Abu Dhabi: This luxury hotel can host your furry friends too

Yes, for the first time in the Capital, there is a pet-friendly hotel: W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island. Guests can now bring their cats, dogs and goldfish to this five-star hotel. So, people like Katherine, when they are on a family vacation in Abu Dhabi, will no longer feel guilty about leaving their pet behind. Undoubtedly for most people, a pet is very much part of the family. And this hotel has ensured that now, guests and pets will be together on staycation.

“Staying true to the W Hotels motto of staying ‘somewhere different’, the Pets Are Welcome (P.A.W.) policy was a natural continuation of the modern, 360-degree hotel experience we already provide guests. Guests at the W are always pampered and treated with the utmost importance — a courtesy we wanted to extend to their furry friends, and to ensure their stays are as complete as possible. Here, guests know that travelling does not have to exclude their best furry companion,” W Abu Dhabi — Yas Island general manager Faiek El Saadani said about the P.A.W. policy.

And the new initiative has been applauded by the pet owners as they live it up and bask in the Arabian sun.

“We’ve received an immensely positive response from guests, which has only strengthened our ambitions for the P.A.W. programme.”

El Saadani said pets, weighing up to maximum 18 kg, can stay with their owners free of cost.

“The fun part of the P.A.W. programme is that pets can enter guest rooms, the hotel lobby, and even the hotel gardens for leisurely strolls with their owners — enjoying their own little pet-cation,” El Saadani said and added that both cats and dogs require a leash.

Elaborating about the facilities offered to pets, El Saadani said: “Furry friends are welcomed with a comfy bed, two bowls for food and water, doggy bags for dogs, litter tray for cats, and delicious pet-friendly snacks for all. The hotel also offers a discounted pet-friendly food menu. Guests may also request toys for pets at an additional charge.”

Usually, a pet stay incurs a fee, but the hotel is offering the services for free this year with a special room package. “Local regulations also require certain fees to be paid, for example a one-time cleaning fee as well as a daily fee. However, as a part of the P.A.W.esome Re-treat, W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island will be covering the fixed costs until the end of the year,” El Saadani noted.

W is the only hotel in the world located on top of a racetrack – the Yas Marina Circuit, which hosts the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. And now pets can also get a chance to catch a slice of a real racing experience from any of the rooms at the hotel.