The Cypress Inn
It’s the hotel that a dog might design: treats at check-in, visiting with other dogs (and their humans) at the library-bar or the fireplace lounge, leashes and beds if you forgot yours, and a beautiful beach where you can run off-leash just a short walk away. The Cypress Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea (two hours south of San Francisco) goes way beyond dog-friendly - dogs rule, and it’s heaven for their people too.
People who travel with their dogs are accustomed to being banished to stinky, noisy rooms when they stay at hotels, so the "dogs welcome" policy at the Cypress Inn makes it a huge hit - 65% of their guests are repeat visitors, and the hotel enjoys a high occupancy rate year-round. Amenities for humans abound too - a fine continental breakfast is included, there is a nightly happy hour with complementary hors d’oeurvres, and each room receives a fruitbowl and decanter of sherry.
Who do we have to thank for this? Actress Doris Day and her partners, Terry Melcher and Dennis LeVett. They bought the hotel in 1986 and immediately instituted a pets-welcome policy. She is the founder of the Doris Day Animal Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting animals. It sponsors programs like Spay Day USA, mobile spay/neuter clinics and a variety of projects designed to improve the lives of animals. She is also a local resident, and her love of animals is what gives the Cypress Inn it’s pro-pet focus and personality.
Built in 1929, the Cypress Inn has evolved into the luxury hotel it is today. Its 34 rooms are compact but clean and cozy - rooms are steam cleaned after a dog checks out, and any kind of pet odor is noticeably absent. Dogs are required to be on-leash when they are outside their rooms, promoting peace in the animal kingdom and the hotel’s public areas. Dogs aren’t allowed to be left unattended in the rooms, so dogs join their people for breakfast in the courtyard, tea in the lounge, and happy hour in the bar.
This makes for a remarkable environment. On our stay one Christmas Eve, a dozen people and eight dogs shared the lounge, owners swapping stories and sharing holiday cheer while the dogs dozed. And half the creatures there weren’t even hotel guests - the hotel sells out a year in advance for Christmas, so some dogs and people were from nearby hotels, coming to savor the atmosphere. 95% of the animal guests are dogs, but cats, rabbits and Kim Novak’s llama have also stayed at the hotel. General Manager Hollace Thompson noted that there is always at least one dog guest in the hotel, and that can go up to almost 40 dogs during peak times like Christmas.
Upsets, mostly of the barking variety, are quickly resolved and forgiven, and every dog and person we encountered were calm, happy and relaxed, a testament to the friendly staff. Mr Thompson, a dog-owner himself, pointed out that many of the hotel’s employees are pet owners, and all of them are aware of the pet policies when hired. Some, like concierge Kevin Hale, are genuinely dog-crazy. A former professional pet sitter, Mr. Hale greeted the humans with smiles and the dogs with an unending supply of hugs and cookies.
Some hotel guests are unaware of the pet policy when they arrive, and if it’s a problem for them, the hotel finds other accommodations. Most people, though, are pleased to share the hotel with the animals. One guest who checked in for Christmas and was told of the policy drove back home to San Francisco to get her cats so she wouldn’t have to spend her vacation without them.
Carmel is a pet-pleasing place too. Numerous other hotels accepts pets, and the Cypress Inn provides guests with a list of restaurants that will allow you to dine outdoors (heated in wintertime) with your dog. We enjoyed a Christmas Eve meal at Le Coq D’Or, and Christmas lunch at PortaBella - in both cases, we’d called and made reservations for ourselves with dog, and he curled up at our feet as we enjoyed very nice meals. And since the Cypress Inn is located right in downtown Carmel, we walked everywhere - another treat.
Pet sitter arrangements are available through the hotel, and many shops allow well behaved dogs to browse wth their people. Carmel City Beach, at the bottom of Ocean Street, is an unparalleled canine meeting place. A long expanse of sand, gentle waves and a generous supply of city-provided poop bags make this off-leash beach popular with locals and tourists.
And did we see Doris Day? We never spotted her (although local legend says she can be found humming ‘Que Sera Sera’ at the market). But the charm and hospitality of her hotel and its staff made our visit memorable: we'll return to the Cypress Inn soon.
Details:
Lincoln & 7th, Carmel, CA
