FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER

By Katherine J. Chen

 

Nestled at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, Fairmont Chateau Whistler is a pet-friendly luxury destination for those seeking respite from the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives. With over 550 rooms, Chateau Whistler has remained one of North America’s top resort locations with its range of services, unforgettable cuisine, and natural beauty. Located in British Columbia, Chateau Whistler’s rooms are all elegantly furnished and come with amenities like deluxe toiletries, a coffee/tea maker, On-Command movies and Sony Playstation video games, fluffy bathrobes, an in-room safe, and windows that open to breathtaking scenery and fresh mountain air.

Every guest and dog at Chateau Whistler is guaranteed a spectacular view of the surrounding area. The most basic lodging at Chateau Whistler are the Fairmont rooms, which open out to Upper Village and woodland views. The Deluxe Valley View Room features remarkable vistas of Whistler Valley and Rainbow Mountain. The Deluxe Slopeside View Rooms look outward on the sloping curves of Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain. All rooms and suites are impeccably furnished with traditional resort décor and a classic elegance. Specialty rooms like the 800-square-foot Valley Suite and Mountain Suite combine both the luxurious sophistication and intimate coziness of a wintry chateau accommodation. These suites contain two separate rooms: a sitting area and a bedroom space.

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 BROWN PALACE HOTEL

By Katherine J. Chen

 

 

 

Located in downtown Denver, the Brown Palace Hotel features rich Victorian style accommodations alongside a remarkable century-old history. The Brown Palace Hotel has entertained literally every U.S. president since Teddy Roosevelt (1905) with the exception of Calvin Coolidge as well as a countless number of celebrities and prime ministers. It’s no wonder, given the breathtaking array of amenities that the hotel offers its guests. From pure artesian water drawn from the hotel’s own well to afternoon tea, the Brown Palace Hotel provides a truly creative array of services for its customers. 

 

But what really makes the Brown Palace Hotel stand out from other luxury establishments is its generous pet policy. Since Lizzie the cat walked through wet concrete a century ago (and left a permanent set of paw prints behind), the Brown Palace Hotel has welcomed four-legged guests of any size at a surprisingly low rate per day. For each dog, there is a $19 charge, and the pet’s registration card and proof of rabies shot is required at the check-in desk. Dogs and cats are allowed to stay with their guests in any room, from top-of-the-line presidential suites to traditional guest quarters.

The Brown Palace Hotel offers a Family & Pets Package that includes a plush dog bed, trademark dog bowls, and a limitless amount of gourmet bones baked and prepared directly in the hotel’s pastry kitchen. The package also includes a movie night for the whole family, which comprises of a complimentary film, freshly buttered and salted popcorn, two pizzas, and four soft drinks. 

The Brown Palace Hotel is Denver’s only Mobil Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond hotel. Reservations can be made online at the following website: http://www.brownpalace.com/index.cfm. Hotel rates begin at $117 per night.

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Five-star Treatment for You and Your Pooch at

the Broadmoor Hotel

By Katherine J. Chen

 

Situated in Colorado Springs, the Broadmoor is an ideal pet-friendly destination for your next vacation getaway. The resort features a wide variety of accommodations for you and your pup. The Pitty Pat Club at Broadmoor includes a number of pet luxuries, which are bound to bring out the diva within your dog. At your pet’s convenience, Broadmoor’s staff will supply exclusive Broadmoor bedding and food bowls to use during your stay. A pet treat for your dog will also be provided. Pets must be registered during check-in at the front desk, and a complimentary Broadmoor Identification Tag must be worn by your dog throughout your residency at all times.

Up to two dogs can be accommodated in a single hotel room for a fee of $35.00 per day. Though pets are not allowed to enter restaurants, tennis courts, pool areas, or golf courses, they do get their own lunch and dinner menus. Dogs can enjoy such specialties as the Blue Buffalo Adult Recipe, which is made from real natural chicken and brown rice. For dogs that require softer foods, the Broadmoor offers a Blue Buffalo Adult Recipe Soft Dog Food in two flavors, beef or lamb with a serving of garden vegetables and sweet potatoes or brown rice. Blue Buffalo Health Bars, a delectable pet treat that sells in packs of 10, come in three flavor combinations: Apples and Yogurt, Bacon, Egg, and Cheese, and Chicken Livers. Cats can enjoy a similar menu with appropriately more fishy flavors.

The Broadmoor offers pet sitting and walking services, which can be arranged with a simple phone call. Enjoy the natural scenery and postcard-worthy vistas of Colorado Springs by taking your four-legged friend out for a stroll to North Cheyenne Canyon or to Stratton Open Space, where dogs must remain leashed. Dogs can enjoy their freedom at off-property sites like Bear Creek Park (only in the Voice Command Area and Dog Loop Trail) and Garden of the Gods, so long as they are well-trained and respond to owners’ calls.

 

The Broadmoor Lifestyles and Cheyenne Gourmet sells pet accessories and products that only guests of the resort would be able to access. These include the hotel’s logo bedding, leashes, and collars. While the Broadmoor offers a range of off-site scenic properties for daily dog walks, the hotel allows pet parents to walk their dogs on the spacious Northeastmoor, Southeastmoor, and West lawns. Pet specialists, grooming services, and emergency 24-hour animal hospital care are available on demand. 

The Broadmoor features 744 comfortable guest rooms and suites, all of which are elegantly furnished with appropriate furniture and king-size or double beds. The Broadmoor also offers cottage lodgings, which are completely separate from the main hotel and provide the most spacious housing with either one king bed or two queen-sized beds. 

 

 

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Pupparazzi Package at Five Gables Inn & Spa

Nestled in the scenic Chesapeake Bay village of St. Michaels, Md., Five Gables Inn & Spa is made up of three charming 19th century homes, capturing the essence of a luxurious, yet comfortable getaway for discerning travelers. The historic inn is a haven for relaxation, featuring 20 well-appointed rooms, an Aveda Concept Spa, indoor pool, sauna and steam room, as well as The Shops at Five Gables, which include an upscale pet boutique, and a dedicated boutique offering Aveda products.

Pet-owners seeking an escape to the Chesapeake Bay with “man’s best friend” continue to choose Five Gables Inn & Spa in St. Michaels, Maryland, for its extra care to guests with four legs. As the Inn caters to the fancy and furry crowd, Five Gables Inn & Spa is offering the Pupparazzi Package for pooch patrons with serious star power or at least those that deserve to be treated like stars.

Available now through May 1, 2010, this ultra-glamorous package includes two-night accommodations in a pet-friendly guestroom, a $50 gift certificate for the upscale pet boutique Flying Fred’s and a private pet photo shoot with a photographer while the owners receive a hot stone massage.  The new Five Gables Inn & Spa package is priced from $765 midweek (Sun. – Thurs.) and $965 weekends (Fri. and Sat.), based on double occupancy, and includes daily Continental breakfast, dog bed to use during your stay and treats to take home.  

A pampered pooch’s day at Five Gables Inn & Spa might start with a morning walk with their owners down Talbot Street before a bowl of their puppy chow while their owners enjoy complimentary hot coffee and homemade muffins. When it is time to shop,  the attentive staff at Flying Fred’s can assist in picking out marvelous clothing including a canine raincoat, specialty-designed lifejacket or simply a selection of fresh baked treats. As the photographer commences the shoot, their owner can direct, as the puppy-model smiles, sits and stays. After a busy day, a nap may be in order while their owners enjoy a swim in the indoor pool followed by a hot stone massage at the on-property Aveda concept spa.

For more information on this package and Five Gables Inn & Spa, visit www.fivegables.com, or call 877-466-0100.

 

Loews Knows Best

At the Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Spa, your humble Husky can transform into a sassy surf-dog. At Nashville's Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, your Cocker can croon her very own CD. And in the foothills of the Rockies, the Loews Denver Hotel lets your citified Saint Bernard explore the wild, wild West. It's all thanks to Loews Loves Pets program, which began in 2000 and is credited with jump-starting the canine-craze at upscale hotels. 

Loews offers several Dog-Friendly vacation packages, including:

The Hound of Music

Offered at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville, this package lets pooches express their honky-tonk sides. A limo will take furry guests to a local recording studio, where a voice coach will help them cut howling good Cds, complete with personalized CD cases. The VIP service continues with a pet room-service voucher, a grooming session and a massage. Package is $1,599 a night.

Outward Hound

At the Loews Denver Hotel, even the most pampered of pups will feel like wilderness warriors after taking a two-hour hike with a personal trainer. A personalized Web photo gallery will prove to your city friends that your dog is tougher than she looks, and supervised swim time and Reiki sessions will soothe her tired muscles. Package starts at $299 a night.

Su'ruff Camp

Pooches hang 10 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Spa, thanks to a package that outfits them with board shorts or a surfer bandana and sends them to Coronado's Dog Beach for surfing lessons. Pups also receive their very own copies of A Dog's Guide to Surfing, which they can peruse while enjoying the views from their water-front suites. Package starts at $389 a night. 

For more information, visit www.loewshotels.com or check out Doggie Aficionado's Summer 2008 issue in our digital gallery. 

 

 

Your Results For the Best Dog-friendly Hotels Are In!

Pick up the Summer 09 issue of Doggie Aficionado for the results or click "See Inside This Issue" to download the free digital edition. 

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Vickery Palm Springs Resort and Spa

 

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The Tides Riviera Maya

Tucked away inside the village of Playa Xcalacoco outside Playa del Carmen, The Tides Riviera Maya is a luxurious and eco-conscious seaside retreat. The property is composed of 30 villas in a dramatic and primitive jungle landscape. The tropical scene is punctuated with top-notch amenities like wonderful dining, a beautiful spa and first-rate yoga classes.

This is a unique spot where you’ll leave the cares of your day-to-day life behind. No motorized vehicles or cell phones are allowed on the property, employees don’t wear badges and guests don’t have to sign restaurant bills—instead, they use the honor system to track guests’ spending. At The Tides, all guests are treated like VIPs. Guests are greeted at their villa with a house wine and local fruits. The villas are decorated with a sleek simplicity that brings nature inside. Yet pampering is not forgotten: Each villa is stocked with Molton Brown amenities.

Of course, because the resort staff wants guests to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible during their stay, small dogs (under 6 pounds) are not only allowed, but also doted on. Accommodations include a special dog bed and gourmet menu serving organic beef, turkey and veal stews. A turndown service also includes refreshing water.  

Rustic elegance, fine dining and a plethora of activities from which to choose combine to create the ideal getaway and break from routine—you and your pooch are sure to come back more relaxed than ever.

For more information or to book your stay, visit www.tidesrivieramaya.com.