When “The Privileged Pooch: Luxury Travel With Your Pet in Southern California,” a clever travel guide by author Maggie Espinosa, hit bookshelves in 2010, it was a barking sensation.
Suddenly, hotels and resorts were all ears when it came to extending canine-friendly hospitality to all breeds of dogs, from tiny Chihuahuas to lumbering Irish Wolfhounds. From the Grand Del Mar in San Diego to La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta (where my Maltese little one fell under the spell of an experienced dog massage therapist), pooch-inspired amenities now abound.
In her book, Ms. Espinosa espouses her enthusiasm for the welcome canine travelers can expect from hotels and resorts with a wag-inspired rating scale. The system ranges from Four Wags (“Pooches Paradise”) to the bare-bones One Wag (“Pooches Permitted”). During the last four years, pet travel has become a profitable tale in the hospitality industry.
With that in mind, I was elated to receive a press release from The Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C., that would sweep any travel-prone pet off his or her four paws.
The legendary hotel has retained Lord Monticello, also known as Monti, as its first official Canine Executive Officer (CEO). Hotel officials believe the new addition to the staff will significantly enhance the hotel’s reputation.
“Monti embodies many admirable traits so useful in the hospitality industry, being intelligent, companionable, good humored and willing to do whatever it takes for a unique guest experience even if this means rolling over in the lobby for a belly rub!”
Monti did not apply for this coveted position; it was thanks to a good samaritan, who first found him wandering the streets of Ocean City, Maryland, that he was brought to the attention of Philip A. Wood, managing director at the Jefferson. It so happened that Monti was rescued by PAW, an adoption organization based in Maryland, at the same time the hotel was “searching for more ways to bring a part of the community to the hotel.” The timing was right, Monti became the “goodwill ambassador” and today has a proper place in the hotel’s historic lobby, where, reports say, “He adds a warm, cuddly touch to the marble grandeur.”
For arriving dog guests, staying at the Jefferson means a warm welcome of a dedicated pet bed and amenities such as entertaining toys, bottled water and treats with human-grade ingredients. Four-footed guests are privy to dog-walking routes and pet-welcoming establishments in our nation’s capitol.
It was made perfectly clear to this reporter that the Jefferson does not discriminate by the size or weight of dogs, whether your furry friend is a Maltese or a Basset Hound.
There is no deposit or charge for pets; however, owners “could be assessed for any inadvertant damage.” In other words, alert the hotel if an “accident” does happen!
With this progressive policy welcoming travelers accompanied by their pets, The Jefferson Hotel could well become a role model for the hotel industry. Long live Lord Monti!
Pam Price is a correspondent for the Desert Pet Companion (www.desertpetcompanion.com).
