 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Arizona | Maine | New Hampshire | Virginia | Chain Hotels Arizona Hotel Congress311 East Congress StreetTucson, Arizona Telephone: (520) 622-8848 Website: HotelCongress.com
Since its opening in 1985, Club Congress on the hotel’s ground floor has attracted an impressive lineup of bands and is now considered one of the top 10 rock clubs in the U.S. That said, you might want to ask which bands are scheduled to perform during your intended stay! The hotel does reserve one hall, directly over the club, for the bands so that other guests are not trying to sleep to the thrashing beat of some punk rock group they´ve never heard of. Our room faced Congress Street itself and was located more or less in the middle of the building. Although my People said they could hear the music, it was muffled and certainly no more disturbing than the sound of traffic and passersby on the street below. I say if one doesn’t want to hear the sounds of the city, one doesn´t stay in a historic downtown district! As for the accommodations themselves, I give them an enthusiastic four paws up. The hotel interiors are beautifully decorated in what one might call a cowboy art deco style – charming and unique. (Our stay at Hotel Congress was part of my Tucson Road Trip, which includes several close-ups of the building´s beautiful interior.) The furnishings, if not antique, certainly give the impression that more than a few travelers of yore have sunk into the plush leather seats after a dusty day on the road or sat at the petite desks to pen letters back home. For those who just can’t do without such newfangled devices, a television in the library compensates for the lack of any in the guest rooms.
Although I did not see too many youngsters during our visit (wrong time of year, I suspect), I can´t imagine a better home base for teaching kids about life in the Old West. What with the hotel´s history involving real-life gunslingers hiding out on the top floor before their capture to its location within an easy drive of Old Tucson and Tombstone, I know my People and I will be returning when "The Boy" is a little older. ("What´s a switchboard?" he´ll ask, reading the hotel brochure. And he and I will trot on over to the reception desk, where they´ll show us the old-fashioned contraption that still routes all incoming and outgoing calls at the hotel. "Where are the ghosts?" he’ll surely want to know. And he and I will sniff around for Rochelle, the friendly head of housekeeping I met on this visit who proudly explained to my People about the hotel´s colorful history.) Speaking of sniffing things out, the award-winning Cup Café off the main lobby was already a favorite local restaurant of mine before our stay at the hotel. (See my review on the Restaurants & Shops page.) Although The Cup´s outside tables are closed come evening, canine guests and their people can certainly enjoy an after-dinner coffee and dessert served by the café’s staff in the beautiful lobby. The Tap Room adjacent to Club Congress has been "a favorite watering hole since the 19th Amendment was passed," as the hotel’s website describes it, and the bar´s separate outside area is open from the afternoon on.
Maine Enchanted Nights Bed & BreakfastScenic Coastal Route 10329 Wentworth Street Kittery, Maine Telephone: (207) 439-1489 Website: Enchanted-Nights-BandB.com
The Enchanted Nights Bed & Breakfast is "not for those of simple tastes" warn innkeepers Nancy Bogenberger and Peter Lamandia, a former Los Angeles couple who "left dream jobs to become maid/CEO, handyman/CFO." Yet when visiting a restored Victorian-era inn, does one truly expect anything less than a visual cacophony of floral linens and wallpaper, china knickknacks, and dainty, often inexplicable, items of antique furniture? Certainly not – it´s all part of the charm and romance of such a B&B. (I think I actually disappeared into the background of Country French-patterned bed comforters and floral curtains at several points during our stay. Such camouflage made it all the easier to keep an eye on the resident cats, however.)
The Harraseeket Inn162 Main StreetFreeport, Maine Telephone: (207) 865-9377 Website: HarraseeketInn.com
New HampshireThe Hancock Inn33 Main StreetHancock, New Hampshire Telephone: (603) 525-3318 Website: HancockInn.com
 My People first discovered the charming Hancock Inn several winters ago when the innkeeper began hosting a weekly wine-tasting course to give the locals something to do on those bitter-cold New England nights. Pity that I was not allowed to attend the class with them: I heard that the inn´s chef – an individual of some acclaim – prepared all sorts of tasty samples to accompany the wines being poured. Having recently learned that the Hancock Inn allows canine visitors in one of its beautiful rooms, I am now planning an overnight visit to this historic establishment. I understand the innkeepers have a dog of their own, so I might just get a sample from the kitchen after all.
VirginiaThe Page House Inn323 Fairfax AvenueNorfolk, Virginia Telephone: (757) 625-5033 Website: PageHouseInn.com
Now I must pause here and confess to you, faithful readers, that I have not personally stayed at the Page House Inn. That´s correct, poor old Chaucer was left behind at a kennel while his People enjoyed a jaunt down South last summer. My People could not recommend this B&B any more highly, however. They stayed there over the Fourth of July holiday and were invited to join the innkeepers and their family and friends for their annual Independence Day barbeque. And by barbeque, I mean real Southern barbeque! (You can bet I won´t be left behind the next time my People head down to Virginia….) I was told, however, that the oak-lined streets of the Ghent district and the nearby port area are ideal for exploring on foot, making a visit to this important historic city perfect for family trips with the dog. “The Boy” particularly enjoyed his tour of the battleship USS Wisconsin and the Nauticus Maritime Center. Had I been there (which I was not – did I mention that?), I would have had to stay at doggy daycare for those portions of the trip, of course. Although my People dined closer to the waterfront most evenings, Stormi reports that numerous restaurants in the Ghent district offer outdoor seating, and most of those accommodate dogs. If you live in this area – or have visited it with your pooch – I´d like to hear about your favorite dog-friendly restaurants and activities! Click here to send me a note.
 Photographs courtesy of The Page House Inn
Chain HotelsLa Quinta InnsTelephone: (800) 531-5900Website: LaQuinta.com
With full hot breakfasts and free wifi at most locations, La Quinta is a step up from the Red Roof Inns where I spend most of my nights on the road. My Editor joined the La Quinta frequent-visitor club only recently, so I base my report on just half a dozen stays to date. Thanks to my keen observation skills, however, I can say that some of the inns look much nicer from the inside than out – both locations in Amarillo, in particular. As the rooms (double-queen, non-smoking) are large, clean, and comfortably appointed, perhaps I shouldn´t be too fussy about peeling paint. The friendly staff at the Texarkana location were a most welcome sight indeed after a late-night drive through bleak Arkansas recently, and the thoughtful folks at the La Quinta in Knoxville actually have a grassy dog walk area reserved for special guests such as myself, signpost and baggie dispenser included. Red Roof InnsTelephone: (800) RED-ROOFWebsite: RedRoof.com 
As the accompanying list makes quite evident, I sleep frequently at Red Roof Inns when traveling by car. A fair number of them offer full breakfasts, and the company´s generous rewards program makes up for the absence of free wifi (most inns are tMobile Hotspots). My Publisher has earned half a dozen free-night certificates during the last few years. The individual hotels can differ widely in quality of rooms and grounds, as the company has been renovating its properties over the last few years. One of my personal favorites is the Westside Knoxville location. The staff (which appears to have unusually low turnover) is always very friendly, regardless of how late we roll in, and the hotel is right next door to a Famous Dave´s BBQ restaurant. What more could a travel-weary terrier want?
|
|
At first glance, the gorgeously renovated Page House Inn in Norfolk´s historic Ghent district doesn´t seem like the sort of establishment open to guests of the four-pawed variety. From the richly furnished formal dining room worthy of a magazine cover shot to the twin parlors filled with antique furniture, the place exudes elegance. A closer look reveals that the beautiful surroundings are not just for admiring from a distance. They are meant to be enjoyed as one would at a friend´s home. One parlor contains a large basket of well-used board games, clearly enjoyed by numerous guests on lazy winter evenings past. A plate of fresh-baked cookies waits for visitors wandering in after a day spent exploring the city. Loaner bikes are available for inn guests, the billiard room recently opened, and when Carl Albero serves up breakfast in the dining room, the fare is home-cooked and hearty. You might even see canine innkeeper Stormi Weathers, the 15-year-old Yorkshire terrier pictured nearby (or her short-legged pal Jake), trotting in to see if any leftovers are up for grabs. The Page House Inn isn´t just the Albero family´s business, it is an extension of their home.
