| |
|
|
National Report--Man's best friend is getting a hearty welcome in more hotels these days as properties target pet owners. According to industry analysts, more Americans are traveling with pets, and hotels are offering pet-pampering amenities to attract them.
This attention might be great for Rover, but there are behind-the-scenes cleaning and guest-satisfaction issues hoteliers face.
Although Motel 6 and Studio 6, which are brands of Accor North America, have accepted pets for more than 25 years, the brands are increasing their promotion of the amenity, according to Scott Griffith, chief operating officer of the brands.
Between 5 percent and 10 percent of the brands' guests check in with pets.
"It's an amenity we've had forever, but traveling with pets comes up more in books and guides," Griffith said. "We've noticed that it's a trend. It's a matter of making people aware and more comfortable. It's kind of a sleeper for us."
Although it's up to the individual Howard Johnson franchisee whether to admit pets, new guidelines are being developed by Cendant Corp.'s headquarters for those that do, according to Spiro Pappas, g.m. and owner of the Howard Johnson Inn in Middleton, N.J.
Called "Wags to Whiskers Pet Program," the project will include a welcome kit, and guests are asked to advise the housekeeping staff to use a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner in their room.
The Holiday Inn Select in Alexandria, Va., holds a Doggie Happy Hour twice a week, which draws as many as 150 to 200 local and hotel guest dog owners, according to Tim Ruth, food-and-beverage manager. The pets receive doggy treats and ice water while their masters sip cocktails. Most hotel guests are enthralled by the spectacle, but occasionally there are some who get annoyed by the noise.
"We would change the room if need be, but we will not stop Doggy Happy Hour," Ruth said.
Profits from the bar make the event a winner.
The decision to accept pets at the AmericInn Lodge & Suites in Rehoboth Beach, Del., was initiated more than a year ago by Glyn Alexander, the g.m. The result is a successful market niche, he said.
The 364 pets the AmericInn housed during August measures its popularity. Average daily rate and revenue per available room increased 20 percent since the pet-friendly policy went into effect, Alexander said.
The Westin Riverwalk in San Antonio accepts dogs as big as 40 pounds that are lodged in eight designated hotel rooms. During the first three months of the pet-friendly policy, which was announced by parent company Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in August, six guests brought their dogs, according to Carla Flister, director of rooms.
Deep cleaning
Guests sign a waiver at check-in at Studio 6, an extended-stay brand, for possible pet damages to rooms, and pay a $35 nonrefundable fee, which covers cleaning costs.
At the Howard Johnson, the animal must be taken out of the room when housekeeping cleans the room. Other guests can request to be moved to another room if a barking dog bothers them.
Dogs at the Holiday Inn's happy hour sometimes get overexcited and have accidents, but staff members hand owners the necessary implements to clean up after their animal, Ruth said. Dogs are always leashed.
Ten rooms at the Holiday Inn have been set aside in a special section of the hotel for guests with pets. If a dog barks, the guest is made aware of it, and if it persists, the guest will be asked to leave the hotel. At the Holiday Inn, rooms with pets also get deep cleaning, especially after the guest has checked out, Ruth said. Carpets are shampooed to eradicate pet hair to make the room allergen free. About 4 percent to 5 percent of all guests bring dogs, and this is increasing, he said.
Dogs are the animal of choice at the AmericInn. Cats aren't accepted anymore because of the odor from spraying, which resulted in carpet having to be replaced.
At the AmericInn, dog owners pay a $10-per-dog-per-night fee for all the little extras their pets receive, such as meat bones covered with carob at check-in and access to a pet psychic, who, for another fee, supposedly tells owners what their dogs are thinking.
"It also pays for the time of the housekeeping staff and cleaning products," Alexander said. Deep cleaning is a must in the 20 rooms reserved for pets at the AmericInn. Guests also sign a pet disclaimer at check-in, in case the dog damages the room. To avoid exposing housekeeping staff to an unfamiliar dog, housekeepers don't enter the room when the dog is alone. Instead, they hang a bag of guest amenities with towels and shampoos on the door. "We need to protect the staff and don't want to upset the animal in the room," Alexander said. If dogs bark, front-desk personnel contact the owner on his or her cell phone so the nuisance can be handled quickly. Disposable bags also are provided for the dog-walk area on the grounds.
To control barking, dogs must not be left alone in rooms, Flister said. Owners are offered the services of a pet sitter or an alternate boarding facility if the problem persists. These contacts plus those of a groomer, pet-friendly restaurants and dog bakery are included in a welcome kit, which contains dog tags with the name of the hotel and latex gloves. Other guests aren't placed in rooms near dogs.
"We would offer a room change and upgrade for the inconvenience to the guest," Flister said. No extra charge is added to the bill for the lodging of the pet even though a Heavenly Dog Bed and water bowl can be delivered to the room on request.
Pappas said the Howard Johnson is hosting more pets of late--about one a week--and is actively seeking the business. "We are having more pets because of our Web site," he said.
| |
|
|
© Contact