Fairmont Goes to The Dogs

Otherwise known for thoughtful and welcoming service, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts now offers a distinctive service at select hotels with resident hotel dogs known as Canine Ambassadors. Travellers missing their own furry friend or looking for a companion while taking a walk can bring along the resident Fairmont dog for extra security and the comfort of home. 


The summer of 2009 saw four new hires: Smudge, a Golden Labrador Retriever who works at The Fairmont Algonquin in New Brunswick; Jordy, a Black Labrador Retriever at Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu in Quebec; Sonny, a Yellow Labrador Retriever who was brought on at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise as Director of Pet Relations; and Golden Labrador Gracie, who joined the staff at the Fairmont Tremblant. The dogs, all trained by The Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, began by meeting and greeting guests, going on scheduled walks and runs, and serving as community liaisons. And the newest member of Fairmont’s Canine Ambassador team is Zeus, a handsome Chocolate Labrador who oversees interactive guest appreciation at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in California.


They join their other four-legged colleagues as official members of the hotels’ Guest Services Teams. Catie, a Black Labrador originally trained as a guide dog with the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind in New York, changed careers to become the famed Canine Ambassador for The Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston. Endearingly called Catie Copley, she's a community liaison participating in story hour at the South End branch of the Boston Public Library and has spent time with guests who are ill. A delight with children, Catie has even been the star of two children’s books, the second of which includes her colleague Santol, the Canine Ambassador at Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. The new book, Catie Copley’s Great Escape, is a follow up to 2007’s top-seller Catie Copley, and follows the adventures of Catie as she takes her first trip to Canada to visit Santol.


At Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club in Kenya, two-year-old Labrador Golden Retrievers Volga and Ducia stay in the courtyard during the day so guests can simply pick them up for a walk over 100 acres of the resort’s property. In Vancouver, you can meet Holly, a Yellow Labrador and Golden Retriever mix at The Fairmont Waterfront and Mavis – Holly’s half-sister and also a Lab/Retreiver mix – and Beau, a Yellow Labrador, at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The Fairmont Waterfront was the first hotel in the company to introduce a K9 Ambassador – welcoming Morgan, a Black Labrador, in 2002, and now enjoying his dog days of retirement.


Guests can stay in touch with their furry friends, by sending "ani-mail" either by snailmail to the hotel or via email. For more info on these Canine Ambassadors, click on http://www.fairmont.com/promotions/canineambassadors