Unbound Edition - Five Stars for Four Legs

Meet Wag Hotels, the new “W” in haute hospitality. Starting with its tail-thumping logo, Wag bills itself as “a hotel exclusively for dogs and cats.” Not to be confused with Starwood’s “Whatever/Whenever” chain of service-savvy destinations, Wag Hotels has cleverly put the K.O. on kennel lockdowns by applying the five-star hotel model to the four-legged set.

So are we talking about a throw rug on a concrete floor? Not at all. Think: Suites with flat screen televisions. A “well-trained” staff. Leather couches. A swimming pool. A poochy happy hour for socializing. And did we mention massages?

The notion of trauma-free boarding isn’t a new one in the pet lovers domain. Far beyond the “get thee to a caninery” approach, Wag taps into a powerful shift in concept. No longer is the experience about minimizing owner guilt—now it’s about maximizing pet pleasure. When you’re on vacation, your pet is on vacation. In fact, Wag also offers webcams in their pet suites, allowing you to get that long-distance face lick when the Tahitian beaches leave you feeling lonesome.

No luxury experience would be complete, of course, without souvenirs. Wag also takes its cues from resorts that supply guests with “take away” memories by offering the Wag Store, both an in-hotel and online boutique. Where else would you go when you’ve been panting for that Italian, hand-painted Deruta Dog Bowl? (Just $80).

It’s not quite what Mahatma Gandhi meant when he said, “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated,” but the value of unconditional love is rising, and the luxury lifestyle now extends beyond the diamond dog collar. Consider that as baby boomers reach their golden years and begin spending that gold, travel will certainly be a top to-do list item. Wag has sensibly positioned itself by co-opting the luxury hotel look and feel, and will probably be haunch deep in the gravy for years to come.

Dog lovers?
written by Nelly, June 11, 2007 02:43 PM

Give me a break! I love dogs, but all of these offerings, including the Wag Hotel, are about the owner, NOT the dog. They are about prestige, guilt...whatever. Actually, I have seen dogs turn up their noses on designer dog balls and other frilly items to go back to their beloved, found toys, like a nice smelly stick. If you really want to do something for your dog, help create more environments for them to socialize, such as dog parks, or for them to come along, such as dog-friendly cafes and restaurants. Dogs don't want massages, wear costumes or watch TV, they want your undivided love and attention.

I don't disagree entirely, but...
written by Eric, June 11, 2007 02:51 PM

...have you ever had an experience with a traditional "kennel?" I've boarded dogs before and personally observed them come out a week later practically hairless from the stress. And doesn't an owner feel guilty because they know the kennel is a far cry from the comforts their dog is used to?

What I think Wag may have pulled off is a high degree of differentiation in an industry that has a hard time making clear distinctions between "pet sitter" and "animal detention center." And in the end, you absolutely have to sell the owner, not the dog.

Does your dog have a credit card?

E.

bow wow wow yippy yo yippy yay
written by Newman, June 11, 2007 04:42 PM

If your dog doesn't mind being boarded, Wag sounds amazing. The pricing isn't even as high as I thought it might be. Can humans stay there?

Re: stressed-out dogs -- my beagle is a real deep-thinker (read: neurotic) and he hated his one boarding experience. He had the whole shebang, too - his own room, a kid-size bed, cable TV, air conditioning and thrice-daily Yappy Hours. He didn't leave his little carrying crate for the three days he was there, refused to eat and growled at people. This is totally out of character for him, as he is the sweetest guy - he waves howdies to bunnies and is never mean. The kennel told me not to bring him back, that he wasn't suitable for boarding. I think the scariest part for him was hearing other dogs but not being able to see them. He's short and couldn't stand up and lean on the doors saloon-style like the big dogs there to see what was up. It still bothers me that no one took the time to see that he was unhappy and to give him some special attention. They should know that beagles are good people and if they are visibly scared or upset, there's a good reason why.

Since then, I don't go out of town as much as I may like to because I hate to leave him. but if I do, we have a dog-sitter that visits him. He's much happier that way. However, if the dog sitter were unavailable for some reason, it would be comforting to know that there was a place like Wag where each dog is seen as an individual and treated well by people who don't just love dogs, they also know dogs -how the different breeds think and act, etc. That would be a true differentiator.

woof
written by bobdolesez, June 11, 2007 05:11 PM

BobDoleSez: do it doggy style.

barf
written by gina, June 12, 2007 02:25 PM

I totally understand the worry of leaving pets behind while out of town. I mean I even feel bad leaving my precious little kitten alone all day while I am at work. But there is no way that I would spend over $500 for a pet to stay in an 8x10 room for a week with premium rugs that he would probably pee on and paintings he won't notice. This is just seems excessive and another way for people to flaunt their money around. My friends were more than happy to watch my little guy while I was out of town. Not only did I feel much better knowing he was being well taken care of and truly loved but it only cost me $50 to treat for dinner.