Nowadays many people choose not to holiday abroad, instead opting for staycations so they don’t have to leave part of the family behind.
Every pet owner knows there is no more heartbreaking sight than your dog watching as you pack a suitcase. They instinctively know they are excluded from the fun that lies ahead. It is no surprise therefore that holidaying the UK is becoming so popular.
But hotels across the country are taking advantage by slapping, often quite exorbitant, costs on room rates. With recent headlines highlighting how tour operators are still charging a solo tax, it seems we are now being levied a ‘dog tax’ for what is explained away as ‘deep cleaning’ of the room after each dog night.
New research from Ted’s Bowl – the UK’s only ready meals for dogs – has today highlighted the added cost of taking dogs away to hotels, and what the term ‘dog friendly’ really means. Research from a range of 3-star to 4-star hotels across the country shows that the vast majority of them not only charge for dogs, but limit their doggy guests with access around the hotel. Essentially charging more to receive less.
In a survey of 50 hotels, only 38 accepted dogs. Of these 38, 82% charged an additional cost on top of the room rate, which ranged from £10 per stay up to £30 per pet per night. This could add an extra £210 on a week’s stay.
Whilst some hotels offer some doggy amenities, 35% of the hotels that accept dogs charge the fee and offer nothing additional by way of a bed or bowl for their four-legged guests. And 81% exclude them from many of the public parts of the hotel. These hotels claim they are ‘dog friendly’, but are they really friendly towards dogs? By limiting our pets’ movements within the hotel, it appears they should be neither seen nor heard.
Of course, there is some basic etiquette all dog owners should observe when staying in hotels: keep you dog on a lead and under control at all times, remove the dog if it should start to bark, and, it goes without saying, only travel with your dog if it is fully house-trained. Dogs are no better or worse than children who are not well behaved.
Sara Pearson, founder of Ted’s Bowl, comments: “Dogs are no longer just a canine companion, they are an integral part of the family. Therefore, it is unjust for hotels to be charging as much as £30 per night for some ‘supposed’ deep cleaning when you check out. Can you imagine the uproar if hotels levied an extra charge on baby occupancy? I appreciate that not all rooms should be dog-friendly but those that are should not be exploitative. No one minds paying a little extra but hoteliers, please give us something in return: a bed, water bowl, poo bags, dog treats, a ball – something that says to our dogs: “Hello, you too are a very welcome guest.”
