Posts tagged "hotel"

Be honest, your (human) sweetheart isn't the only true love in your life. If you're taking a special trip Valentine's weekend, why not bring your precious pooch with you?

Kimpton's Vero Beach Hotel & Spa in Vero Beach, Fla., is offering a new package that's sure to get your dog's tail wagging: The Pooch n' Smooch package, which, for the Valentine's Day weekend, starts at $368 per night. (For non-holidays, peak season rates begin at $288 per night and off season rates begin at $198 per night. The package will be available through December 22, 2010.)

While the hotel property is always pet-friendly, the Pooch n' Smooch package makes your "ménage à paw" extra special by offering a Pampered Pooch Picnic at the Dog Park (with a basket that includes a picnic blanket, two wine spritzers, organic treats for mom and dad, dog treats, ball, collapsible dog bowl, and a clean-up bag); turndown amenity of Champagne and homemade doggie treats from local pet boutique Hearth & Hound; and a $5 donation to Indian River County Humane Society.

If that's not quite enough, you can purchase upgrades including a photo shoot with your pet on the beach ($75) and two Kimpton bathrobes and a dog bed ($300).

If this package doesn't quite tickle your fancy, don't worry; there are lots of pet-friendly hotels available for you to choose from!

If there's one thing that can sour a vacation, it's thinking about your furry friend caged up in boarding while you're laid out on the beach. In the past, it was hard to find a pet-friendly hotel, but these days it's hard not to find accommodations that welcome pets. According to an American Hotel & Lodging Association survey of 8,000 hotels in the U.S., 60 percent welcome pets. Here's a roundup of ten of the most easily found pet-friendly hotels in America.

Best Western: With more than 1,000 hotels nationwide that accept pets as overnight guests, you'll have no problem housing Fido at your next destination. Each has its own pet fee, ranging anywhere from free to $50 a night. Check with individual locations to find out what their fee is and if they have any size restrictions.

Choice Hotels: 2,500 accommodations within the Choice family, which includes Comfort Inn and EconoLodge, allow pets in their rooms. Since each hotel is individually owned, make sure to visit Choice's website for pet-friendly franchises.

Kimpton Hotels: For those with large dogs, this series of boutique hotels in 16 U.S. cities has no size or weight limits, plus there aren't any extra fees for bringing your pet with you. Some Kimpton properties host special events like pet costume parties and meet-and-greet cocktail hours. All hotels offer dog walking services and chew toys, and if you don't have a pet, they'll loan you a goldfish for your stay (housekeeping makes sure your new friend is well fed).

Hilton: Felines and canines are welcome at most Hilton Hotels & Resorts throughout the U.S. and Canada for a flat fee of $75. Only one pet is allowed per room and it must be under 75 lbs. At check-in, your four-legged friend will receive a Creature Comfort welcome package that includes organic treats and bio-degradable poop bags, and once in your room, your pet can cat nap on a Crypton Clean Pet Pillow designed by William Wegman. Concierge desks have lists of local pet-friendly activities including walking trails.

The epitome of ridiculousness? Absolutely. But for those of you who think a vacation just isn't a vacation unless you get to act like a rodent, there is at long last a place for you: the hamster hotel in Nantes, France.

This unique establishment provides guests with the chance to play out their fantasies of living like a hamster, according to The (UK) Telegraph. The Hamster Villa, located in an 18th-century building, was designed by a pair of French architects to resemble a giant hamster cage. We don't get it either.

Visitors to the hotel sleep on hay bales and stretch their legs by running on -- what else? -- a giant hamster wheel. And forget snacking on baguettes and cheese during your stay in France. Guests at the Hamster Villa are given a treat of hamster grain, according to the Telegraph. Imagine, all this for just 99 Euros (about $147) per night.

The experience gives guests a chance "to become a hamster, eat seeds, change our way of life...come out of our daily routine," the villa's first guests told Reuters TV.

If this sounds like your idea of a stellar getaway, well, enjoy it. But please be a considerate hotel guest, and don't keep your neighbors awake by gnawing on your cage all night.