Travelling with pets: Your next trip isn’t a vacation, it’s a ‘Pawcation’

Pet parents, your next trip isn’t a vacation, but it’s a ‘Pawcation’ ! You know how deeply you love pets when you just can’t leave them behind when you decide to travel! Don’t worry, you are not alone! If you grew up in the early 80s and enjoyed reading as your favourite pastime, you may have been one of those who were glued to Enid Blyton’s books or Amar Chitra Kathas that were treasured like family heirlooms.

Small books, with glossy covers and illustrations that brought characters to life, as they set sail on exciting adventures that real life children rarely do, and much more is left to discover on every reading of each story. Children, in these books, travelled with their pets everywhere. And it is that experience that livened up the reading experience for many kids.

Appeal of traveling with pets

Just as literary pleasures lift one’s happiness quotient, the appeal of traveling with pets is catching on like never before. Ms Indrani Gupta, General Manager, President, Mumbai – IHCL SeleQtions is of the view that pets are now considered as family members who cannot be left back alone, which has thereby sparked the demand for travelling with pets.

In her view, “The demand for travelling with pets is on a rise. More pet parents are driving, taking road trips with their four-legged friends. President, Mumbai – IHCL SeleQtions, located at Cuffe Paradevis the perfect ‘Pawcation’ destination for guests who don’t want to part with their furry friends. At SeleQtions we have a stay offer – ‘Pawcations – bring your pet along’. Looking at the ever-growing demand, two years ago,we introduced a pet-friendly bistro – HerbHouse, which offers a relaxed vibe. The pet-friendly bistro has a specially curated menu for furry friends. So, while the pet parent enjoys their meals and the four-legged companion too can indulge in some treats.”

Consistent rise in pet celebrations including pet brunch

In a business district like Mumbai, Ms Indrani Gupta highlights that pet parents are constantly on the lookout for spaces to indulge and unwind with their pets, at HerbHouse, for instance, there has been a consistent rise in pet celebrations, intimate gatherings and least to say overwhelming support when it comes to the pet brunch and hi-tea that we host.

These events give pets and the parents a window to indulge in grooming, agility training and veterinary sessions.

At IHCL, all hotels under the SeleQtions portfolio are pet-friendly. In fact, the staff have been trained and sensitized in handling pets. There is also a vet curated in-room pet menu.

Apart from having a pet-friendly bistro – HerbHouse at the unit, open spaces are also on offer for the pets to indulge in some fun activities, agility training while they are under the observation of a pet trainer, who is available on a call.

For pets and families, the real delightful surprise begins once they check in.

What are the pet amenities inside the hotel room?

“The room is decked with pet amenities along with a comfy pet bed. The hotel welcomes all pets, and there is no restriction on the number of pets one can come with. We have noticed an increase in guests who are currently travelling with pets and we expect this trend to continue and the best part is that the pet parent does not have to leave their pet alone when staying with us,” Indrani Gupta, General Manager, President, Mumbai – IHCL SeleQtions, explains.

The future of travel in India is reinventing itself. The best part? Pet parents and pets are pampered with special ‘Pawcations’ wherein select hotels under the SeleQtions portfolio offer all meals, an exclusive hi-tea experience for pets and outdoor activities for the furry friend under this package.