Hospitality Industry Makes Packing the Pets Easier Than Ever for Spring/Summer Travels; Travelocity Lists Top Pet-Friendly Spot
March 21 2006 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Americans' favorite four-legged companions have evolved into a
multi-billion dollar industry, as hotels and businesses throughout
the world seem to be rolling out the red carpet for pet guests.
Travelocity(R) travel insiders report that hotels in particular
throughout the U.S. and abroad are cashing in by catering to the
four-legged set. Accommodating this exploding trend, Travelocity
has compiled a list of pet-friendly places for travelers who can't
bear the thought of leaving Fido behind as well as a few
animal-themed attractions for the wildlife lover. "Travelocity
found that one in four people travel with their pets, showing that
this is a big part of the growing travel market," said Amy Ziff,
Travelocity's editor-at-large. "Travelers are no longer limited to
walking their dogs in the backyard or local park. Now the entire
country can be their pets' playground." With special menus, a kitty
concierge, a doggy translator and more, Travelocity's
editor-at-large Amy Ziff names some of the best hotels for pet
lovers and animal experiences in North America. San Diego, CA: This
spot tops the list as a year-round pet lover's paradise. There are
a number of pet friendly hotels, from the boutique Hotel Solamar to
the W San Diego, which is part of the chain's PAW (pets always
welcome) practices and has special events like doggie happy hours
and menus. But it's not just the hotels that embrace animals -- Sea
World, with the legendary Shamu shows, swimming with Dolphins,
shark encounters and more, tops the list for animal interaction.
The San Diego Zoo's animal park has a summer Roar N' Snore
overnight program where visitors can sleep in the park for extra
access to the animals. There are also numerous pet-friendly
beaches, dog-runs, salons, and restaurants. Boston: Beantown has a
reputation for making way for our furry and feathered friends with
the Boston-based book Make Way for Ducklings. There are the Swan
Boat Tours and the Boston Duck Tours which guarantee a view of the
area's more active feathery friends. Beyond the gardens and the
commons, Boston has pet friendly hotels such as the Fairmont Copley
plaza with a canine companion named Catie. For more animal
sightings, visit the Franklin Park Zoo with gorillas, warthogs,
Cotswald sheep, Pilgrim geese and more. Zoo details:
http://www.zoonewengland.com/. Chicago: It's home to the Shedd
Aquarium, the world's largest indoor aquarium featuring Beluga
Whales, Black Piranha and Leafy Dragons. It opened in 1930 and
added the Oceanarium in 1991, nearly doubling its size. Enjoy a
stay at the Hotel Monaco and partake in the Guppy Love program,
which makes a Goldfish every guest's companion for the duration of
their stay. Or, consider a Canine cruise for dogs and their people,
operating Sunday mornings June - September through Mercury skyline
cruises at www.mercuryskylinecruiseline.com. Walk along Magnificent
Mile, Lakefront Trail, or the Riverwalk Gateway to learn the city's
history. Denver & The Mountains: Though the mile high city and
surrounding mountains are welcoming to visitors of all kinds,
remember to keep pets hydrated at high altitudes. The Monaco hotels
in Denver have a line of pet paw-licies that detail special pet
services from gourmet canine cuisine to massages and pet-sitting.
The Teatro will serve pets food in a personally-monogrammed dish
and walk them as needed. When in the mountains, try spotting elk,
moose, deer, coyotes, cougars, black bear, hawks and more. Miami /
Ft. Lauderdale: Miami's SoBe catwalk is full of pooch pride. Dine
at the News Cafe with your furry friend or window shop. The
Ritz-Carlton, Royal Palm and the Aqua welcome pets as well. Broward
county, the Greater Fort Lauderdale area, boasts more than 70
pet-friendly hotels, numerous parks and recreation areas and even
restaurants that cater to pets. For pet R&R, check them into
the Camp Canine Country Club & Spa in Ft. Lauderdale or the
Tail End Pet Resort & Spa in Davie. Pets dine on gourmet fare
from Bone Appetit in Ft. Lauderdale or Three Dog Bakery in
Plantation. There is even canine couture found at Tea Cups in
Hollywood. New York City: Home to the most notorious of dog shows,
the city is over-run with dog lovers each winter for Westminster.
From Central Park to Battery Park and Hudson River Park to
Washington Square Park, dog runs are as common as play grounds in
Manhattan. Visit www.urbanhound.com for the low-down on playing
with pets in the city. Visit the famous Central Park zoo featured
in Madagascar and the bigger Bronx Zoo as well. Hotels like 70
Park, the Muse, the Affinia 50 (and all other 8 Affinia properties
in Manhattan) as well as the five W hotels all welcome pets. The
Affinia hotels run a Jet Set Pet program with a special welcome and
extensive list of services whereas the W's offer signature programs
including robes (for you and your pet), treats, and a Where-to-Woof
guide of dog parks, groomers and pet boutiques. San Francisco: Take
pets to the Golden Gate Park Dog Run, Mountain Lake Park or the
Presidio. Even enjoy a jog at Baker Beach, Fort Funston or Ocean
Beach -- just be aware of the strictly enforced leash laws.
Visitors and their pets can hop on and off the public transport
while seeing the sites. Numerous local hotels such as the W San
Francisco and the Kimpton hotels are pet friendly. Perhaps the most
notable treatment is at the Fairmont where guests can sign up for
the Doggy Translator which enhances pet communication. Puerto Rico
& Vieques: These destinations are a diver's delight -- for
lovers of the deep blue ocean and all of the creatures beneath the
water. Not only does the Caribbean offer coral reefs and brilliant
fish, they have bioluminescent bays for nighttime dives as well.
Bays can be brimming with phosphorescent single-cell animals that
glow in the water when they are agitated or moved. Witness the
phenomenon from two bays in Puerto Rico: Fajardo and Guarnica. In
Vieques, the healthiest of the bio bays in the Caribbean is
Mosquito Bay. Stay at Puerto Rico's Normandie House. Washington,
DC: Even our nation's capital welcomes pets. The White House has a
history with animals from Calvin Coolidge's pet raccoon that was
purportedly walked on a leash to Woodrow Wilson's herd of sheep.
There have been gifts as outlandish as a herd of elephants and
tiger cubs. So, it should come as no surprise that the Mall is a
two-mile long playground for pets (although no pets are allowed IN
the monuments). The city's National Zoo is a great place to visit
more than 2,400 kinds of animals. The city has numerous
pet-friendly hotels including the Fairmont, Hotel Palomar, The
Topaz, The Rouge, the Monaco and more. Vancouver: Rover can roam
the stunning city of Vancouver and enjoy many of the parks -- even
off leash! Local dog lovers have united to develop the Vancouver
Dog Owners' Association Web site with useful information including
where and when to take pets to the park and which are leash free.
Also check out the Doggy Style Deli on Denman Street specializing
in a dog diet akin to "raw food." Dine in or take out with meals
that range from $2.50 - $6. There are many pet-friendly hotels
including the Fairmont, The Delta Vancouver, The Sutton and the
Metroplitan. At the Pacific Palisades Hotel, the V.I.Pets program
welcomes dogs for free and offer biscuits, a Frisbee, pick-up bags,
dog bowls and plenty of places to take pooches. Even if Fido can't
come along, some great animal sightings, experiences, and festivals
include: -- South Dakota Bear Country (Rapid City, SD) -- Ostrich
Festival (Chandler, AZ) -- Camel Racing (Virginia City, NV) --
Sting Ray City (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) -- Sail with your pet
on Cunard's QM2 Travelocity's editor-at-large also has a number of
tips for traveling with pets: -- Check with your vet before
traveling as it can be stressful to furry friends. So, make sure
it's OK and they have what they need (including a letter that
documents they are up-to-date on their shots and vaccinations). --
Be aware that while many hotels welcome pets, some charge extra.
The Fairmont's fees are from $25-$40 and the W has a $25 fee and a
non-refundable $100 cleaning fee. -- Traveling with pets can be
stressful so take care to acclimate them. Bring items from home to
comfort them. Consider Comfort Zone's spray & diffusers, for
more information visit www.petcomfortzone.com. -- If flying with a
pet, make reservations in advance and get an airline-approved
container. -- For U.S. dog parks, visit
http://animal.discovery.com/features/dogpark/map/map.html. -- For
pet forecasts, including the best time for walks, visit
www.weather.com. For more information visit:
www.travelocity.com/animals. About Travelocity Travelocity is
committed to being the traveler's champion -- before, during and
after the trip and guarantees everything about a customer's booking
will be right. If it's not, Travelocity will work with its partners
to make it right, right away. This customer-driven focus, backed by
live 24/7 phone support, great prices and powerful shopping
technology has made Travelocity the fifth largest travel agency in
the U.S. -- booking $7.4 billion in travel worldwide in 2005. Based
in Southlake, Texas, Travelocity also owns and operates Travelocity
Business(SM) and GetThere(R) for corporate travelers,
lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel and ZUJI, a
leader in Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre
Holdings Corporation (NYSE:TSG), a world leader in travel commerce.
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