Overlooking the fact that it’s calling it a “paw-cation,” the W hotel chain is to be commended for being exceedingly pet-friendly, which is a rarity in this part of the world. And why, you might ask, are pets in hotels in Dubai a good thing? Because pets are good for you. It’s increasingly shown that spending time with your pets leads to better physical and mental health. So, the more time you bond, the better. The latest study, by researchers at the University of Ulm in Germany and the University of Colorado, Boulder, suggests that children who are raised in the countryside around animals may grow up with a stronger immune system and a lower risk of mental illness than city kids.
So if your pets can travel, the W Dubai, Al Habtoor City, is waiving the fee for accommodating them (it’s usually Dh500) and offering a whole bunch of extras to encourage their humans to bring them along.
The hotel provides a branded W pet bed, litter boxes, a W Hotels water bowl and a special in-room pet menu, which it calls PAW. You are also provided with a “pet in room” sign to hang on the door, warning cleaning staff and explaining errant barks and meows to your fellow guests. There are grooming and veterinary services available too. And the Dubai Water Canal is right on the doorstep, perfect for long, hot, dog walks.
Although the hotel has specified cats, dogs, fish and falcons, the deal is open to any animal under 18 kilograms. So, sorry, no camels – they just don’t have a W pet bed big enough.
Featured photo courtesy W Dubai.
Ann Marie McQueen
Ann Marie McQueen is the founding editor-in-chief of Livehealthy and host of The Livehealthy Podcast. She is a veteran Canadian digital journalist who has worked in North America and the Middle East. Her past roles include features editor for The National, trends writer and columnist for the Canadian newspaper chain Sun Media, and correspondent for CBC Radio.
