Make a quick Google search for a pet-friendly hotel in the Middle East and there's a 99.99% chance that it will turn up nothing. Almost every other hotel that opens up usually offer the same boring thing - sweltering luxury ad nauseam. This may work for the Middle Eastern high rollers who demand extravagance at every turn but the ubiquity of it will prove tiresome to every one else after awhile.It is a growing trend among tourists and short term expatriates to travel with their pets. It is a fact and it happens. Over breakfast at work this morning I was appalled at the narrow- mindedness of the supposedly seasoned hoteliers I work with. Our General Manager has already stipulated that pets are allowed in the hotel I work for as long as they sign a pet waiver form and agree to its conditions (no noise, no dirt and pay for any damages). But no! They don't agree. They said that cats are the only animals allowed because they are mostly quiet, clean and fastidious creatures. I wondered aloud, why not dogs? One self-important manager said, we should not accept any animal that barks (is there anything else besides dogs that barks?). I asked, how about snakes and iguanas? They don't bark. How about an elephant? I was answered by a withering stare.
Good thing our GM isn't as narrow-minded as they are. She reiterated that any animal may be allowed into our hotel (within reason of course - I didn't mean the elephant thing) and they should be subject to our rules and regulations. Very reasonable, I think. Compared to what the reasons the other pompous farts have given why animals should not be allowed in our hotel.
Anyway, I'm glad that I'm working for a pet-friendly hotel even if it's not generally advertised. I think it would be a great selling point.
