PHILADEPHIA, PA—Last month, the Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel here hosted a very special guest. It wasn’t Sylvester Stallone, aka Rocky Balboa; sports legends Steve Carlton or Bobby Clarke; or Philly’s own The Roots, best known as the house band on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
It was Internet sensation Marnie the Dog, a 12-year-old shih tzu known for her tilted head and a tongue that never stays in her mouth, who has posed for selfies with celebrities such as Tina Fey, James Franco and The Roots’ Questlove. She was at the hotel to welcome the first guests to the property’s new pet-friendly rooms in celebration of National Pet Day.
Six of the Warwick’s 301 rooms have been designated pet-friendly, and each comes with a special dog tag that alerts guests that the room accommodates pets, according to Jean-Marc Jalbert, general manager of the landmark hotel, which is located in the city’s downtown Rittenhouse Square District.
“All pet-friendly rooms include food and water bowls with a special room-service menu from our restaurant, Tavern 17,” he said. “There is also a comfy dog bed, bones upon request, and a map outlining local paths and trails for walking your pet.
“Guests traveling with pets can book the Pets Loving Pet Package, which includes all the amenities and a $10 credit for the pet room-service menu,” he added. “When the package is booked, we’ll be making a donation to local pet charity, City of Elderly Love.”
Jalbert noted that the decision to establish pet-friendly rooms—which are limited to one pet weighing 50 lbs. or less—came from the realization that many of the hotel’s extended-stay business travelers missed their four-legged companions.
“We have many business travelers who live at the hotel for most of the week. Being on the road can be hard knowing you’re leaving a pet at home, so we wanted to make it easier for guests. Along with that, Philadelphia is such a pet-friendly city. Why should human guests have all the fun?” he said.
For guests who want to treat their dogs to room service, the Tavern 17 team has created three dishes: Pampered Pooch, a rice-and-lamb casserole; Doggie Meatloaf, made with beef and vegetables; and a ground turkey dish with brown rice and vegetables. “We also have doggie biscuits made in-house with cheddar cheese and whole wheat,” said Jalbert.
When Marnie visited, she was particularly fond of the Doggie Meatloaf, said the GM, who added, “It was great having her here to welcome our first four-legged guests. She liked being able to roam up and down the hallways.”
Marnie is not just a YouTube, Twitter and Instagram star. She is also an advocate for the adoption of senior pets, after being rescued at the age of 10. The hotel is donating $10 from every Pets Loving Pets Package booked to City of Elderly Love, a nonprofit animal rescue dedicated to saving and enriching the lives of adoptable senior pets in the Philadelphia area, according to the organization.
“Marnie was adopted after being homeless for 10 years, so we thought it was a nice tie-in with a local charity that promotes senior pet adoption,” said Jalbert. “It has a loving staff working hard to promote awareness of adopting senior pets, which is a wonderful cause.”
—Adam Perkowsky