Taking your dog to a hotel seems like it’s bound to end badly, especially if you own a (sometimes) naughty miniature dachshund. But when we found out Ovolo Hotels are now ‘pooch friendly’, and offer a V.I.Pooch package, we had to give it a go.
We took Charles the dachshund (and V.I.Pooch) to Ovolo Nishi in New Acton to experience the package and see whether or not you should, in fact, take your dog to a hotel.
Earlier this year, Ovolo’s V.I.Pooch package was rolled out around all Ovolo hotels in Hong Kong and Australia, with dog-friendly rooms available for an additional $80 per night (I don’t know how much a kennel is because Charles would stage a rebellion if I put him in one, but I have heard dog vacations can almost cost more than human ones).
“We’re thrilled to offer this unique perk to extend our ethos of effortless living. Trips are more fun with your best friend, so why put your V.I.Pooch in a kennel?” said Ovolo Hotels Group founder and CEO, Girish Jhunjhnuwala, at the time of the launch.
“Your furry friend can snuggle into their own bed and dig into a special doggie bag curated just for them. It doesn’t get more pawesome than that.”
And the Ovolo team have done a great job at making Nishi feel welcoming for furry friends; the staff were super excited for Charles’ arrival (even when he barked at them), guests didn’t bat an eye when they were greeted with a sausage dog in the elevator and, the best bit, in-house restaurant Monster is dog-friendly – guests can take their meals in the library and dine in the company of their pooch (we did not do this, Charles has been known to attempt to pinch other people’s bacon at cafés). He was even given a fluffy bed of his own for the night, a goodie bag full of treats, and bottled water to fill up his personal bowls (talk about spoilt!).
All in all, once the stress of having your pet in a fancy hotel has worn off, it’s a really pleasant experience to enjoy with your pooch. And, if your budget can swing it (and you trust your dog enough), it seems like a rather nice alternative to shelling out for a kennel.
Editor’s note: Libby Kimber (and Charles) stayed overnight as guests of Ovolo Nishi.
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