Pet-friendly holidays are on the rise after a surge in new pet owners and more people seek to holiday with their dogs, post lockdown.
A 70-bedroom hotel in the heart of Shakespeare country has reopened with premium dog-friendly facilities that have prompted a boost in sales.
The Charlecote Pheasant in Warwickshire has upgraded its amenities for four-legged guests and their owners, including a new menu for dogs and exclusive access to its Doggy Pit Stop.
This has resulted in more bookings than ever going to guests with dogs. On reopening last month, most of the rooms in the first week of trading were occupied with pet and family stays, and hotel staff report they are dealing with more pet vacation enquiries than ever before.
General Manager, John McGhee said: “It has been amazing. Since we introduced additional pet facilities, we have seen more bookings than ever with pet-friendly stays. I know our location helps with this, as we are so close to so many incredible country walks, and of course the boom in UK breaks this year has helped.
“I also think that post-lockdown and with some people still shielding, guests don’t have anyone they can leave the dog in the way they may usually do, and so when the family travels, so does man’s best friend.”
Earlier this month Vine Hotels added the Charlecote Pheasant to its growing portfolio of hotels and venues, which also includes five properties in Sheffield, the Best Western Cresta Court hotel in Altrincham and the Mercure Dolphin Southampton Centre hotel.
All Vine Hotels properties offer a pet friendly assurance, with dog-friendly bookings including exclusive access to the Doggy Pit Stop. Pets can enjoy unlimited complimentary dog biscuits, dog towels, poop bags as well as a handy place to hang dog leads, so they don’t get lost!
Among the huge choice of stylish, comfortable dog-friendly rooms at the hotel are executive and superior double/twin bedrooms, family rooms as well as the sumptuous Farmhouse Suite, featuring four poster bed, double bath and spectacular views across the rear garden.
Comfy dog beds are included in each, so that four-legged guests can rest as well as their owners. Well-mannered dogs are also welcome throughout the Hotel, with the exception of the restaurant.
A new Doggy Menu is also now available to enjoy in the lounge. Your dog can dine on traditional roast dinner or sirloin steak, pet safe ice cream or bacon and eggs, and follow with a bowl of dog milk or dog beer (proof of age not required). More details at: www.charlecotepheasanthotel.co.uk
The Charlecote Pheasant is situated in the pretty Warwickshire village of Charlecote, close to Stratford-Upon-Avon, a family-friendly destination with lots to see for all members of the family – including the furry ones. Among the many beautiful places to explore with dogs include the National Trust’s Charlecote Park which is just opposite hotel. The dog walking route here takes between 20 minutes and an hour depending on walking pace and route. Find out more here:www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The popularity of dog-friendly rooms at the Charlecote Hotel mirrors an overall upward trend in people wanting to take their pets away with them post-lockdown.
Vine Hotels has seen an increase of 20% in dog-friendly room bookings across the board at its hotels. The surge in people buying puppies during the pandemic has been well-documented with organisations such as the Kennel Club reporting a 150% rise in enquiries for during the summer months. Google search analysis highlights that searches for ‘dog-friendly holidays’ in June and July 2020 were up by 50% on last year’s figures with similar search terms all seeing an upturn.