HAPPY DOG, HAPPY OWNER

A five-star hotel with custom-made beds, a spa, massage parlor and staff available 24/7. Sounds like something you might expect from a normal five-star hotel. Yet this hotel is slightly different, as this new five-star hotel in London is made especially for elite dogs.Text: Fleur de Jong
Image: Urban Mutts Hotel

Private Club

The stay is only for members who are members of the private club, something like Soho House, but for dogs. The idea comes from Barry Karacostas, also known as The Dog Jogger. Barry has been working with dogs for more than 15 years, making sure they live their best lives. Barry works for people like Guy Ritchie and Elle Macpherson, who had him specially flown in to Miami to take care of her puppies. Barry explains that conventional kennels don't understand what elite city dogs need. He says that, especially city dogs, they need to stay there, too. According to him, they need consistency and these dogs don't understand why they go from one place to another.

To take care of this, Barry came up with the private club Urban Mutts. All dog owners pay €175 starting fee for a membership. Then you can choose which services you use. The doggy day club takes center stage; it features LED mood lighting and walls covered in custom street art. The spa on the grounds of the day club offers everything from quick washes to nail treatments. Urban Mutts' staff is trained in acupuncture, massage and reiki, and there is a team of trainers on site or outside in nearby parks and streets.

The rate

However, due to the establishment of the new hotel, there is also a possibility for an overnight stay. For an overnight stay, dog owners pay €80; for a week or longer, there is an additional charge of €80 per night. Dogs can stay at the hotel for up to three months, allowing their owners to explore the world in the meantime. 

Because of Covid-19, Urban Mutts was only now able to officially open its doors, but at the same time, the situation surrounding the virus has also brought benefits. For example, pet ownership has increased 4% in the US recently. This means that in the US alone, more than 70 million households decided to get a pet, most of them a dog. 

Will we see the dog hotel in more places soon? According to founder Barry Karacostas, yes, he is getting ready to expand to other cities.