KATIE: That's not a bad idea, Waffles. Huge windows, room service, all the comforts...
WAFFLES: And that BED!!! Did you see the size of those pillows? Yesterday I napped on a stack FOUR HIGH of them.
KATIE: So that's where the pillows went.
WAFFLES: If I keep adding a pillow a day, I'll be sleeping on SEVEN of them by the time we have to go home!
Living Grand
All week we've been sharing photos of our stay at the Grand Hotel Minneapolis. It's a very special hotel to Glogirly & Gloman... it's where they stayed on their wedding night nearly 13 years ago. Just a mile or so from the Townhouse, it's a little oasis of luxury. When we all learned we'd be moving out for a whole week while the damage to our home was repaired, the first two words that came to Glogirly's mind were Grand Hotel. If you've been following along, you probably already know how special this hotel is.
We've Long Loved Kimpton
Since we do a lot of traveling with cats we're often asked about the best pet friendly hotels to stay at. For us it's an easy answer and a very short list. Kimpton.
Glogirly has had the pleasure of staying at Kimpton hotel properties for over 15 years. Way back before she even knew there was such a thing as a cat blog she worked for Marshall Field's, now Macy's, in the marketing department. One of her favorite perks was staying at some of the coolest boutique hotels across the country. In fact, while working on a special project one summer, she lived at the Hotel Monaco in Chicago for nearly a month.
The First of the 'Boutiques'
Kimpton has 66 boutique hotels across the country in 30 cities. In fact, they were the first 'boutique' hotel and restaurant company in the US thanks to founder, Bill Kimpton, and his first hotel in San Francisco. When he'd say, "it's a boutique hotel," people asked, "A what??" The idea of staying in a place that was more like someone's comfortable and stylish home as opposed to an impersonal, cookie-cutter style hotel where no one really cares about you was foreign territory.
Staying at a Kimpton hotel is more than just a comfy bed and a good night's sleep. It's an experience.
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| Photo: Grand Hotel Minneapolis |
Service Made Special
The inspiring environment is second only to the service. Your wish is their command. From the moment we arrived, absolutely everyone greeted us with a genuine friendliness that goes way beyond 'Minnesota-Nice.'
It's no surprise they've been named to the FORTUNE "100 Best Companies to Work For" list many times. Or that they're the only hotel and restaurant company to earn a perfect 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, 10 years and running.
They do an awesome job of hiring happy people that enjoy what they do and are passionate about doing it well.
And doesn't that just make everything more fun?
TRULY Pet Friendly
When Glogirly and Waffles stayed at 70 Park Avenue (a NYC Kimpton hotel) last fall, the manager explained how their unique pet policy came to be. Their founder loved to travel with his dog but was mostly unimpressed with how welcoming, or rather unwelcoming, many hotels were to his furry friend. So he decided things were going to be different in his hotels. And that they are.
ALL of their hotels welcome furry, feathery or even scaly family members. No matter their size, weight or breed, there's never an extra charge. Their website reads, "If your pet fits through the door, we'll welcome them in."
They go the extra mile with unexpected amenities like beds, bowls, mats, bottled water and ... wait for it - LITTER BOXES. There's a 'Pets at Play' door hanger to alert anyone coming to our room we've got furry family members staying with us. Pets are even welcome at the nightly complimentary wine reception.
We were welcomed by name, including Katie & Waffles, and arrived at our room to find a personalized card with special treats for everyone - with and without fur.
Don't Be Fooled
When Pet Friendly is Not Pet Friendly at All
Many hotels throw around phrases like 'pet friendly' as if it's something special. But in reality they're often nothing but empty words. When Glogirly was researching places to stay during our townhouse reconstruction, she found all sorts of websites touting collections of pet-friendly hotels by location. But when she read the fine print or called a specific hotel to confirm, here's what she often found:
- No cats. In fact most of the so-called pet friendly hotels don't allow cats. How friendly is THAT?
- Pet fees, both per stay and daily.
- Additional cleaning fees.
- Size restrictions.
- Breed restrictions.
- Quantity restrictions.
- Restrictions, restrictions, restrictions.
Kimpton and IHG
A couple of our friends have asked about the recent merger of the Kimpton and IHG hotel groups and how that may or may not affect their pet policy. (IHG has properties like Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Intercontinental, etc...) We've been assured that Kimpton's hotels will continue to be just as special and pet friendly as they've ever been. This makes us VERY happy!
Please join us tomorrow for Day Five of Katie & Waffles' Grand Hotel Adventure
Need to Catch Up?
If you've missed our previous Grand Adventure with Katie & Waffles posts, we've DVR'd them for you:
1. Preview: Are You Ready for Katie & Waffles' Grand Adventure?2. Day One: Hello, Room Service?
3. Living High Among the Skyscrapers
4. Cocktail Lounges & Minibars
We want to thank everyone at the Grand for making us feel so special and welcome. We're devoted fans and you can bet whenever we go, wherever we go, paws crossed we'll be staying at one of Kimpton's pet friendly and people friendly hotels.
