10 of the Best Hotel Perks for Dogs From Coast to Coast
Seeing a pretty poodle or scruffy Scottie prancing around a hotel lobby is becoming a common sight as more and more Americans prefer to travel with their pets. A 2017 survey performed by TripAdvisor found that 53% of the 1,100 respondents travel with their pets, with 52% only staying at pet-friendly properties. With these numbers, it's no surprise that dog-abiding hotels and resorts are on the rise, with many properties going to great lengths to impress our four-legged friends.
These days, it's not enough to simply allow animals — you've got to pamper them with (organic, handmade) treats and coddle them with (customized) massages and walks. From a bacon scavenger hunt to plush monogrammed dog beds to Yappy Hours complete with pup-tinis, these hotels across the country are raising the bar to give pets the ultimate pup-cation.
1. California: Calistoga Ranch, an Auberge Resort
Even dogs can enjoy the fruits of Napa Valley at Calistoga Ranch. They'll be welcomed with a special wine bottle filled with dog treats (don't worry, owners get the real stuff), a dog bed and food and water bowls. And no mutt can resist the resort's signature Applewood-Smoked Bacon Scavenger Hunt that takes place among the gorgeous vines. If your pooch is still hungry, order from the Canine Culinary room service menu, which features organic dishes like braised short ribs with brown rice; chicken tossed with fresh pasta; and a Calistoga Ranch Burger — raw or rare — served over steamed white short grain rice. Pet fee: $125.
2. New York: The Chatwal
Any hound visiting Manhattan has to fit in among the city's pampered pets, so The Chatwal offers a Pet Wardrobe Supervisor who can curate a personalized pet closet with a Chatwal-red faux fur pet jacket, booties, bowtie and a neck bandana. All dog guests also receive an NYC yellow cab plush toy, Chatwal-red food and water bowls, a pet bed and a Chatwal VIPet tag. Pets and their owners can select treats from the hotel's extensive menu, which is playfully printed as a Playbill. Pet fee: $100.
3. California: The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Hosting more than 50 four-legged guests per month, The Peninsula Beverly Hills spoils its Hollywood-bound canine guests with personalized towels and robes, luxurious monogrammed dog beds, and a specially designed menu with meals like Zoe's Beef Burger and Brutus' Filet Mignon. The hotel also offers 45-minute in-room massages, dog-sitting and complimentary walks by white-uniformed hotel staff. And this year, in honor of the Lunar New Year being the Year of the Dog, the hotel is donating 100% of its pet fees to a local animal nonprofit organization. Pet fee: $35 per pet, per night.
4. District of Columbia: Canopy by Hilton Washington, DC, The Wharf
Located in the District's newest waterfront neighborhood, the recently opened Canopy by Hilton Washington DC, The Wharf debuted a partnership with Planet Dog for its Paws in the Neighborhood program. All visiting canines receive a welcome gift, which includes a Paws in the Neighborhood cinch pack, a Planet Dog Orbee ball, a locally sourced dog treat, a dispenser of cheekily designed pickup bags, a Planet Dog and Canopy by Hilton dog's guide to the neighborhood, eco-friendly, fleece-lined leashes and collars from Planet Dog's best-selling hemp line, a dog bed, and food and water bowls. Pet fee: $50.
5. Colorado: The St. Regis Aspen
The St. Regis Aspen Resort extends its legendary hospitality to dogs with its Elevated Pet Program. Highlights include a dog butler for walking, watching or playing fetch within nearby Wagner Park; jogging strollers for smaller pups; doggles for protection from the mountain sun and snow; luxuriously upholstered reclaimed oak dog beds with nailhead trim; handmade St. Regis bandanas; premium leather leashes; booties for protection from the summer's hot sidewalks and winter's snow; hiking vests with travel bowls; and booster seats for the Lexus SUV house vehicles. Plus, the staff is known to hand out tasty dog treats to well-behaved pups. Pet fee: $25, plus $25 per day.
6. Virginia: The Alexandrian Hotel
Alexandria, Virginia is known as one of the country's most dog-friendly cities — one out of every four residents is a dog! So it's no surprise that doggie guests of The Alexandrian Hotel are treated like royalty. Pups are provided with a deluxe dog bed and blanket, food and water bowls, and an arrival package that includes pickup bags, a map with local dog-friendly walks, two dog biscuits, bottled water and special offers for the Dog Park, a local neighborhood pet boutique. Pups even get a complimentary turndown service that involves bottled water, a yogurt-dipped dog biscuit placed bedside and blanket turndown. For guests staying midweek, The Alexandrian hosts Yappy Hour in its courtyard every Tuesday from 4 to 8 pm, serving pup-tinis and complimentary treats. Pet fee: $25 per night.
7. Florida: The Perry Hotel Key West
Sea-loving doggies and their owners will adore the recently opened Perry Hotel on Stock Island. The marina-front hotel has two on-site dog parks and ground floor guest rooms with outdoor showers designed just for dogs. And for those who don't want to leave their pets behind, the hotel partners with local company Lazy Dog Adventures to offer kayaking and paddle-boarding excursions — with Fido in tow — that leave right from The Perry's dock. There's also a welcome amenity for both hound and human, with items such as a Lazy Dog branded hat, t-shirt, mug, and pint glass, and a hotel branded leash, foldable water bowl, bandana, and frisbee. Pet fee: $150 per stay with an additional $25 for a second pet.
8. Colorado: The Pines Lodge, a RockResort
The Pines Lodge, a RockResort in Beaver Creek, Colorado, provides human and canine travelers the opportunity for a memorable trip with the Pines Pup Bucket List. Tails on Trails provides maps with the top dog-friendly hiking routes (including Colorado's famous fourteeners) and Pup POV allows owners to check out a GoPro and four-legged-friendly harnesses to capture their mountain adventures. The Pampered Pup offers doggie massages or a bath and blow-out, while the Pupdown Pillow Service provides a nightly rawhide bone turndown amenity. Pet fee: $50 per pet, per night.
9. Washington: Hotel Theodore
The newly opened Hotel Theodore, a Provenance Hotel in Seattle, welcomes pooches with open arms. In partnership with Fido Friendly Magazine, Provenance Hotels recently debuted new safety-assured and environmentally friendly pet amenities including pet beds and plush dog toys from WestPaw Design, dog food produced by The Honest Kitchen, and custom dog tags. Guests can also take advantage of in-room pet massages, pet acupuncture, pet psychic readings, animal Reiki treatments and pet spiritual menus. Pet fee: $45.
10. Colorado: The Arrabelle at Vail Square
Nestled at the base of Vail Mountain in Colorado, the Arrabelle at Vail Square offers plush accommodations for people and pups alike. Dogs receive homemade treats and a personalized water bowl, a red velvet pet bed for snoozing (embroidered with the pet's name for an additional cost — the beds will soon be available to ship home), a midday walk while the humans are out and about, and the use of a Fit Bark — a Fitbit for your dog that tracks activity and sleep. Owners will get a complimentary bottle of Henry Wine as a tribute to Henry, the first canine member of the Vail Ski Patrol and an iconic four-legged figure in Vail. Pet fee: $50 per pet, per night.
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