Pampering becomes a pet project

We arrived at the Plaza Hotel soaking wet and chilled to the bone after being unexpectedly caught in a springtime storm, which was dumping buckets on Midtown Manhattan. By the time I made it to my room, all I could think about was ordering room service, putting on a cozy robe and crawling into bed. 

To my delight, a plush, custom-made bathrobe, homemade macarons and Champagne on ice greeted us. But only the bubbly was for me — the rest of the treats were for my dog.

Welcome to the era of bougie pet experiences, increasingly becoming a standard for travelers bringing their pooches along on vacation. It was just a few years ago that I smuggled my dog into a hotel under the cover of darkness. Now, more and more hotels are eager to roll out the red carpet for Fido.

According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, pet-friendly offerings are one of the fastest-growing selling points in hospitality.

The question is no longer if a hotel will accommodate pets, but how. A bowl of lukewarm tap water and scratchy blanket for the floor won’t suffice on the luxury level; just as human travelers expect a certain level of comfort, they’ve extended an equal standard to their pets.

The offerings have evolved from perk to expectation, said Christopher Bragg, the director of rooms at Loews Philadelphia Hotel. 

The hotel is “constantly evolving” its pet offerings, incorporating guest feedback, he said. For instance, the property frequently updates its dog-walking route suggestions, and now in summer, it will include restaurants with outdoor seating that can host dogs. 

“Pets are part of people’s family,” he said. “It is definitely a differentiator in the luxury market because pet owners will choose a hotel or destination solely if the hotel and place is welcoming to their pets. Providing a welcoming experience for pets is no longer considered an added amenity, but more of an expectation.”

Hospitality isn’t just for humans, Bragg said: Pets receive the same standard of comfort and care.

And that’s the experience I found with Franklin, my minipoodle, in tow. Though he can’t speak English — he does understand a few words, with those related to walks in the park or treats really catching his interest  — I can report that his tail wagged continuously during our stay, which I feel confident interpreting as him giving two paws up. 

At the Plaza, a Fairmont Hotels property and New York institution, Franklin was welcomed with a handwritten note from Weenie, the trusty pug sidekick of the hotel’s child mascot Eloise. The hotel offers a Pampered Pup Package, an add-on experience that, as we found, more than lives up to its name. 

But the experience started long before we stepped through the Plaza’s revolving door. First, the Plaza team contacted me to inquire about any dietary restrictions for Franklin and asked me for his exact measurements to create a custom bathrobe for him. And to my delight, it fit perfectly, even though I had worried my measurements were off. (Have you tried to wrap a measuring tape around a wiggling ball of teeth and fluff?) 

The Plaza launched the package in 2022 and has observed strong demand for it, managing director Sam Ioannidis said. And though the package offers a specific list of inclusions, such as the robe and macarons, Plaza guests can request extras, like that bottle of Champagne. No request is too elaborate for “VIPups,” Ioannidis promised. 

Post-pandemic momentum

Roughly half of U.S. hotels allowed pets prepandemic, according to a 2018 survey by the AHLA. And while the association hasn’t updated that percentage, Paula Prickett of Black Dog Luxury Travel in Montgomery, Texas, said that pet travel has accelerated since Covid, when dog-ownership surged and people traveled domestic — often with pets in tow.  

Prickett, who named her business in honor of her three black labs Dormie, Chip and Atlas, said that the luxury offerings and the transition from “tolerated” to “welcomed” was a gap in the industry that’s only recently been acknowledged. 

“It’s really been a slot in the market that a lot of properties have stepped up to,” she said, adding that about 10% of her clients travel with their pets. 

Properties that cater to travelers like Prickett’s clients offer “yappy hour” — their take on happy hour, but for dogs — arrange pet sitting, coordinate special activities and craft special menus for pooches. 

On the luxury end, these options can go from extra to elaborate. The Baccarat Hotel New York took it even further with a collaboration with The D Diamond New York, where hotel guests and residents can design bespoke diamond collars for their dogs at a price of tens of thousands of dollars. 

Does a dog need a diamond-encrusted collar, a fancy meal, plush bed and a basket of goodies waiting for them on arrival? Probably not. But some hotels see an opportunity for these touches to bolster guest loyalty and to set them a level above competing luxury brands.  

Franklin got a taste of this, literally, at the Mark Hotel, a luxury property in New York’s Upper East Side neighborhood. We arrived on a late spring day to sample the hotel’s Spoiled Dog’s Menu. The offerings were curated by Michelin-decorated chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. 

The menu lists four main courses that cost as much as mains do for humans at many restaurants, and two desserts. I ordered Franklin what was called “a healthy bite”: a $28 dish consisting of a hefty serving of salmon with a side salad of cucumber, apple and spinach, all of his favorites, which he eagerly devoured. 

While Franklin and I dined at a sidewalk table, a doorman offered him a treat, the chef came to meet him and staff members checked in regularly to ensure we both were enjoying our meals. These interactions are a hallmark of The Mark’s hospitality, said managing director Elon Kenchington.

“Today’s luxury traveler expects a highly personalized experience, and that extends to every member of the family, including pets,” he said. “Luxury is no longer defined solely by lavish surroundings; it is equally about anticipation, personalization and making guests feel completely at home.”

The dog menu is reflective of that philosophy, he said, adding that it’s become a tradition at The Mark for travelers and locals alike.

The Waldorf Astoria New York also has a pooch menu, which managing director Luigi Romaniello said has been met with enthusiasm by guests with both two and four legs. The hotel launched Bark Avenue, an add-on that includes a menu created by executive chef Patrick Schaeffer, with a doggie-friendly drink served in a bottle of wine along with a Signature Pet Closet with a Waldorf Astoria-branded robe, raincoat, boots and umbrella. The price starts at around $1,600, room included, but fluctuates depending on booking date. 

“The response to Bark Avenue has been incredibly positive because it goes beyond simply welcoming pets and makes them feel genuinely pampered and celebrated,” Romaniello said. “Guests appreciate knowing that their dogs can enjoy the same level of comfort, care and hospitality that they do throughout their stay. The Signature Pet Closet has been a particular highlight, and guests love dressing their furry companions up in all the gear.” 

The Kona Kai San Diego Resort offers dog massages, while the Foundry in Asheville, N.C., arranges for a pet photographer to act as a dog’s “pup-arazzi.” The Pan Pacific London has a pet concierge dedicated to anticipating the pet’s needs and can arrange anything from a reiki session to kitten or puppy yoga.

Though most hotels with pet packages cater to dogs, some market their offerings to felines.

The Kimpton Theta New York — Times Square explicitly states that cats are welcome, saying, “we believe that trips are better with all your furry friends, not just dogs.” (It allows pets of all species, not just cats and dogs.) The hotel provides cat treats and bedding. 

The Loews brand also prides itself on welcoming cats and dogs, with welcome amenities like bowls and treats. The San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, Calif., provides in-room cat trees and scratching pads.

Special programs aren’t only at high-end hotels in major cities. Scribner’s Catskill Lodge, a boutique property in Hunter, N.Y., that is part of Marriott’s Design Hotels collection, hosts a weekend retreat completely dedicated to dogs. 

Dubbed Pupstater Weekend, the experience is a dog’s dream, complete with a nightly yappy hour, an on-property market of treats and toys, dog-friendly cooking classes and training sessions. 

Franklin and I headed upstate to experience it, and though we were met with a constant drizzle, we made the most of our weekend getaway by romping through the property’s woods and perusing the market’s offerings from small local brands.

Scribner’s teamed up with nearby Tannersville restaurant Mama’s Boy Burgers to offer a special menu curated for pups. Franklin and my friend’s dog, Rua, who joined us for the weekend, slurped down dog-friendly ice cream sundaes. 

While hiding from the dreary weather in the room, the dogs lounged on oversize beds, playing with their new cinnamon bun toys and chowing down on treats that were gifts from the hotel. Interest has grown so significantly that Scribner’s expanded the event from an annual experience to twice a year, director of marketing Jade Sinskul said.

High-flying pets

The sky is seemingly the limit for this niche. 

Enter Bark Air, which launched in 2024 and last year partnered with Fora Travel. The airline markets itself as “dog-first.” Flying can be a stressful experience for both human and dog, especially if the dog is too large to fit under its human’s seat, requiring a ride in the cargo hold. Bark Air has no breed, weight or size restrictions, enabling any dog to travel in the cabin. 

Since debuting, Bark Air has operated 364 flights worldwide, bringing approximately 2,661 pets to new destinations, said president Michael Novotny. Demand has been so strong that Bark Air has evolved its offerings with the launch of Companion Concierge this year, which offers travel-planning services.

“Gone are the days where only being pet-friendly is enough,” he said. “Everything about the Bark Air experience is intentionally designed around the dog, with calming comforts and personalized attention from our concierge team helping make travel less stressful. We believe dogs should no longer have to settle for less-than-ideal conditions and that dog-first service should not be an amenity, but the expectation.” 

This service comes at a premium. A flight from New York to San Francisco, for example, costs $7,450 per dog-and-human pair, while a flight from New York to London costs $9,900. 

Nat Maple, an advisor with Fora in London, said the introduction of brands like Bark Air and K9 Jets, another dog-friendly airline operator, has broadened access to bringing pets along on trips. The cost to fly with a dog has come down “significantly,” he said, compared to what it would cost to rent a private plane to fly with your pet in the cabin. 

“Five years ago, pay-per-seat suppliers such as Bark Air and K9 Jets did not exist, and today they are flying hundreds of people and their pets per year, expanding the reach beyond those who can afford to charter their own jet, or share this cost with one or two other people,” he said. 

Demand for air options with pets is growing as more pet owners want to go abroad with their furry friends, said Black Dog Luxury Travel’s Prickett.

And with more pet parents bringing their furry companions along for vacation and as the travel industry advances its offerings, travel advisors have an opportunity to tap into the niche, said Maryana Dudkina, a senior travel advisor at Fora.

Clients are willing to fork over the money for their pets to join the fun when the price value is clear, she said, adding that demand from travelers has grown in the last year. 

Her client demographic runs the gamut: from solo roadtrippers staying in boutique hotels to high-net-worth clients flying their pets to a destination where they stay in five-star properties and arrange petsitting services.

And she predicted the momentum will have only gained within the next five years.

“The many facets of pet ownership are on full display every day, especially on social media, and travel is no exception,” she said. “It’s only natural that exploring the world with your chosen family, furry members included, becomes the norm, with industry offerings continuing to expand from there.”