Funny Kimpton Tails of Pets on the Road

Kimpton Hotels shares amusing and unusual stories of pets on the road:

When you’re a hotel company that accepts any shape, weight, breed, or even kind of animal, funny tales are bound to unfold. Kimpton Hotels has been pet friendly since they day they opened in 1981. They were the first full-service hotel company to not only accept pets, but welcome them with the enthusiasm of a cocker spaniel at chow time. They don’t charge fees or deposits at any of their 50-plus locations in major U.S. cities and resort destinations. In addition, they roll out the grass carpet for dogs and cats with amenities such as beds, bowls, and toys. Arguably, they’re the pet friendliest hotels in the nation.

However, to have such a liberal pet policy means that Kimpton Hotels have had some very unusual guests and they’ve accommodated even stranger requests. The animal loving staff works hard to get raves from Rover and knock the socks off Boots. “We have always respected the emotional connection between pets and their human companions and know that taking your pet with you on the road can create a more memorable travel experience,” said Steve Pinetti, senior vice president of sales and marketing. Memorable indeed – here are a few pet guests that Kimpton Hotels will never forget.

Diva Dogs and Coddled Cats

Hotel Palomar San Francisco was informed by a Hollywood agency that a very famous commercial actor would be checking-in. Imagine how surprised the staff was when a dog showed up in his limousine along with several human assistants. The well-known wagger was discreetly whisked through the lobby up to his guest room. Apparently paparazzi loomed nearby. To this day, no one knows exactly who that illustrious guest with the ultra-shiny coat was.

Kimpton Restaurants are famous for delectable dishes prepared by innovative and talented chefs, however there’s no snobbery. Like people, pets sometimes have special diets that Kimpton chefs are more than happy to accommodate. At Vintage Plaza Hotel, an aging Mastiff was on a raw meat diet, so to his delight, Pazzo Ristorante chopped up a juicy super-rare Oregon steak, leaving the bone of course. At the same hotel, a tabby cat was allergic to chicken, so In-room Dining delivered a bowl of lightly seasoned yellowtail tuna. Meow indeed.

Kimpton Hotels are so popular with traveling pets that they have regulars like Reggie the English Bulldog. He attends the complimentary wine hour at the many Kimpton Hotels that he and his mom frequent. A friendly gadabout, Reggie introduces himself to his fellow guests while honing his persuasive skills for both belly rubs and the delicious appetizers often served by the restaurants during this social hour. The copious drool is a giveaway that he’s especially fond of Chef Christian Grave’s bruschetta at Hotel Solamar in San Diego.

Some pet guests require amenities off the beaten dog-run. A Siamese kitty named Kato arrived one night at the Hotel Monaco San Francisco and all her luggage had been lost, including her scratch pad. The staff took ingenious service to a new level and made her a temporary replacement out of cardboard and a carpet fragment found in storage. One Daschund arrived at Hotel Palomar Atlanta so stressed out after a turbulent flight that she was quivering and refused to come out of her carrier. Her mom arranged for her to have a pet massage through the concierge. It worked – the next day she was happily chewing on a rope in the lobby while her mom sipped fresh complimentary coffee.

Lots of celebrities stay at Kimpton Hotels and many bring their furry friends, but two dogs were especially notable for their VIP (Very Important Pup) needs. Singer and actress Miley Cyrus traveled with her Shih Tzu, Loco, to the Hotel Monaco Portland. It took a whole team to handle Loco including Miley, her mom, her grandmother, and the concierge, plus several front desk and bell staff. Loco was tiny but a huge handful. Christina Aguilera stayed at Hotel Monaco Washington DC and her dog had a rather off-beat dietary request that even Poste, the hotel’s superb restaurant, could not accommodate – McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets.

Strange Breeds

Kimpton Hotels are so pet-friendly that they don’t restrict the type of animal guests to simply cats or dogs. Any creature is welcome. Of course, if the pet is highly unusual, advance reservations are required so that the staff has time to make special accommodations for the type of animal and ensure that no other guests are affected – like the time a baby white tiger stayed at Hotel Palomar San Francisco.

In some cases, love for the creature nears obsession and all else is forgotten. A guest arrived at The Muse Hotel in New York City with their pot bellied pig. The pig and his guardian completed check-in and their car was about to be driven away by the valet. Suddenly, the guest ran after the car and the staff figured that he must have forgotten something in it. He sure did. When he came back inside with a child in town, it was clear he had forgotten his son in the car! That kid’s future therapy bill for being trumped by a pig will undoubtedly be huge.

Hotel Palomar Arlington had a pet boa constrictor stay overnight, but his food was accidentally left behind at home. Modi Ahmad, the General Manager, came to the rescue and went on a shopping spree for frozen mice. Never did he imagine in his career that he’d be making an emergency rodent run, but hopefully the snake showed his gratitude with a light squeeze.

There’s an old saying about the city by the bay, “Only in San Francisco,” and it was never truer when two chimpanzees stayed at the Tuscan Inn on Fisherman’s Wharf. An instant hit with the guests at wine hour, the silly, yet well-mannered little guys were hired to wave flags at a political rally at City Hall. At check-in, the quick-witted front desk agent asked, “Would you like me to reserve you a table at the Rain Forest Café?”

When Animal Planet found out about Kimpton Hotels, the list of unusual pet guests only grew. It includes an aardvark, albino kangaroo, anteater, armadillo, bear, condor, baby cougar, flamingo, ibises, lemur, penguins, sloth, warthog, and an iguana named Slim. Some say travel is a zoo. In the case of Kimpton Hotels, sometimes it really is.

Four Legged Fans

Exceptions generally make better stories than the rule, but the rule really does dominate at Kimpton Hotels. While the unique animals and strange requests make for great tales, everyday dogs or cats and their families who require not much more than a cozy pet bed or rubber chew toy are the 99% norm. Pets are loved at Kimpton and they know it making them life-long fans – nine life-long fans in the case of cats. It’s gotten to the point where dogs are even blogging about Kimpton. Preston, a dog blogger (dogger?) named Preston did a great write-up of his experience of at Hotel Triton in San Francisco recently.

However, one story in particular touched the hearts the Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants folks. A family specifically choose to stay at the Hotel Marlowe because they were adopting a shelter puppy in Boston and needed a pet friendly hotel. When they brought the sweet little bundle back to the hotel, they couldn’t agree on a name for the puppy because of his indeterminate breed and unique coloring. As they checked-out, they were so happy with the hotel, the accommodating staff, and their overall experience that the perfect name came to them. Marlowe the puppy journeyed home.

ABOUT KIMPTON
San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, a collection of boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants in the US and Canada, is an acknowledged industry pioneer and was the first to bring the boutique hotel concept to America. Founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton, the company is well-known for making travelers feel welcomed and comfortable while away from home through intuitive and unscripted customer care, stylish ambience and having a certain playfulness in its approach to programs and amenities. Each hotel provides a range of exciting culinary experiences through locally-loved, top-rated, destination, chef-driven restaurants. Kimpton leads the hospitality industry in ecological practices through its innovative EarthCare programs that span all hotels and restaurants. Privately held Kimpton has consistently earned high customer satisfaction scores by the Market Metrix Hospitality Index, exceeding other hotel companies including those in luxury and upscale segments. Among the company’s newest properties in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Chicago. For more information, please visit www.KimptonHotels.com or call 1-800-KIMPTON.