Four-legged indulgence

Upscale pet hotel designed to cater to
guests’ every need, real or imagined

by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Diane Lévesque

Age: 46

Occupation: Proprietor of Hotel Balto in Dorion/Vaudreuil (hotelbalto.com)

Bio: This über-motivated, determined Dorion gal, no stranger to working 70-hour weeks in her real estate/construction biz, says she only got the idea to open a “luxury hotel” for cats and dogs after forever seeking a local kennel she could “feel good about” to temporarily house her own pack of mutts, currently numbering no fewer than one dozen. “Our dogs are like our babies, and while I know there’re some nice kennels out there, none offered the comfort we wanted.” In spite of the friendly derision she faced from her cohorts, who balked at the idea of anyone possibly wanting to board their lowly hounds at a “luxury” facility, Diane found herself an animal-lovin’ banker and, together with a sizable chunk of her own cash, was able to design and open up Hotel Balto in November ’08. With rooms every bit as nice or nicer than most three-star hotels, each with plasma TVs, original art on the walls, sound systems, individually heated floors, leather sofas and full-sized cast iron beds for precious little Poofy to sleep on, her venture to date has been a rousing success, boasting an 80 per cent occupancy rate overall and, during Christmas and other big holidays, well, let’s just say you’d better book it now lest Poofy find herself housed someplace where she, god forbid, might find have to sleep on the floor, possibly even eating traditional dog food. She drives a modest 2007 Cadillac Escalade.

Something people appreciate about Hotel Balto: Their “sophisticated” in-house camera system allowing people to check in on their beloved pet at any given time. “These aren’t just webcams either, you get very high quality images with our system. You can even zoom in and see their breathing, it’s that good. The deluxe rooms have speaker systems so people can talk to their pets as well. Clients also really appreciate our full gourmet menu. Filet mignon, which we feed the dogs by hand, costs $6.75.”

Does she honestly believe the average canine cares whether their sheets are changed daily or if the art on their wall is original, or are these things really more about addressing the neuroses of their masters? “It’s both, but really, everything is for the animals and what we feel will make them happy, providing all the comforts they’re used to at home. I think they really appreciate it.”

What’s generally showing on the plasma TVs they’ve installed in every room: “Oh, films that about dogs or cats, you know, like Beethoven, movies with other animals in them. They like those the most.”

Another service Hotel Balto offers: For a modest fee, they’ll come collect, and later return, your pet via their limousine service.

What a standard room at Hotel Balto costs: Depending on your dog’s size, between $49 and $69 a night with the seventh night free. Call (450) 424-2258.

The average nightly rate of your average local kennel: Ruff-ly $35.

Literary preferences: US Weekly, Star, Animal Health.

Musical preferences: Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Shania Twain.

Words of wisdom: “Positive thinking. It’s a way to live. If you live positive, you will attract positivity and then you will succeed.”

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