I just love this. The University Plaza Hotel in Springfield, Missouri offers up the most unique in-room amenity yet. And you don’t have to be an elite member to get it.
According to this article (Hat tip: @danisinthenews on Twitter), guests can check out a goldfish to keep them company in their rooms. Apparently each fish comes with a back story and biography written on the back of the fishbowl. One such fish, named Chip, is from Chicago and loves the White Sox.
I’m surprised some trendy and chic hotels elsewhere aren’t doing this. It might also be something very zen for Starwood’s Element Hotels to pick up on.
Anyway, it brightened my day… hope it does yours, too.
I have stayed at the Hotel Preston near the Nashville Airport more than five years ago, and you could have a pet fish during your stay and a lava lamp placed in your room. I was there for a conference, and the Country Music Awards made rooms hard to come by, so the Hotel Preston it was. The selling point was that we did not have to worry with feeding the fish. Housekeeping would take care of it for you. So this is not something new. I looked at their website recently, and the lava lamps are still mentioned but sadly no fish.
@ArkansasTraveler: Thanks for the info… very cool to know another hotel does (or did). Love the lava lamp idea, too!
Cool.
The Monaco in washington DC does this as well. I recall my fish being named ‘Angela’. The wife wasn’t initially thrilled when I said Angela was in my room.
Angela did fine, but I noticed a neighbor down the hall had put the bowl out in the hall, with a cousin floating upside down.
@Alan: Awesome! (except Angela’s cousin, of course).
So cute, and such a brilliant idea. One can relieve their stress by just having a goldfish around. This is the first time I’ve learned something like this. Pretty cool!
Kimpton hotels have been doing this for many years, by far the best pet friendly hotels I’ve ever stayed at. If you don’t have a pet – they provide one (ala your own fish!). Alan’s Monaco in DC is a part of the Kimpton chain.
Check them out (and they have a frequent guest program too!).
🙂
Same comment as Ryan. This has been a Kimpton Hotels amenity for some time now.
That is pretty awesome! I wonder if any hotels offer a choice of pets to consider checking out? I’d like to test out a hedgehog! lol
Now if only you could check out a friendly cat to cuddle with