a gentleness and intelligence, connect with them in a way that we simply cannot. The beauty of dolphin therapy extends past Annalena, as the happiness on Renfried and Heike’s faces shines out. 

Each member of the Zaller family, Reinfried, Heike, Julian and Annalena, touched our hearts during their stay with us.

We are extremely grateful to have played a small role in their story, and to have seen first-hand the benefits that dolphin therapy had on them.