5 hotels with animals in residence

Having luxury amenities and attentive service is all well and good but for animal-lovers, creature comforts extend far beyond complimentary toiletries. If you’re planning a getaway with your pets, head to these hotels where animals rule the roost as permanent members of staff – and they may even help to make your trip that little bit more memorable.

Algonquin Hotel in New York City, USA

The Algonquin Hotel is home to one of the hotel world’s most famous animal residents – its eponymous cat. This storied hotel is New York’s oldest and has been home to feline guests since the 1920s, when legend suggests a stray wandered into its lobby. The first cats were dubbed Billy and Rusty, however, all male cats have subsequently been named Hamlet (suggested by actor John Barrymore who thought a more regal name would be appropriate). Enter the hotel and you’ll notice an oil painting of the current Hamlet-the-cat hanging behind the reception desk, as well as a series of cat trees and cat flaps. Check in and you may even meet the hotel’s Chief Cat Officer, whose sole role is to look after their feline charge. Whether that’s pampering Hamlet or replying to his legions of fans over mail, it’s a busy task. Introduce your own pet and head to the hotel’s restaurant for a bite to eat, though keep an eye out – Hamlet is known to have stolen burgers right off guests’ plates.

Hotel San Cristobal in Todos Santos, Mexico

Towards the end of the Baja California Peninsula, you’ll find the impeccably designed Hotel San Cristóbal. It’s a boutique property made up of ivory-white villas and rooms that pair 1970s-style ceramics with jewel-coloured textiles and kaleidoscopic striped accents. Better yet, it’s pet-friendly and the home of the ever-welcoming hotel dog, Cash. A Great Dane/Labrador rescue dog, Cash is one of the many dogs that the hotel has helped to find a home, by working with local dog charity, Pescy Dogs. The hotel even helps to match guests who show an interest in adopting with dogs that are in need of a home. As for Cash, he’ll greet you and your own pet on arrival and he may even escort you to your room (though you’ll need to ask the concierge for help with the bags). When you’re settled, head down to the palm-fringed pool for a margarita and a selection of tapas (think ceviche and tacos crammed with fresh fish) from the poolside bar.

Le Bristol in Paris, France

Paris is surprisingly pet-friendly and the luxurious Le Bristol Paris hotel is the unexpected home of one lucky feline. Meet Fa-raon, the hotel’s resident cat and guardian, who patrols the corridors like the regal aristocrat he is and who takes his name from the French word for Pharaoh. Expect Fa-raon to be slunk across the staircase, his fur is a pleasing swirl of butterscotch. He’s great with children and far less bashful than the average feline, with a popularity and presence that has helped to dictate Le Bristol’s favourable policy towards pets. All pet guests receive a welcome hamper, which includes two food bowls, a range of snacks, a bottle of mineral water and a bespoke rug embroidered with their name. Once your pet has been suitably spoiled, take them for a wander through the opulent halls down to the blooming French garden.

Renaissance Aruba in Oranjestad, Aruba

You’ll find Renaissance Aruba on a private island in a place that looks rather like how you’d imagine paradise. It’s all turquoise waters, palm-fringed crescents of sand and floating cabanas here. When you reach Flamingo Beach – the stretch of sand owned by the hotel – expect to be greeted by a flurry of pink and feathers, otherwise known as a flamboyance of flamingos Wander the sand and wade out into the water while the flamingos gracefully saunter past or perch delicately on one leg, their luscious pink colouring an otherworldly contrast to the blue ocean. You’re welcome to feed them, too – courtesy of a self-service vendor on the beach selling flamingo food – which is an entirely surreal and memorable experience of its own.

Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina in Newport, USA

Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina might be just off one of the USA’s best beach walks, but it’s the resident goats that are the major draw for animal-lovers. Located on the aptly named Goat Island, the property is home to two white pygmy goats, William and Cornelius. Looked after by a dedicated caretaker, William and Cornelius live in a little wooden palace and are happy guests of this nautical-inspired hotel. They’re generally sociable and active types, so the hotel allows you to take them out for a walk on a leash. Wander down the path past an ambling, rocky shoreline, all the way until you get to a pretty stone lighthouse – a pastoral (if rather bizarre) sight with the goats standing beside you.