Our group of nine booked three rooms at Inverary Resort several months in advance. At the time of booking, we specifically asked whether the resort was pet-friendly, as one family would be travelling with a small dog. We were told that pets were welcome, there would be a $25 cleaning fee, and that we might be assigned to a different building. That seemed perfectly reasonable and is standard practice at many hotels.
When we arrived, we checked in with the front desk without issue. Nothing was mentioned about the dog. About an hour later, however, a staff member came to our room and immediately accused us of trying to sneak the dog onto the property. He insisted the entire resort was not pet-friendly, despite the information on the resort’s website and the assurances we had received when making our reservation months earlier.
Rather than apologizing for what was clearly a communication error on the resort’s part, his approach was confrontational and dismissive. He told us they would “let” us stay and then proceeded to remove all of the blankets from our room. Later that evening, we encountered the same employee driving a golf cart while we were walking our dog. He gave us a hostile look, made a comment to a colleague, and the interaction reinforced how unwelcome we felt.
This was especially disappointing because we had just finished a long day of travel and were looking forward to relaxing. Instead, we spent the evening feeling uncomfortable and as though we had done something wrong, despite following the instructions we had been given.
For context, our dog is a 15-pound, non-shedding Cavapoo. We travel frequently and have stayed at many other accommodations throughout Cape Breton, including Cabot in Inverness the previous year. Those properties welcomed both us and our dog warmly, even providing a dog bed, treats, and a small welcome gift. We certainly weren’t expecting that level of service here, but we did expect to be treated with courtesy and respect.
The other disappointment was breakfast. Given the price, we expected a much higher-quality offering. Instead, it was comparable to the complimentary breakfasts that many hotels provide free of charge, making it poor value for the cost.
The resort itself has a beautiful setting and plenty of potential, but hospitality is about making guests feel welcome. Unfortunately, our experience with the way this situation was handled overshadowed our stay. I hope management reviews both their pet policy and how staff are trained to address guests, because no one should leave feeling as unwelcome as we did.
