I'm Robin, a traveler with misophonia who spent years thinking the world wasn't made for people like me. Then I decided to find the places that are.
It started with a sound
For as long as I can remember, certain sounds haven't just bothered me, they've consumed me. The click of a pen. Someone chewing. A dripping tap. While everyone around me seemed unbothered, these sounds would trigger an overwhelming flood of anxiety, anger, and the desperate need to escape.
For years, I didn't have a name for it. I just thought something was wrong with me. Why couldn't I just ignore it like everyone else? Why did a restaurant dinner feel like a battlefield?
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What is misophonia?
Misophonia (literally "hatred of sound") is a neurological condition where specific sounds trigger intense emotional and physical responses. It's not about being annoyed. It's an involuntary fight-or-flight reaction to everyday noises that most people don't even notice.
It affects an estimated 12-20% of the population to varying degrees, yet most people have never heard of it.
Travel was the hardest part
I love the idea of travel: new cultures, beautiful places, and great food. But the reality was different. Airports with constant announcements. Hotels with thin walls and hallway noise at 2am. Restaurants where every table's conversation competes for space in your head.
I started avoiding travel altogether. Holidays became sources of anxiety instead of joy. I'd research obsessively, trying to find out: Will it be loud? Will it be crowded? Will there be somewhere quiet I can retreat to? But the information was never there.
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I didn't need to know the thread count of the sheets. I needed to know if I could hear the bar from the room at midnight.
The turning point
The shift happened slowly. Instead of avoiding travel, I started approaching it differently: as a researcher. I began documenting everything: the noise levels, the crowd density, the lighting, the escape routes. Not just for myself, but because I realised nobody else was doing it.
I discovered that incredible, sensory-friendly places exist everywhere. You just have to know where to look. A cliffside hotel in Madeira where the only sound is the Atlantic. A hidden courtyard restaurant in Seville where the thick stone walls absorb the noise. These are the hidden treasures. And I want to help you find them.
The journey so far
Growing up different
Years of not understanding why everyday sounds felt unbearable, thinking it was something I needed to "get over."
Finding a name for it
Discovering misophonia and finally understanding it's neurological, not a character flaw.
Travelling differently
Shifting from avoidance to research. Documenting noise levels, crowd patterns, and retreat options at every destination.
Sharing what I found
Realising that the sensory information I was gathering could help thousands of others. Launching Robin's Hidden Treasures to make that happen.
Building something bigger
Creating a sensory rating system for travel to help you know what to expect before you arrive.
The Mission
Making travel accessible for those who feel too much
Hidden Treasures isn't about avoiding the world. It's about experiencing it on your own terms. Every destination, hotel, and experience I review comes with an honest sensory breakdown, so you can plan trips that excite you instead of exhaust you.
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Honest Ratings
Every review scored on 7 sensory dimensions. No sugarcoating, no sponsored bias.
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Real Exploration
Every place personally visited and experienced. Never second-hand, never fabricated.
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Community First
Built for and by people who experience the world differently. Your input shapes what I review next.
Work Together
Let's uncover hidden treasures together
I partner with hotels, destinations, and brands that genuinely care about sensory accessibility. If your space is a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered, I'd love to tell that story.