Jane King, who brought her dog Brody in for grooming at The Petropolitan in downtown Calgary, stopped to check out what the new pet hotel has to offer the next time she heads out of town on an overnight trip.
“We do have luxury suites,” Petropolitan owner Hailey Seidel said. “They’re the only ones in Calgary.”
Seidel was giving King and Brody a tour of the new digs, along with King’s nieces Keisha and Yamee.
“This one’s our Garden Suite,” Seidel said “(It’s) got a double bed, so if they have more than one dog in the home, they can double up and share accommodation, just like they would at home.”
The suite features colour-coordinated decor in shades of purple and pink, subdued lighting and bedding that’s changed daily.
The Paradiso Suite, done in shades of green, contains similar amenities.
Canine guests in both rooms can enjoy turn-down treats and bedtime stories read by staff.
“They have (stuffed animals) as well,” King said. “If I were a dog, it’d be so comfortable here.”
The accommodations also impressed her niece, Keisha.
“Yeah, I’d sleep here!” she said with a laugh.
Seidel said her pet hotel, which also hosts cats, mostly appeals to local families, with some international clientele as well.
“Over Stampede, we saw a lot of guests from out of town,” Seidel said. “We had dogs from as far away as Korea and Germany staying while their families went out and toured Calgary or Banff.”
“That’s great,” King said. “Because (the local dogs) get to meet dogs from other countries.”
The facility also includes a doggy daycare and grooming rooms, with all overnight guests getting three walks a day.
The Petropolitan’s high-end service doesn’t come cheap: suites start at $60 a night, with packages that include a full slate of daycare activities costing $85 a night.
Seidel says business has been growing since she opened in April 2019, with the suites often fully booked on weekends.
“People love their pets,” she said. “No matter what’s happening in the economy.”