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At both the See Hotel Gruner Baum in Hallstatt and the Roter Hahn HOtel in Rothenburg, the owners' family pet(s) could be seen lounging in the hotel, rather ambivalous to all the attention they were generating from guests. I love dogs and was glad to see how welcomed they were in hotels and restaurants when we lived in Austria. I only took mine (2 small terriers) on vacation with us once -- to Abtenau over Christmas -- and it worked out great. They were very well behaved and it only cost a few shillings more for them to stay in the room with us. While my husband was skiing, the dogs and I explored the town!
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artlover,<BR>Your comment reminded me of the dog we met at the Jamaica Inn this past December. Their resident black lab, Shadow, 'adopted' us for our stay and followed us everywhere, napping on our veranda while we had tea or breakfast. It was great to have her around during our stay and I have lots of pictures or her.
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I think a few posters here have missed the plot. I also love animals but I do not want to have one around me in a hotel at breakfast in a public area. If I go to a restaurant I can choose whether to stay or not if there are dogs inside.<BR>A number of people mentioned owners of the hotel or B & B with pets, that is quite different as usually they will not be allowed into a guest's room anyway.<BR>Incidentally to all of you who so longingly want to go to Florence which I also love, remember to look down and not up or you will be stepping right in it. Even the receptionist at my hotel told me he thought the problem was out of control now and something needs to be done about it as in Paris where the sand rings around the trees have mostly done away with the problem.<BR>The silly american who brought his cat on the plane all the way to Austria last year and kept it in his room is a quite different story and one that was leaving everyone at the hotel quite incredulous. You can imagine how the cat was enjoying this experience - NOT!!!<BR>Every thing has it's place as they say.
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KathyNZ- I don't ever remember having to watch my step in Florence...except once in Piazza della Signoria because of the horses. <BR><BR>Christina-Interesting that you remember the one time a dog kept you up. I agree it would have been annoying. However, I can't count how many times I have been lying awake because of the noise in hallways, upstairs, next door, caused by those who claim to be a higher species. Through my travels, I have encountered many obnoxious people, yet not one obnoxious dog. <BR>
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Melissa<BR>Then go there again and cover a large area of Florence on foot and you will then agree with what I have said.
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We rarely travel with our dog, which makes me a little sad. But she's a herding breed and highly reactive--a leaf falling from a tree is cause for noisy concern from her. She's been through all sorts of training classes and has even earned her Canine Good Citizen award from the AKC, but because of her breed, she will always be a bit of an annoyance to those who don't like barking (we can shush her quickly, but it's a bark that could rouse the dead). The only way I would travel with her would be if we had some isolation from other guests--individual cabins, or something like that.<BR><BR>When we're away, I miss our animals so much that I definitely seek out dogs and cats (and hotels with dogs and cats). Just off the top of my head, thinking of Paris, the Champs du Mars, Hotel Monge, and Hotel de Banville all have sweet, well-behaved dogs--very used to guests, very used to minding their own business. <BR><BR>When we were in Provence last year, a dog adopted us. He would go into restaurants with us, and sleep under our hotel window. It was so hard to say goodbye! (although I suspect this whole "adopt-a-tourist" act was a routine that he perfected just in order to mooch food. . . )<BR><BR>
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Here's an idea: my husband says we should move to Europe and start a business called "Rent-A-Dog" for American tourists who want to look European. For an extra fee (and after a background check) you could even rent our little pup--a little shaggy white charmer (a foundling of no discernible breed) who would certainly take Paris by storm!
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elle, we are dog lovers also. When my son was trekking through Nepal one year, he was also adopted by a local dog. Being on his own and at times, not feeling great, he found comfort in that shaggy dog faithfully following him every where he went. He said that when it was time to move on, he really hated to say goodby!<BR>
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Byrd, what a great idea! If you really do this, make sure you let us know. I'll certainly be one of your customers. <BR><BR>Another thought on this--several single women have posted that they are concerned about travelling alone. Well, this would be a perfect solution for them as well. Not many people are going to bother a woman with a large dog at her side!
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KathyNZ, it's not like the dogs are sitting at the breakfast table! They are usually under their owner's chair and very inconspicuous (sp?). Anyway, like you said, you can always leave...
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Kate2 - I can understand your son's feelings. While on a 2 year stint as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Poland my daughter was befriended by a stray who initiated the encounter by popping out of a snow bank - assuming the play posture- then dashing away. All the locals said he was vicious and would throw stones at him. Over a few weeks he would linger longer before running away - before long he would follow her home to see where she lived. Then one day he followed her up the stairs to her one room apartment and had his first real meal and curled up on the sofa and slept for a good 24 hours. From that day forward they were inseparable. When she called to ask if she could bring him home with her I asked if she really wanted to, her reply was "Dad, I saved this dogs life, and he has saved mine - I owe it to him." Dexter is now a Polish ex-pat enjoying life and love in America.
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CharlieB, what a beautiful story! Really warmed my heart. Thank you. And kudos to your daughter for rescuing Dexter. Dogs (cats too, for the cat people) sure are he greatest companions, aren't they? Sigh. My guy (who I also rescued) has been gone for three months and I miss him terribly.<BR>
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Kate2 and CharlieB--great stories!<BR><BR>Dolcevita--I am so sorry. I know the void that they can leave. But I also know that every animal you have ever loved will live on in every other animal you come to love. . . <BR>
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Charlie B,<BR> obviously you and your daughter are among those gifted with very big hearts!<BR> And lucky Dexter! <BR>Dolcevita, my little cat died a couple of years ago-he was 18, and I still miss him very much. It is so true about love living on in other animals, we now have a dog and wonder how we lived without him!
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I absolutely love to see all the dogs in Paris - so beautiful and well-behaved. It makes me like the French people more, seeing the dogs in restaurants, lying down quietly while their owners enjoy their meal. I'm glad the hear that the Italians treat their dogs the same! While traveling, I have had many great conversations with people whose dogs attracted me to them.<BR>I love it when there is a hotel "house dog". I agree with another poster, if you are annoyed by dogs, you probably won't enjoy Europe - maybe SE Asia is for you!
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I wish I could take my dog with me to any hotel. My dog is more acceptible than some people's kids.
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Elle and Kate2: I haven't been online in a few days so I was curious to check if there were any new comments re: our much loved dog (and cat) friends.<BR><BR>I was genuinely touched to read your kind words. Thank you so much for your tender thoughts and warm sentiment. <BR><BR>I always missed my dog so much while travelling. That's one reason why I so loved seeing dogs in hotels and restaurants, and even at a Buddhist monastery in Nepal! <BR>
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charlyb - I live in a small little country called Ireland. You might have heard of it or maybe not? It happens to be in Europe so it's very convenient for me to 'go to Europe'. So you see I know European customs very well and respect them. I also respect hygiene and I don't believe having dogs in Hotels or near food is hygienic. I agree with some of the more intelligent posters' comments on dogs compared to some children and smoking though. I'd be very grateful, charlyb, if you also didn't tell me where I should or shouldn't go on my trips.
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charlieb: I loved you're post - you must be very proud to have such a caring daughter. You can tell a lot about a person by how they treat their animals.
ryanmk: You say "I know European customs VERY WELL and I respect them" but it sounds to me like you haven't travelled that much otherwise you wouldn't be so surprised by other people's customs. The Irish love their animals (my mother grew up in Ireland) and historically they have always lived with their animals. What is so unhygenic about a dog being in a hotel? It's obvious that you do not care for animals and I too feel you would be much happier vacationing in Asia than in Europe. |
I'd rather have the small animals alive rather than the live chickens that were butchered by others on our hotel floor last year in munich.
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