Waggin' Weekend Getaways

Hip local lodgings for
you and your pet

By Jason A. Heidemann

Taking a break after a 40-hour (or more like 60-hour) work week can be the perfect way to relax the soul and restore the spirit. For many of us, spending those hours with our pets only adds to the allure. Whether you choose to stay close to home or take a jog out into the country, these places will not only accept your pets, they’ll practically sit up and beg for you to bring them.

Rock Eddy Bluff Bed and Breakfast
Rte E and Country Rd #511, near Dixon
(573) 759-6801
www.RockEddy.com
Rate: $100-$155 Pet Rate: None

Eddy Bluff is a handful of individual suites and cottages arranged to give you the freedom and privacy you need to for a relaxing getaway from the Gateway City. Nestled in the Ozarks, cats and dogs are welcome at several of the accommodations, including the three-bedroom Turkey Ridge Cottage (purr-fect for the entire family) or in the Line Camp Cabin, a rustic 19th-century-style lodge where guests are encouraged to build their own fire over the stove, pump their own water, and light lamps (don’t worry, it’s easy). There are a few restrictions, so call ahead first. While we don’t see many places that are horse-friendly, Eddy Bluff provides stables for hoofed friends, perfect for enjoying more than 140 acres of wooded wonderland. Another cool feature is that Eddy Bluff is a working farm and there are a number of animals already on-site.

Clayton on the Park
8025 Bonhome Ave, Clayton
(314) 290-1500
www.ClaytonOnThePark.com
Rate: $209-$349
Pet Rate: None

Surrounded by Fortune 500 companies, you and your dog will feel fortunate at Clayton on the Park, a chic hotel in the Clayton business corridor just minutes from downtown St. Louis. Dogs get the VIPet treatment upon arrival including a pet placemat in their room with both a water and treat bowl. In addition, pooches will have a pet toy waiting for them as well as a specially made personalized treat enscripted with their name. The best part of it is, they don’t call it Clayton on the Park for nothing. Shaw Park next door has an off-leash area (see resource guide) and if you want to explore the attractions of St. Louis, the hotel will hire a London Taxi to chauffeur you around the Gateway city.