Tail wagging accommodations catering to you and your pooch pal
Can’t bear to leave your furry friend behind? Head towards the state’s finest dog-friendly destinations
When writer John Steinbeck traveled the country with his dog Charley, they stayed in a trusty, if a bit rusty, RV. These days, there are far more elegant options that go above and beyond being pet-friendly. Whether you’ve got a city or country dog, a trotter who prefers a forested mountain trail or a pooch who wants to let loose on the beach, Washington has a deluxe doggie destination in mind for you and your best friend.
Pan Pacific Hotel
Seattle
(877) 324-4856, www.panpacific.com
For an urban getaway, an easy trip across I-90 takes you to the Pan Pacific Hotel in downtown Seattle. Opened only four years ago, this cosmopolitan oasis puts you in the heart of the revitalized South Lake Union (SLU) district, with beautiful views of the city, Lake Union, and the Space Needle. The pet fee of $50 enrolls dogs of all sizes in the Pan Pacific’s Pet Amenity Program. Upon arrival, they’ll arrange for a complimentary dog walk by an associate during your stay and give you a local guide that includes dog-friendly restaurants and off-leash parks in the area. A cozy dog bed and customized dog-dining table, small or large, awaits you in your room. Your pet will be especially pleased to know you’ll get discounts at Scraps Dog Bakery (www.scrapsonline.com), located with the hotel in the exclusive 2200 Westlake Plaza.
Pet parents are equally pampered with plasma HDTVs, iHome docking stations, wireless internet, and oversized European soaking tubs with Shoji screens. The Pan Pacific is happy to arrange dog sitting or salon services, perhaps while you take yourself off to shopping at Pike Place Market, to Vida Spa in the hotel, or to breathe and “om” at Be Luminous Yoga Studio next door.
Whole Foods Market is downstairs; the ultimate place to create a picnic lunch to take to Denny Park across the street, or to new South Lake Union Park, where you can stroll around looking at ships docked at the Center for Wooden Boats. Seattle Art Museum’s Outdoor Sculpture Garden, on the water at Elliott Bay, is another stellar outing where pets are welcome. Following your afternoon outing, doggy ice cream and bottled water await your parched pooch. Two pets per guestroom are welcome on the third floor, allowing other floors to remain allergy-free for sensitive guests.
Willows Lodge
Woodinville
(877) 424-3900, www.willowslodge.com
Perhaps escaping to the country is more your style, maybe even a wine country escape? To treat your furry friend to a level of luxury akin to human guests, stay at Willows Lodge in Woodinville, a half-hour northeast of Seattle. Nestled in a river valley, this choice destination is home to more than 80 wineries and tasting rooms.
When you check in to Willows Lodge, be sure to say “hi” to Ruthie, the official greeter dog. Ruthie just returned from her own trip. “We went on vacation, and she was renewed!” says Rhanda Rosselot, Ruthie’s person, who obviously understands the value of a good getaway.
Willows puts the “Pet” in VIP. The Willows Very Important Pet program includes a cushy dog bed, turn down service and a dog biscuit. Extras include bottled water, the latest issue of “CityDog Magazine,” and a welcome card from Ruthie herself. The room service menu features specialty treats from the Dining Dog Café in nearby Edmonds. Can’t you hear it now? “For this evening’s chow down, may we recommend the Hungry Mongrel Steak, with carrots and brown rice, to be followed by a Pup Cake of oat and peanut butter, topped by a carob and yogurt frosting?”
Human guests indulge in as much food and fun as canines with unparalleled dining at award-winning Barking Frog restaurant, Fireside Cellars, and the famous Herbfarm restaurant. Also at Willows Lodge are a spa, lovely garden grounds, and happy hour wine tasting. All rooms have stone fireplaces and soaking tubs for two. For everyone’s enjoyment, you’ll receive a map for local walks. The Barking Frog creates picnic baskets to go, and you can rent bicycles to take to the Sammamish River Trail. Marymoor Park, with a 40-acre off-leash area known to many as “Doggy Disneyland,” is only a few miles away. Famous Molbak’s Nursery and Gardens in nearby Woodinville also welcomes pets.
Seabrook
Pacific Beach
(877) 779-9990, www.seabrookwa.com
If the siren of the sea calls to your water dog louder than the word “cookie,” it’s well worth going the distance for a stay at Seabrook Cottage Rentals in Pacific City. With two-night minimums this season, or 4-nights during holiday weekends, you’ll have quality time for your Zen dog to remind you how to wind down from your hectic everyday pace. Pet rules vary slightly among the rentals, but with more than 60 pet-friendly cottages to choose from, there’s a perfect fit for every size and breed.
The lodging options on this rugged and remote part of the Washington coast are not plentiful, making Seabrook’s rainbow-hued, white-trimmed cottages a welcome, upscale choice. The community comes complete with its own services, including a market, several spas, bike rentals, parks and a fenced off-leash area for the canine social set. Mill 109 Restaurant & Pub has sidewalk seating for al fresco dining with your dog (weather permitting). Dogs are allowed off-leash on the beach, and when they tire of sand and surf, you can walk for hours on former Forest Service roads owned by the property.
Truly, sometimes the biggest luxury you can give your four-legged loved one is the gift of your time, tossing a piece of driftwood for seemingly endless games of fetch. Well, that, and maybe a new collar or toy from The Salty Dog pet boutique in Seabrook village. When your dog has rolled around in a little too much flotsam and jetsam, Salty Dog’s owner Ann Kjelsberg has kindly installed an outdoor, self-service dog wash. About once a month, she hosts a Yappy Hour, raising money for local dog rescue organizations and shelters. Within days of her first visit to Seabrook, Ann was plotting her permanent move here. “There isn’t a better beach in the state,” she insists. “It’s so wide, and open, and free of hazards, it allows you the freedom with your dogs that few other places can match.
Salish
Lodge & Spa
Snoqualmie
(800) 272-5474, www.salishlodge.com
To see your pal’s happy trot in full swing, try a hike in the Cascades, relaxing afterwards at Salish Lodge & Spa. The setting is spectacular; perched at the edge of a bluff overlooking Snoqualmie Falls, which plunges 268-feet into a deep canyon pool. You may recognize the lodge from the opening scene of the enigmatic TV mystery series “Twin Peaks.”
The Snoqualmie area offers endless options for outdoor activities—head over to Rattlesnake Lake for a dip, walk the top of world on the 11-mile Snoqualmie Ridge Trail, or check out the old railroad cars together on the tracks at the outdoor Northwest Railway Museum in old town Snoqualmie. There’s easy access to patio and lawn space for concentrated lounging around, or grab a map at the front desk for the Vine Maple Path or Lollipop Loop, trails of .6 and 1.5 miles respectively, starting across the sky bridge from the lodge.
Salish’s “It’s a Dog’s World” package includes a monogrammed doggie robe, bottled water and a bone, and your pet’s choice of entrée and treat from the house-made Canine Cuisine menu. For the end to a perfect evening, your dog can snooze in front of your in-room fireplace, while you soak in the extravagent jetted spa tub with its see-through views of the lush forest surrounding the lodge.
Val Mallinson is the author of a Seattle Moon Metro travel guide and three pet travel guides including “The Dog Lover’s Companion to the Pacific Northwest.” She recently relocated to Portland, Oregon from Seattle, with her two Wonder Wieners and a Super Spouse. To get the full scoop, visit www.valmalgal.com
