Hospitality and the pet experience

In the past decade, pet travel has become a steadily increasing trend in the hospitality industry. As pet owners have demanded more options and considerations for their four-legged family members, hotels have responded. Pets are now a welcome guest in many hotels. Some chains are even rolling out full pet experience programs to cater to their customers with paws.

Luxury hotel chains like W Hotels, St. Regis, The Ritz-Carlton, and Disney have all reaped the benefits that come with increased loyalty from pet owners. Chains such as Kimpton and Loews have long-established pet programs, even highlighting them in their social media feeds.

The Pet Experience in hotels

The most common offerings for pet-friendly programs include dog bowls, bedding, and treats at check in, along with dog walking services and lists of pet-friendly attractions around town. Furry guests are greeted and welcomed as members of the family and, depending on the brand, may even enjoy meeting a pet ambassador or the Director of Pet Relations – a fellow fur pal.

Some of the luxury level pet pamper programs offer spa services, gourmet pet room service menus, special pet concierges, and even pet psychics. At the five-star Park Hyatt Vienna, they aim to be so pet-friendly that staff will even arrange for fur guests to be transported via limo or be chauffeured to the opera if they so desire. The VIP perks of being a pet are seemingly limitless and grow every day.

Loyal as man’s best friend

The hospitality industry has faced challenges as of late. Home-sharing has caused an unexpected shift in the industry and consumer loyalty is declining, while expectations are rising. Because pets are considered by many to be an extension of the family, providing an exceptional pet experience can attract clientele who are looking to include their four-legged family members in their travels.

Websites such as BringFido.com offer platforms for pet parents to share their experiences and leave reviews rating the level of friendliness a particular hotel has. Positive reviews can influence thousands and create a margin of loyalty in the $66 billion pet industry.

Preparing for pet-related pest issues in your hotel

With these added pet programs also comes the increased possibility of pest activity. Hotels that offer pet programs should be aware of the risks and ensure their operation has the appropriate proactive defenses in place to mitigate potential risks to the hotel and the brand.

Fleas, which can often hitch a ride into your hotel on pet guests, are a unique challenge as they are hard to see, multiply fast, and can spread into a wide area quickly. They are difficult to notice in egg and larval stages, so housekeeping staff may not notice them. Typically, the first sign of a flea problem is when people complain of flea bites.

Gone unnoticed and untreated, a small issue can turn into a full infestation pretty quickly. A female flea can lay around 25 eggs per day, producing thousands of offspring in a month.

Understanding high-risk areas can help address concerns.

• Fleas and their eggs can jump, fall, or be scratched off in any area where a pet travels.
• Guest rooms are of the highest risk, especially in areas such as under beds, where pets may lay but do not get vacuumed as frequently.
• Hotel issued pet bedding should be treated after every pet visit; it should never be re-issued without being washed and treated first.
• Pets can also lay on human furniture, such as beds, which means fleas and their eggs could be on bedding. All bedding in pet-friendly rooms should be washed at a minimum of 120°F.
• Couches and rugs in common areas may be of less risk, but should be checked if they are frequently visited by pets.
• Play areas where pets and children both intermingle could also face flea issues.

To help you avoid flea issues, you should have a routine pest control program in place. Be sure to alert your provider that you are a pet-friendly hotel.

In most hotels, pest control services are conducted on a rotation. During a regular monthly service, the pest control provider will service a percentage of all the rooms on the property. In pet-friendly hotels, rooms designated as pet rooms and rooms adjacent to those rooms should be inspected on a more frequent basis to ensure that no pest problems arise.

Invest in staff training in pet-friendly hotels

Pet-friendly hotels should also invest in basic pest identification training for their staff. In a Rentokil survey of 100 hotel decision makers, we found that fewer than half – 47 percent – conduct pest training for their staff. It is critical for housekeeping, maintenance, and front desk staff to be able to properly identify common hotel pests. Housekeeping and maintenance staff can help spot a pest problem before it becomes a more serious infestation. Front desk staff often have to handle guest complaints and satisfaction issues.

View our step by step guide on how to get rid of fleas.

It’s also a good idea to have a protocol in place for staff in handling guest complaints about pests. Staff should be trained on what and what NOT to say, as well as have a clear understanding of policy on moving guests to new rooms or issuing compensation. Any rooms with suspected pest issues should be removed from available inventory. Additionally, all staff should have a clear understanding of who to contact to report pest control issues and have a pest control service conducted as soon as possible.

Pleasing pet guests and their humans

There’s no denying that the addition of pet-friendly accommodations and services can help boost your guest preference and loyalty. With a little extra preparation to prevent pest issues related to having four-legged friends in your hotel, you can continue pleasing your guests, whether human or animal, for years to come. For help with that preparation, contact Rentokil today.

Looking for somewhere you and your pet can stay?

Check out the Travel Channel’s list of Top Luxury Hotels to Bring your Pet.