Sure, there are plenty of “pet-friendly” (and the slightly less-welcoming “pet-tolerant”) hotels out there for you and your wandering cat or canine companion. But when you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you probably crave pampering more than usual. And so, we’re guessing, does your pet. Luckily, hotels across the country are upping the ante on pet amenities and luxury hotel services for the animal set, so that you and your favorite companion can rest a little more comfortably.
The trendy W Hotels in such cities as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Honolulu, San Francisco, and Seattle, trade in minimalist elegance that still feels totally indulgent. Their pet package is no exception. Upon arrival, dogs and cats are greeted with a toy, a treat, an ID tag, a custom “W” pet bed, as well as food and water bowls waiting in the room. The hotel also provides guests with litter boxes, waste bags, dog and cat-customized first-aid kits, and concierges ready to advise on anything from grooming to doggie birthday cakes.
For an even more pet-centric experience, visit The Muse Hotel in New York (one of the Kimpton Hotels), where the “Pampered Pooch Package” features many of the same amenities as the W—specialty beds, food and water bowls with bottled water, a mini-bar stocked with treats for pets and people, and an assortment of accessories in case guests left anything behind. And then there’s Ginger, The Muse’s “Director of Pet Relations.” And did we mention—Ginger is a six year-old Teacup Pomeranian “who prefers Prada, visits to the spa and ahi tuna,” according to her personal getting-to-know-you website? Surely she’s a great guide to NYC’s canine-centric attractions. We just wonder who answers all her e-mails…
And then there’s New York’s Hotel Benjamin. Their “Dream Dog” program is so luxurious that it rivals even the most generous of human hotel experiences. While at the Benjamin, your dog will sleep in one of three specialty memory-foam orthopedic dog beds from the “Dog Bed Menu,” swaddled in extra sheets. House-made dog food cooked with “human-quality ingredients” like salmon, tofu, or chicken and vegetables arrives via room service—though don’t ask us how pets are expected to read the ScooterFood® menu. Your dog then dines from ceramic bowls in a wrought iron stand, all resting on a chenille place mat.
Just in case that’s not fancy enough, all pet guests receive complimentary toys and treats, as well as a tiny plush bathrobe, a spa basket full of lavender-scented bath products, and even DVDs to keep them occupied when you’re out of the room. The hotel also provides a list of off-site amenities, some with discounts for guests enrolled in the Dream Dog experience, from “pet psychics” to “pet event planners” and even “pet taxis.”
Now, we realize that some of this might seem a little ridiculous, but is a drop of over-the-top such a bad thing, for you or your pet? If your pet gets to relax, so do you—and isn’t that what vacation is all about?