Hotels are going to the dogs—in a good way.
The red carpet is out at hotels for what the industry considers some of its most influential guests. These VIPs are “very important pets,” a group that’s becoming increasingly part of the demand picture across a range of hospitality segments.
When it conducted a survey on pet-friendly hotels in 2016, the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) found 75% of economy, midscale and luxury properties were participating in some type of accommodations program for pets. Eight years later, and given brand proliferation and changes in guest expectations, that percentage has increased.
“We’ve seen a significant uptick this year in guests traveling with pets across the portfolio,” said Brittany Hattingh, director of brand programming and innovation for Sonesta International Hotels, which over the past two years has ramped up its efforts at attracting guests and their significant fluff balls. “Sonesta has been a pet-friendly brand, however, pet fees were not regulated rates and we did not provide consistent amenities.”
Sonesta’s PAWS program (Pets are Welcome at Sonesta), which launched in 2022, regulates what fees the hotels charge guests and requires amenities and retail products available to make pet stays memorable and seamless.
“We implemented our pet-friendly policy when we opened our first property in 2012,” said Jeff Thomas, VP of marketing for South Dakota-based My Place Hotels. “We have always been a brand that welcomes our guests’ dogs and cats during their stay,” adding that the company’s pet policy is a mandated brand standard across all 71 properties.
The case is the same at Sonesta for its namesake-branded hotels; however, PAWS is not yet part of the brands umbrellaed under the former Red Lion Hotels Corp., which Sonesta acquired for $90 million in 2021. Though most Red Lion brand hotels are pet friendly, Hattingh said, “The rollout of the [PAWS] program at the legacy Red Lion brands will be with feedback from our brand advisory boards.”
The PAWS program is currently available on an optional basis for all the Red Lion brands—Red Lion Hotels, Red Lion Inn and Suites, Americas Best Value Inn, Canadas Best Value Inn and Signature Inn—and at Sonesta’s international hotels, she said. The company’s website encourages travelers to contact the individual property to confirm the pet policy when booking. A full PAWS program is expected to be introduced across the legacy RLH brands in 2025.
“We’ve done a lot of work toward One Sonesta, including one website and one loyalty program, and we still have more work to do on some of our programs,” said Hattingh. “This program is one [that] will eventually extend to all hotels and we’re working on what that looks like.”
ON PROPERTY
Getting a pet program rolling has been the focus of executives since winter at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in California. “We revised our pet policy from service animals only to accepting dogs in February 2024 after careful market analysis of local hotels and other Marriott properties,” said Pamela Binder, the property’s senior marketing manager. “Pets are an extension of our family, and we feel they should be included in the memorable experiences’ guests create at our resort.”
She noted that while the program, dubbed “Paws and Pamper,” is a first for the 884-room property, many JW Marriotts are now pet friendly. “Our new program shows our commitment to providing an all-encompassing experience, ensuring that no family member feels left out,” said GM Nusrat Mirza.
While bringing a pet to check-in can quite literally bring the warm and fuzzies, hotels are making sure having such guests works for both hotel operations and the pet parent. This generally is a two-prong effort that involves fees charged for accommodating the pet, along with conditional requirements (type of pet, total weight, number per room), as well as amenities designed to appeal to the animal and its owner.
THE FEE FACTOR
A check on social media of some guests’ reactions to fees often finds complaints that charges are erratic, a money grab or just plain confusing. In an effort to alleviate the potential for such reactions, Sonesta’s Hattingh indicated the company is working toward a more-streamlined process.
“We collect the pet fees mainly to cover additional cleaning costs for pet rooms,” she said. “We don’t have a minimum as some hotels do not charge a pet fee at all. Generally, our full-service hotels charge a flat fee of $75 and because our average length of stay for this brand is quite short, it’s just one charge for everyone. If you’re staying two weeks, then you get lucky. You still just pay the flat rate of a guest staying one night.”
The fee structure by default shifts for its extended-stay brands. Sonesta ES Suites and Sonesta Simply Suites have a $75 minimum fee up to seven-nights; thereafter, it’s $150. What if someone stays eight nights? “We have a lot of guests in Sonesta ES Suites and Simply Suites that stay for 15 to 30 days or longer. We had to make the break somewhere and so it’s a clean cut-off at seven nights and, unfortunately, the eight-night guest pays a little more and the 30-night guests pays much less on a nightly basis,” said Hattingh. “We did have a sliding-scale rate at one point where there was a small, weekly supplemental cost after seven days, but it was confusing for our guests and hotels alike.”
According to My Place’s Thomas, individual properties can adjust pet fees to meet the local competitive market pricing that is offered. “Pricing is typically offered on a nightly, weekly or monthly basis,” he said, with total pet weight allowed up to 80 pounds and two pets per room. Pets are not permitted to be left alone in the guestroom unless they are caged.
Toward that, only cats and dogs are okay for the My Place brand. Asked if someone who shows up from the road late at night with a guinea pig or a parakeet in a cage can get a pass, Thomas stressed, “No other animals are permitted under our pet policy.”
Hattingh said Sonesta properties have encountered a large variety of domestic pets and have left the approval up to the hotels’ leadership. “We have guests who make our hotels home for a period of time and so [we] want to be as accommodating as we can be, while not risking the safety or security of any employees or guests,” she said.
Two pets per guestroom are allowed but there are neither breed nor weight restrictions at Sonesta-branded hotels.
At the JW Marriott Desert Springs, the requirements for accepting pets, in this case, dogs, was provided at the corporate level by Marriott International. The policy includes an agreement that needs to be signed by the pet parent and a non-refundable pet fee of $150 per stay plus a $20 daily fee to cover the cost of “additional and necessary” cleaning.
Binder said the dog agreement form outlines the pet fees, behavior guidelines, pet-friendly areas on the 450-acre property, housekeeping guidelines, dog-relief areas and assessment for repair or replacement due to damage caused by the dog(s). The fees cover carpet shampooing, hair removal, furniture and drape cleaning, room deodorizing and maintenance of pet-relief areas and pet-friendly areas. Two dogs, each up to 50 pounds, are allowed per guestroom or suite.
“The decision to allow dogs was not made as a revenue-generating vehicle,” said Binder. “The pet fees assessed cover additional and necessary cleaning in preparation for the next guest.”
Each of the executives stressed there are no fees for service animals, which under the Americans with Disabilities Act, is a dog or—under a separate provision—a miniature horse; none provided comments regarding accommodating so-called emotional-support animals, which can be of any species, but are not protected under the ADA as an animal serving guests with disabilities. (Some state or local governments have laws that allow people to take ESAs into public places.)
Meanwhile, there are pet-friendly hotel brands that do not charge any fees at all, such as Motel 6, Red Roof Inn and Kimpton Hotels, although so-called influencers on social media cite a swath of brands that are fee-free, when in actuality, they are not.
Ace Hotels just announced a new pet-friendly policy at its two New York hotels. When guests book a dog-friendly room and brings their dog (under 25 pounds), “The pet fee [is] on us,” Ace Hotels said. Each room comes with a wide range of dog-friendly goodies such as a dog bed, bowl and a placemat.
Most brands suggest pet parents contact the specific property to confirm the policy in place.
CANINE CHALLENGES
Obstacles to having a pet policy in place typically involve situations that are controllable by the pet owner, according to most. “Inevitably, you get a pet who damages something in the room or who is noisy,” said Hattingh. Thomas added, “These [include] not cleaning up waste, leaving the pet alone in the guestroom and barking or noise that causes disruption to other guests.”
“There is always a risk of dogs barking, especially when they are left in the room by themselves,” agreed Binder. “We also find that many of our guests want to bring their dogs by the pool, which is not one of our pet-friendly areas for the obvious sanitary reasons, but also for the risk of heat-related illnesses for the dog.”
Still, said Thomas, “Establishing a brand-wide standard permitting pets creates loyalty among pet travelers. Some properties report that up to 30% of guests travel with at least one pet. Knowing that all My Place Hotels welcome cats and dogs will encourage guests to return.”
AMENITIES AND BEYOND
Online data-cruncher Finmasters estimated Americans spent some $136.8 billion on pets in 2022 across a variety of expenses, with that number punched up by the American Pet Products Association to $147 billion in 2023, with expectations that number will rise to an estimated $150.6 billion this year. It’s no surprise, then, that hoteliers would want to appeal to pet parents with a host of amenities at their properties, not only to make the stay experience a good one, but, perhaps, to encourage some “souvenir” buying of similar—and branded—items via an on-site retail outlet.
As part of Sonesta’s PAWS program, amenities are primarily tailored for dogs, noted Hattingh. “In all our lobbies, we have water bowls and treat jars and pets are given a welcome letter explaining local amenities. We have waste-bag stations outside of our hotel entrances. Dogs are given an in-room water bowl, waterproof mat and dog bed (in full-service hotels),” she said, adding, “We have toys and snacks available for purchase in our retail markets along with necessities that might have been forgotten, such as a leash or waste bags. Our [PAWS-branded] products are available for sale should guests like to take them home.”
In terms of revenue generation, Hattingh said the pet retail space does well, selling mainly dog items, such as squeaky toys and tennis balls. “However, each hotel is able to have its own selection of products so it varies from hotel to hotel,” she said.
At the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa, leadership is busy building up its pet amenities offerings for dogs. “We understand that pets are cherished members of the family, and we are thrilled to offer exclusive amenities to make their stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible,” said GM Mirza. The hotel has complimentary pet beds, dog bowls and more available upon request, which are also available for purpose.
That’s if the dogs want to leave after they’ve gotten a taste of chef-crafted F&B items. “Pets are given freshly baked flavored [dog biscuits] on arrival, can enjoy seasonal pet-friendly mocktails and savor a variety of gourmet meals and snacks for purchase from the hotel’s JW Pup Menu, specially crafted by the property’s Executive Chef Eric Theiss,” said Binder. These items include resort-made cookie bones, a cup of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, scrambled eggs and bacon, grilled hot dog with brown rice and veggies and chicken breasts, among other items. “Food can be enjoyed via in-room dining or at the Rockwood Grill patio,” she added.
The resort’s Spa Boutique currently is selling pet items, including dog collars, lavender dog blankets and other pet trinkets. “We are still developing the pet-amenity program so I am certain our inventory will grow,” said Binder, noting activities for pups also are under consideration.
There’s currently no amenities package for pets at My Place properties; however, said Thomas, “Pet food options and bowls are available for purchase from the My Store kiosk located in every My Place Hotel lobby.”
He added in terms of capturing market share, the company actively optimizes its website and purchases relevant search keywords to drive prospective pet-parent travelers to its website. “We are always exploring interesting marketing partnerships that can create more awareness of My Place Hotels and our pet-friendly policy,” he said.
Story contributed by Stefani C. O’Connor.