A HOTEL chain based in Madrid offers beds, food and toys to dogs, cats and all other 'travelling' pets at its 31 establishments, of which 22 are in the capital and its wider region.
The Petit Palace's 'pet management' head Diana Hernández says 'pets are an important part of the family', and that the chain has been one of few in the country that allow furry guests.
Two years ago, the Petit Palace – which opened in 2001 – removed its size and weight limit for animals, meaning dogs of any size can now stay there.
Although still thin on the ground, hotels and holiday complexes which allow pets are on the rise, says Spain's spokesman for travel portal Trivago, Alberto Calcerrada.
At one time, animals were generally only allowed in a few countryside hotels, known as casas rurales, mainly in inland destinations, but they are now starting to open in cities and on the coast.
Head of the pet-friendly hotel website Srperro.com, Micaela de la Maza, says in the five years she has been in the role she has seen a sharp rise in the number of resorts and establishments open to animals.
Beds, food, drink and toys for four-legged guests are not as expensive as one would imagine, Micaela says – her web page brings together a long list of animal-friendly hotels, and these usually charge less for pets than for their owners.
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