The term “boutique hotel” would appear to be very popular at the moment. Whilst it might be hard to pin down what the term actually means – When we think of boutique hotels we tend to think of luxurious chic establishments that are a cut above your standard hotels offering something a little more grand and exclusive.
The good news is that it is possible to stay in the luxury that boutique hotels offer AND take your pet. There are plenty of pet friendly boutique hotels with many offering exclusive faciliies for the pets in your life such as beds, menus, and toys and games.
Whilst it can be hard to find that chain hotels that are pet friendly – the positive side to boutique hotels is that they are not usually associated with a chain or group and therefore are often able to offer services (such as accepting pets) that larger chain hotels cant (or wont!).
Picking your pet friendly boutique hotel
As we stated defining what actually is a boutique hotel is a little difficult. Boutique hotels can be many different things (hip, romantic, historic etc). Many exploit their unique architecture or design or offer a theme. One thing you’ll find is that they are normally more expensive!
As with any hotel you’ll need to first draw up a list of what your looking for (for both you and your pet) – you might want spa facilities, an excellent resteraunt, plenty of gardens to exercise your pet – whatever your requirement use that for the basis of any search you might do.
Many boutique hotels accept pets (usually dogs) but many those that do differ in two respects –firstly some hotels accept pets straight away – others may require prior arrangement or levy a surcharge. Always advise the hotel when making your booking that you’ll be brining along a pet (and be sure to clarify that they do take animals) and ensure that if you have any special requirements the hotel are advised well in advance. Also be sure to check whether the hotel has designated rooms that accept pets – this is relevant especially if you have seen a particular room that you wish to book via a hotel website – just because the hotel states it accepts pets it doesn’t mean that they always accept pets in every room.
Hotel Rules
You may also find that the boutique hotel has special rules in place when guests are accompanied by pets – for example
• your animal may not be left unattended
• Certain areas of the hotel may be restricted
• There may be rules regarding the control of your pets (for example always keeping your dog on a leash)
Staying in a boutique hotel can be a really rewarding experience and a world away from your run-of-the-mill chain hotel – if you’re a pet owner this is good news – there’s plenty on offer and both you and your pet can have a relaxing and enjoyable time.