Four-legged friends are enjoying the creature comforts of home in new dog-friendly accommodation at the Mount Gambier Hotel.
South Australian family-owned hotel group Matthews Hospitality has spent more than a million dollars upgrading the hotel to include two rooms where pampered pooches can check-in with their owners.
Doggos are given the VIP (Very Impawtent Pup) treatment with a custom-made velvet bed that matches their owner’s bed, special cushions, blankets and mats, dog bowls, treats and puppucinos. There is a gated mini dog park on site and the hotel is even looking at offering a grooming service by engaging a local operator.
The rooms open onto a private balcony and are accessed externally to comply with hotel regulations. Fur babies can join their pawents for dinner in the outdoor dining area.
Matthews Hospitality General Manager of Hospitality Lee Cook said the new offering has been a howling success.
“Dog ownership hit record highs during COVID and we’ve found there’s an increasing desire for patrons to holiday with their four-legged friend.
“We’re always looking at ways we can better serve the communities in which we operate. The dog-friendly accommodation was fully booked during the recent school holidays and is occupied most weekends.
“As part of my role with Matthews Hospitality, I am frequently on the road visiting our venues across regional South Australia, and I thought wouldn’t it be great to be able to bring along my dog Leia the chocolate lab.
“Mount Gambier Hotel Venue Manager Belinda Crute and I workshopped the concept while we were designing the accommodation upgrade. The rooms have floorboards instead of carpet, lidded bins and special furnishings.
“We’ve had a variety of patrons book into the rooms, including retired couples who are road-tripping around SA as well as people who got a puppy during COVID and don’t want to leave them in a boarding facility.
“Our furry guests are free to make themselves at home but as with any of our guests we do ask them to be mindful of others staying at the hotel to ensure everyone enjoys a good night’s sleep.
“Excessive barking isn’t tolerated and the rooms are also subjected to deep cleaning.”
In 2021, the historic Mount Gambier Hotel was awarded a $336,740 grant from the Tourism Industry Development Fund (TDIF) to assist with the redevelopment. The total project investment was $1,122,500 to redevelop 16 rooms, create a reception space and atrium dining area.
Matthews Hospitality recently expanded into the Clare Valley with the purchase of the Bentleys Hotel and has completed recent upgrades of the Eyre Hotel in Whyalla and the Maylands in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs.