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Now Your Four-Legged Friend Can Tag Along to Meetings & Events

By Anthony Stoeckert

Pet owners are more attached to their four-legged friends than ever before, and the sight of a cat or dog lounging in the lobby of a hotel isn’t a surprise these days. What may be a surprise is that those pets aren’t only accompanying their humans on vacations—they’re tagging along on business trips, conferences and conventions, too.

White Rose Event Center
“There has always been a demand for people wanting a pet-friendly hotel, but this seems to be increasing lately,” says Christina McCullough, director of sales and marketing for the White Rose Event Center at The Wyndham Garden York (renovated in January 2015; formerly the Holiday Inn York). “There seem to be fewer pet-friendly hotels in the market, and people will actively seek out those hotels that will accommodate their beloved furry family members. We find that people will drive up to a half hour or more out of their way to accommodate their pets. In most cases, there is also an extra charge associated with allowing pets, but pet owners are more than willing to pay the extra money to stay with their pet. So many times guests consider their pets like children, so leaving them at home or boarding them is not an option.”

The White Rose greets animals in a special way. “At check-in, we will recognize the pet and have complimentary treats,” McCullough says. “We also offer a package called Pamper Your Pet. This is a personalized service we offer for any kind of pet, and includes, but is not limited to, a basket filled with petspecific items upon arrival. We also offer specific rooms that are pet-friendly that have easy access to outside-area dog waste stations.”

The White Rose Event Center, located within the Wyndham Garden York, has 16,000 square feet of meeting space. That includes two large ballrooms, four breakout rooms and three smaller banquet rooms. “One of our ballrooms is called the Crystal Ballroom, and is completely new,” McCullough says. “This space was transformed into an elegant room with accents of stone and crystal lighting. This space previously functioned as the restaurant on property. The Crystal Ballroom can hold up to 200 people comfortably, and is ideal for social and corporate events.” The larger Ballroom of the Roses can accommodate up to 600 people while Fenderz Grill & Pub offers space for parties under 75.

Hilton Harrisburg
Pets aren’t a rare sight for Barry Dively, assistant general manager of the Hilton in Harrisburg. “We are seeing more and more people bringing their four-legged, furry friends when they come for a meeting,” Dively says. “Pets are considered part of the family to many people and it’s important that they are part of the equation when amenities are considered. Pet lovers heading to a meeting or event at the Hilton Harrisburg hotel are going to be pleased by its pet-friendly measures, which include special pet bedding, walking areas and water bowls available for the pets. The Hilton, which Dively says is near several dog parks, features more than 50,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and it can accommodate banquet seating for 950 people, and up to 1,200 guests for a reception. It regularly hosts corporate meetings, parties and large conferences.

The Lodge at Glendorn
“It is a growing trend—guests traveling for business meetings or events enjoy the opportunity to be able to bring the four-legged member of their family with them,” says Stephanie Schafer, co general manager of The Lodge at Glendorn, which has six private cabins available for guests traveling with pets. She adds that business travelers appreciate being able to bring their pets along while traveling for business, and the pets get treated well, too. “Homemade treats, bowls and towels are provided in room for pets,” Schafer says. “Additionally, Glendorn staff members are able to take the four-legged friends for a walk if requested.”

Glendorn sits on 1,500 acres with retroluxury accommodations across a main lodge and 12 cabins. Its Playhouse Conference Center features audio-visual equipment and a breakout room. “We will help you design an agenda for a successful meeting for groups of up to 55 people,” Schafer says. “Glendorn’s private and secure site is ideal for your business retreat.” Activities at the property include trap and skeet shooting, fly-fishing, hiking, Jeep tours, kayaking, canoeing swimming, cooking classes, golf nearby and winter sports. All of these activities pair well with meetings. “Glendorn creates a unique meetings environment where the group takes advantage of being connected with the great outdoors and the endless activities offered on property,” Schafer says. “Family-owned companies with multigenerations, construction companies, specialty food companies, oil and gas [energy] companies, specialty councils and retail companies have hosted meetings and corporate retreats at Glendorn.”

Philadelphia’s Kimpton Hotels
Two Philadelphia Kimpton hotels, Hotel Palomar and Hotel Monaco, welcome pets with open arms. Kristin Huxta, area public relations manager for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in Pennsylvania, says both hotels are 100 percent pet friendly. “That means no restrictions on breed, size or species. We provide a special check-in amenity for your furry friend as well as in room pet supplies such as dog bowls, beds and toys,” she says. “Whatever Fido needs, we can make it happen.”

The Palomar has more than 6,000 square feet of flexible meetings and event spaces, including a 2,750-square-foot penthouse Burnham Ballroom. There also are three flexible meeting spaces on the 24th floor, which can be divided into five rooms, and the second floor offers three intimate meeting spaces. The Monaco has more than 13,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces including two ballrooms on the first floor and more than 5,000 square feet on the hotel’s lower level and atop the hotel, the Stratus Rooftop Lounge. “Guests love being able to host their events in the open air, under the stars,” she says. “And at the Palomar, we specialize in celebratory dinners, company events and creative meetings.”

The Inn at Pocono Manor
The Inn at Pocono Manor, which features 30,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, has a separate pet-friendly building adjacent to the main inn called the Spruce Lodge with 38 guest rooms. “All guests who bring their pet or pets receive a welcome doggy bag with nice treats and toys for them to enjoy. We also offer miles of trails for their walking pleasure,” says Randy Misko, sales manager. He adds that the inn, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, sits on 3,000 acres with “breathtaking views.” The inn recently underwent a $10 million renovation in its meeting spaces, guest rooms and public space. Benefits for meetings include a variety of indoor and outdoor team-building options, two restaurants, a theater decorated with wood and soft leather seating, and both indoor and outdoor pools. Business travelers have plenty of ways to fill their downtime with a fitness center with basketball courts, racquet court, fitness classes, tennis and more, plus stables with horseback riding, carriage rides, bonfires, hay wagons, fishing, hiking and winter sports.

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