All hotels want their guests to feel welcome, but the Marriott Residence Inn in Reno is going the extra mile to welcome every guest including the fourlegged furry kind.
The hotel, one of only a few in Reno that allow pets, now provides "Doggie Welcome Bags." Each brown paper welcome bag is tied with a festive ribbon and bow and has the pet's name written on it.
Inside are a doggie dish, pooperscooper, a small bone and some doggie biscuits.
"We're very pet-friendly, and we decided to be even more pet-friendly," says sales director Patricia Arnold.
Response has been positive from both human and canine guests."The people who come here look for a place that takes pets, so when they arrive and get this little gift, they love it,"Arnold says.
Marriott's Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites throughout the country allow pets for a one-time fee not to exceed $75, says Betsy Higgison of Marriott International.
In Reno, the Residence Inn has an area where people can walk their dogs, and the staff works out arrangements with guests so rooms can be cleaned without disturbing the animals.
A special magnet is put on each door where a pet is staying.
"The whole staff is open and friendly to pets, and they're fun to have here,"Arnold says."Right now we have a miniature greyhound.
If you get down on the ground, he'll put his paws around you and give you a hug."
Although the hotel doesn't offer kitty welcome bags yet,Arnold says the staff often buys little gifts for its feline guests, too."One of us will run over to the pet store and buy a toy mouse."
