PET TRAVEL

There’s nothing like the dog days of summer to whet one’s appetite for travel, and nothing like having a beloved pet to make the decision to lock the door and go a tormented one. But it doesn’t have to be. Historic Hotels of America, part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, features a list of 60 pet-friendly hotels on its Web site, www.historichotels.org. But that’s not all: Several HHA-member properties also offer packages that cater to or otherwise involve pets, and that doesn’t necessarily mean your own.

Case in point: the lovely Cat Suite at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Mass. Guests who open the door to the inn’s Cat Suite are greeted by the sight of tasteful antiques, a fully equipped kitchen and dining area, and Wilbur, a friendly black-and-white cat who inn owner Nancy Fitzpatrick rescued from a feral cat colony in nearby Lee a few years ago. Food, cat toys, and a litter box are provided. The Cat Suite is priced at $215-$300 a night on weekdays and $270-$360 a night on weekends depending on the season. Of course, travelers’ own cats are welcome in the inn’s specially designated pet-friendly rooms.
Call 413-298-1690 or visit www.redlioninn.com.

In the same vein, guests at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston can ask for an audience with the hotel’s new canine ambassador, Catie Copley. The black Lab was trained as a guide dog for the blind but changed career paths since developing cataracts. She’ll meet and greet guests and make herself available for walks and runs – Boston’s Public Garden is but a stroll away.
Call 617-267-5300 or visit www.fairmont.com/copleyplaza.

The Hotel Monaco in Washington, D.C., has a “Puppy Love/Guppy Love” deal. After pets arrive and register, they are treated to a special delivery of food and water bowls, a bottle of Evian, a treat, a dog-walking map of the neighborhood, and pet-information cards listing local vets and pet sitters. A complimentary goldfish is available as a provisional pet (don’t get too attached).
Call 202-628-7177 or visit www.monaco-dc.com.

Down south, things get just ever so slightly friskier with the “Head to Paw” Pampered Pet Package at Florida’s “Pink Palace,” the Don CeSar Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach. During their two-night stay, the doggies get gourmet biscuits served in a stylish bowl, a bubbling body shampoo and manicure, therapeutic massage, and gourmet dinner. Their masters get a lesson in pet massage as well as a rubdown of their own, plus breakfast.
The price is $768 through September 30 (valid Sunday through Thursday); call 727-360-1881 or visit www.doncesar.com.

Across the country in Eastsound, Wash., the Rosario Resort & Spa has a “Have Dog, Will Travel” package from $252 a night that includes accommodations, pet fee (normally $20 extra per pet, per room), a Handi-Drink pet water bottle, and a copy of the “Have Dog, Will Travel” guide to pet-friendly accommodations in the Pacific Northwest.
For more information, call 360-376-2222 or visit http://rosario.rockresorts.com.