HotelChatter

Hotel Crimes / Hotel Pets / Hotel Art / London Hotels / → All Tags

Forget Little Bo Peep! The May Fair Hotel Has Lost Its Sheep

Where: Stratton Street, London, United Kingdom, W1A 2AN

The May Fair London is missing something very near and dear to their hearts, and they'd like to know if you can help them out for the reward of a big bottle of champagne.

It seems that one of the unofficial mascots of The May Fair Bar has been stolen! He's a little black sheep named Bertie, a piece of furniture that apparently delighted one local drinker so much that they decided to take him home. Now, guests steal a lot from hotels, we know, but taking a major piece from the public spaces? That's a new level of low; now other visitors won't get the chance to smile at Bertie or prop up their feet on his shaggy back.

more ›

Hotel Pets / Manhattan Hotels / Fashion Hotels / Hotel Animals / Hotel Cats / Hotel Balls / → All Tags

Matilda III Goes A-Waltzing At The Algonquin

Where: 59 W 44th St [map], New York, NY, United States, 10036

In case you haven't been keeping up with the royal kitty lineage over at The Algonquin, here's a refresher.

In November, Matilda II stepped down as the hotel's 13-year cat-in-residence. A replacement, going by the name of Matilda III (at The Algonquin, all females are named Matilda, and all males Hamlet), was acquired from the North Shore Animal League (we spied Matilda III posing on a luggage cart here). On Wednesday, Matilda III was officially welcomed into the fold with a Debutante Ball & Meow Wear Fashion Show. Unexpectedly, R&B singer Mya also made an appearance. What?

more ›

Dog-Friendly Hotels / Cute Hotel Doggies / Hotel Pets / West Hollywood Hotels / Los Angeles Hotels / Kimpton Hotels / → All Tags

It's Good to Be a Dog as Hotels Keep Hiring

There are new top dogs at the Hotel Palomar Los Angeles Westwood and Le Parc Suite Hotel in West Hollywood. And they are some cuties.

Both hotels got new directors of pet relations. Luna, an American Cocker Spaniel who sports a pink collar, works for Hotel Palomar. She's been welcoming animal and human guests and promoting the hotel's occasional Yappy Hours, pet-friendly happy hours. The doggie also lets visitors know that each pet gets a bed, bowl, treats and toys when checking in.

more ›

Hotel Pets / Hotel Animals / Hotel Amenities / San Diego Hotels / Boutique Hotels / → All Tags

Sleep With The Fishes At The Pearl San Diego

Where: 1410 Rosecrans Street [map], San Diego, CA, United States, 92106

When we stayed at the Pearl Hotel in San Diego last week, we got something we didn’t bargain on – a sleeping partner called Wolfgang. Sadly, Wolfgang was not a strapping German, and luckily, he wasn’t a bedbug. He was, as you can see from the picture, a fish.

All the rooms at the Pearl have a retro motel feel, and each come equipped with a little fish in a bowl on the wall. Each bowl comes with a name tag, so you’re not sleeping with something anonymous.

Should we have wanted to get maternal, we were warned off feeding Wolfgang with a sign saying:

Everyone gets fine n friendly care from The Pearl Hotel staff. There’s no need to feed me. Enjoy your stay.

The burning question – what happens if the fish dies? Do they create a new sign? Sadly not. This was actually our second visit to the Pearl. During our first, we suspected our fish might have died (it hadn’t – we don’t think) and asked at check in what happens – and they said they just replace them. The fish is dead, long live the fish, kind of thing.

more ›

Hotel News / Hotel Animals / Shangri-La Hotels / London Hotels / Hotel Construction / Hotel Pets / → All Tags

Shangri-La London Gets A Foxy Early Check In

Where: 32 London Bridge Street, London, United Kingdom, SE1 9

Only last week we were lusting over the photos of the forthcoming Shangri-La London being built in the Shard – set to be the highest building in the EU. Seems like we weren’t the only ones, either – over the weekend, it emerged that a fox was discovered to be living at the very top of the building site, 954ft up on the 72nd floor.

To be fair, the Shangri-La will occupy floors 34 – 52 of the building, but we like to think that Romeo, as he’s been named (ah, Brits) was admiring the stonking views that hotel guests will enjoy.

According to an amazing article in The Sun, he was living on a “squash court-sized platform” and is thought to be less than six months old. And a followup says that it took pest control two weeks to trap him because the little guy really didn’t want to leave. Can you blame him? Those rooms are gonna go for loadsamoney!

more ›

Hotel Jobs / Hotel Pets / Santa Barbara Hotels / Rosewood Resorts / Pet-Friendly Hotels / → All Tags

More Cool Hotel Jobs: Director of Privileged Pets at San Ysidro Ranch

Where: 900 San Ysidro Lane [map], Montecito, CA, United States, 93108

HotelChatter contributor Eric Rosen will be telling us about some of the coolest hotel jobs out there. He reached out across the globe to talk to the dynamic folks who do everything from wrangling elephants (and guests!) to designing the latest high-tech gadgetry for your next guest room. So check back every day to see who he’s talking to next.

Last week we told you about the Loan-A-Lab program at the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch and this week, we thought we’d also just mention another innovative dog program at another luxury resort, just as a way of looking at the other end of the leash.

more ›

Hotel Jobs / Hotel Pets / Pet Concierges / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / → All Tags

More Cool Hotel Jobs: Man’s Best Friend at Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch

Where: 0130 Daybreak Ridge [map], Avon, CO, United States, 81620

All this week, HotelChatter contributor Eric Rosen will be telling us about some of the coolest hotel jobs out there. He reached out across the globe to talk to the dynamic folks who do everything from wrangling elephants (and guests!) to designing the latest high-tech gadgetry for your next guest room. So check back every day to see who he’s talking to next.

Today’s cool hotel job is special. Not just in the way that the others we’ve told you about so far this week have been special, but in that the character who occupies this post isn’t even human! No, we’re not talking about a super-intelligent android, or a beneficent extraterrestrial. Rather, we’re talking about man’s best friend: a dog. Namely, a yellow Labrador retriever called Bachelor, the mascot and all-round activity buddy at the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch.

more ›

Hotel Pets / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Cats / Photo Gallery / Hotel Animals / → All Tags

We Sat Down with The Algonquin's New Lobby Cat (and Took Lots of Pictures)

Where: 59 West 44th Street [map], New York, NY, United States, 10036

It was only a month ago that we stopped into the lobby of The Algonquin for tea and got the bonus of spotting the hotel's house cat, Matilda. We're so glad we did too, because Matilda (the second girl cat named Matilda in the hotel's history) retired over the holidays to go live in Brooklyn with her caregiver.

In her place steps Matilda III, another impossibly fluffy kitty, gotten from the North Shore Animal League. We made it a point to come by and meet the little lass, because ummm...it's a Friday and who doesn't like cat pictures?

And now, for a photo gallery of Matilda III in her natural habitat, The Algonquin's lobby:

more ›

Snapshot / Hotel Animals / Hotel Pets / Hotel Cats / Manhattan Hotels / → All Tags

Guess Who We Spotted at The Algonquin?

Where: New York, NY, United States

So we ducked into New York's Algonquin Hotel today for a cup of tea and a glance at their Christmas tree, and were treated to a surprise cameo by the hotel's most famous guest: the resident cat, Matilda. Usually she's chilling at the front desk or on her kitty-sized chaise by the front door, but today she slinked around underneath the chairs, and it's only when we spotted a fluffy tail disappearing underneath the seat next to us that we realized she was out and about.

Without the time to grab our good camera, we stalked Matilda with our iPhone until she hopped up onto the luggage cart and gave this perfect pose. She is a Birman, "an exotic breed that resembles a fluffy Siamese," and she continues the hotel's tradition (started in the 1930s when the General Manager adopted a stray) of keeping a cat around.

Matilda not only delights guests by brushing up against their legs in the lobby, but she also hosts cat fashion shows every so often. Oh yea, and she tweets regularly.

[Photo: HotelChatter]

Hotel Animals / Hotel Cats / Hotel Pets / Paris Hotels / → All Tags

Cat Lovers Have a New Reason to Stay at Le Bristol Paris

Where: 112 Rue Fbg Saint Honoré, Paris, France

It turns out there is a new permanent resident at the five star Hotel Le Bristol. His name is Fa-raon, he’s from Burma, and he’s white and fluffy and not even one year old yet. He is indeed le chat, yes that is the French for cat.

From his photo we can tell he will fit right in with the hotel's glamorous interiors, he is the ultimate glamour puss. We aren’t sure about the luminous green collar though; perhaps Fa-raon would have preferred a more classic black?

more ›

Hotel Pets / Hotel Mascots / Hotel Theft / Airport Hotels / Los Angeles Hotels / → All Tags

Saddies! Little Pepper at The Custom Hotel Has Gone Missing!

Where: 8639 Lincoln Blvd [map], Los Angeles, CA, United States, 90045

The Custom Hotel near LAX is one of our favorite airport hotels not just because it's close to the airport but also because it's stylish, comfortable and totally affordable. So why would someone want to steal something so important from a good-hearted hotel like the Custom?

We don't have that answer but we do know that the hotel's little "mascot", a (not real) black sheep by the name of Little Pepper has gone missing and the hotel wants it back. Check out these missing posters they've circulated for Lil' Pep. Now, this might sound a tad excessive on the hotel's part, especially for a stuffed animal but when someone stole our dog statue the other month, um, well, we had "Missing" flyers too. (Don't judge!)

If anyone's seen Lil' Pep the hotel would be grateful for your information. And if you're the person who stole Lil' Pep--shame on you! But the Custom is willing to take it back, No Questions Asked.

Cute Hotel Doggies / Hotel Pets / Hyatt Hotels / Rhode Island Hotels / → All Tags

Wondering What the Weather is Like in Newport? Just Ask Schmitty, Hyatt's Weather Dog

Where: 1 Goat Island [map], Newport, RI, United States, 02840

We've got a thing for cute hotel animals here and we've long covered the animals hard at "work" in hotels such as Kimpton Hotels Directors of Pet Relations and even The Algonquin's fashionable housecat, Matilda. But the dog in residence at the Hyatt Regency Newport in Rhode Island might be the hardest working hotel dog in the biz.

That's because Schimitty, a Yorkshire Terrier, delivers the news with Meteorologist and ABC Producer Ron Trotta. Ok "delivers" might be too strong of a word has Schmitty just hangs out while Ron gives the weather report but if you watch the video above, you can see Schmitty has some pretty funny thoughts.

more ›