A NZ Pet Hotel

Stuff reports:

Pets are set to stay alongside their owners at a newly refurbished central Christchurch hotel, the first of its kind in the rebuilding city.

Fino Hotel and Suites will open its doors to guests both two-legged and four on Friday.

Hotel manager Dilan de Silva said his family dog Jason inspired the unique accommodation solution.

“When we are travelling as a family, what often holds us back is having to accommodate for the dog, but if we had a hotel where we could take him, I would jump at that opportunity.”

He said they “can’t wait to welcome some pampered pets through the doors”.

“We believe people holidaying in New Zealand with their pets have been missing out and we are now filling the gap.”

In the US it is quite normal to holiday with your pets.

When I did a US road trip a few years back, we stayed at a hotel in Dallas. Around half the people checking in had dogs or cats with them.

The hotel was also home to the national convention of Avon (the US version, can’t recall the name) salesman so the gender ratio at the hotel was around 99:1. There were many more pets than men!