Some guests at a Stratford-upon-Avon hotel will find themselves receiving a doggie bag with a difference – if they have a four-legged friend with them.
Traditionally used by diners to take ‘leftovers’ home to feed to their pets, doggie bags provided by the Swan’s Nest Hotel are an extra welcome treat for canine guests.
The 17th century hotel, which sits a short walk across the River Avon from Stratford’s picturesque town centre, is dog-friendly, and is making no bones about it by providing the complementary extra.
Kate Jefferies is General Manager of the Swan’s Nest, which is managed by Focus Hotels, one of the UK’s leading hospitality specialists.
She said: “Many hotels commonly provide some sort of welcome pack for their human guests.
“Since we are a dog-friendly hotel, we thought it was only right that we make a similar gesture to welcome our four-legged visitors.”
Each bag contains a bone and ball, and the first one was recently presented to Millie, a Harlequin Great Dane when she returned for her fourth stay at the hotel, with owners Jenny and Tony.
The couple said Millie loves her visits to the Swan’s Nest, and they were delighted with the added touch of a ‘doggie bag’.
Jenny said: “It is a joy to be able to bring Millie to a hotel with us, as we have found it a struggle in the past to find somewhere that would allow her to stay.
“We thought the doggie bag was a really nice extra touch.”
The doggie bags are not the only treats awaiting dogs who visit the Swan’s Nest.
There is also a ‘Biscuit Bar’ in the main reception area, with an invitation to dog owners to help themselves to a treat for their pets.
Kate said: “People’s first thoughts when it comes to visiting Stratford are usually about its association with Shakespeare, but the town has a lot more to offer than that.
“The Swan’s Nest is next to the recreational ground, which offers wonderful riverside walks which are ideal for people with dogs.
“Of course, we know that not everybody loves dogs, so we do have some areas of the hotel in which they are not allowed.
“The adjoining Bear Inn also has dog-friendly and dog-free areas, which ensures everyone who visits us feels welcome and comfortable.”
The Swan’s Nest has a range of elegant bedrooms and suites and, in addition to the adjoining Bear Inn, also has a Bistrot Pierre restaurant on site.
Focus Hotel Management is a leading independent hospitality management company with a portfolio of 15 hotels open, under development and in planning, totalling 1,597 bedrooms.