Hotels Adjust Accommodation Strategies for Pandemic Pet Boom
Photo Credit: Hotels are increasingly redesigning properties to better accommodate the growing traveler segment of guests who arrive with four-legged companions. Pixabay / dramitkarkare
Skift Take
As the number of pet owners across the country spiked during the pandemic, the hotel of the future needs to be fit for man *and* man’s best friend like never before.
If you owned a dog two years ago, it’s more likely your getaway prep would involve searching Google for a local boarder, or texting a friend to pet sit.
But as the pandemic and the number of people working from home stretched on, hoteliers noticed that travelers looking for an adventure are increasingly likely to pack a leash — a trend gaining traction even before the pandemic — along with their walking shoes.
“Nearly 20 percent of American households adopted a pet during the pandemic,” said Jim Bess, director of operations for The Clancy hotel in San Francisco, citing statistics from animal welfare agency the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “Those pets have been pampered, with more of their owners at home all day. Now that those people are traveling, they will likely want to have the option to travel with their pets and pamper them on the road.”
At The Clancy, that means offering such creature comforts as pet beds, artisanal local dog treats, and a puppy menu in the on-site restaurant. Other hotel pet programs that are as noteworthy as they are Instagram-worthy include Soho Grand’s guest-exclusive adjacent dog park;
