Obviously, that was the idiot in me speaking. If people could turn away Joseph and Mary carrying the Son of God, how much easier in these modern, unfriendly times for a hotel to turn away a couple and their dog?
This time last month, my husband and I decided to go to Baguio for two days and bring with us our yellow Lab Freeway. My boss and a colleague called up Camp John Hay and Baguio Country Club to ask if they allowed guests to check in with their pets. Both said sorry, no.
I had some hotels in mind, but didn’t know their numbers, so I told friends that we’d just drive up to Baguio, let Freeway do her begging routine (paws tucked, tongue out and a smile), let my husband try to be charming (stomach in, chest out) and I would stay in the parking lot because both of them didn’t want me arguing with whoever would say no.
So up we went early on Sunday morning. Freeway in the backseat, and in the trunk a large Coleman with cans of soda, dog food, a suitcase of snacks, towels for us and for the dog (just in case we needed to wipe something discreetly) and lots of plastic bags for Freeway’s, er, calling cards.
We got to Baguio at around 11 a.m., making stops along the way – in Sta. Ines, Pampanga for Freeway to pee, in Tarlac for me to pee (at a gas station, not the side of the road), and in Pangasinan for my husband to take over the wheel and for the two girls to pee again.
The trip was uneventful if a little long for a restless dog. She’d lie on the backseat, then on the floor and then up again on the backseat and stare at us with the question "Are we there yet?" in her eyes.
In Baguio, we tried two hotels, Villa Alpino and Europa, and both said no. I began to panic. Would we really – as was my worst-case scenario – have to go to La Union and stay at a beach resort where they are more likely to accept dogs?
An uncle texted: Try Baguio Vacation Hotel. We had passed it by on the way to getting lost, but were so set on the first two hotels that we forgot to take note of the roads. We were in the area of Wright Park and Freeway was looking without much interest at the horses, bored to her eye sockets.
Finally, we saw a sign: Villa Romana in Ambuklao, a good 20 minutes from Session Road, considered far by Baguio standard. It was recommended by an officemate who had already stayed there. Up a winding, steep road, we finally reached it: A garden-setting hotel overlooking a courtyard, with huts for inuman and a bonfire pit, and basic but clean rooms decorated with artworks done by the owner.
Just as we were parking, we saw the dining room of Cafe Maela overlooking lush, green hills. This was the real Baguio, not the fastfood-crowded streets where you can’t park. From outside, we thought there were two women having lunch, silhouetted in the noon light. Turned out they were two wooden bust sculptures facing each other.
Maela the owner saw us and we said in one breath, "Could we check in with our dog please, just for one night? Her name’s Freeway. She’s almost two, she’s trained, she doesn’t bite, she doesn’t pee or shit indoors." Maela was carrying a bottle of gin (or maybe it was rum) and was about to drive off to "church" on this Sunday.
She looked at Freeway and then at her receptionist. "Puwede naman siguro," she said.
My husband and I sighed with relief. It was as if St. Francis of Asisi picked the place for us. Villa Romana is not very luxurious, there’s no TV in the bedroom, and windows are not screened, in which case spiders may get inside and hide behind Maela’s fabric paintings. But Freeway loved it. She loved going up and down the stone steps leading to the gardens, she loved the spaces and following us everywhere as we had our meals al fresco (their food is great and inexpensive). There is also an art gallery but we weren’t able to check it out.
On our second and last day, the three of us went to Burnham Park and did the usual things: boating, biking and walking around. At first Freeway was afraid to go on the pedicab with me, but later she was uncomplaining even as one paw went through the slatted floor; by the time we took her boating, she was very steady – just looking around the lake.
My boss texted: Have her picture taken with an Igorot, take her to Mines View, and go boating, etc. I texted her back: We already did some of those. She texted back: Hahahahaha. She was just kidding.
Freeway loved Burnham (she shat twice and we had to wrap it up in two plastic bags each time because it was as if even that smelled so fresh). She loved Baguio. The long walks and the people wanting to pat her head. She loved Maela’s garden.
By the time we had a dozen or so ube jams and an assortment of peanuts, it was time to go home. My husband said, "This is crazy. We stayed 24 hours and the driving back and forth is 10 hours." Freeway simply jumped onto the backseat, ready for the long journey home.
Back in Manila 20 days later, I was talking to fellow Lab owners. Mona Consunji, who owns a huge Lab called Breaker, said she and her husband Robby once went to Vigan with Breaker and stayed at Gordion’s Inn. "No fuss at all, they let Breaker stay with us in our room." Breaker is so well-behaved he goes to the office with Mona every day and once they took him on a caravan tour where they camped at different points of Luzon for several days.
So the next time you’re planning your next roadtrip, don’t forget the dog. But before you pack his leash, here are some tips from petswelcome.com and dogpark.com, two Internet sites with listings of pet-friendly places in the US.
• Get your dog used to the car. Start him on short trips. If the only time you let him ride the car is for trips to the vet, he may be terrified once he gets in.
• Just a few minutes in a car on a hot day can injure a dog. Even if you leave the windows open, interior temperatures can rise quickly to the point where your dog suffers heatstroke, which can be deadly.
• Food and water: An abrupt change of food can cause tummy troubles for your dog, so bring plenty of water and his regular food when you take him out of town.
• Mona says to feed the dog only pan de sal or bread so they’re not so full during the drive.
• Plan for emergencies: Make sure your dog’s shots are current, and bring a copy of his shots records with you.
• Keep your dog leashed in new surroundings, everyone is tempted to dash off and explore. If you don’t know the area, your dog could be exposed to fleas, ticks, mosquitoes (heartworm), insect stings or snakebite.
• Bring his favorite toys, medications, ID collars, etc.
• Never leave your pet alone in the hotel room. You don’t know what might happen.
• If you are in the room, make sure to leave a Do Not Disturb sign on the door. This will help your pet avoid being startled from knocking.
• Keep the noise your pet makes to a minimum in order to not disturb other guests.
And from Freeway: Bring lots of poop bags and newspaper because we might be going more than usual. Nobody likes a dog who shits everywhere, even, when he can shake his booty and tail in opposite directions and hold up a paw for a high-five.