Kingsley has a big future ahead of him, yet the tiny new pup is oblivious to it all. Guide dog and public relations ambassador are possible titles he’ll carry, thanks to both the B.C. and Alberta Guide Dog association and the dog-friendly Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Until then, however, KIngsley is living like any puppy young enough to remain in the litter with mom: he hasn’t a care in the world.

Except… Kingsley is one of a litter of dogs specially bred to be guide dogs, and he’s under the watchful eye of the B.C. and Alberta Guide Dog Association. He’s also been chosen by Hotel Vancouver as the sponsored guide dog of choice.

Is the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Dog-friendly?

Hotel Vancouver is part of the Fairmont brand, and Fairmont Hotels loves dogs. All Canadian properties are dog-friendly with no size or breed restrictions. However, there is usually a daily pet fee. At Hotel Vancouver, the pet fee is $50 per night plus taxes (to a maximum of $100).

Included in the fee is the ‘Lab of Luxury’ package:

• A dog bed and bowls to borrow.
• Dog treats
• Free self-parking
• A four-pack of The Lobby Dog Lager (for you, not your pup)

Thanks to Yellow Dog Brewery, a Vancouver-based craft brewery, The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver offers a beer specially created to celebrate the Fairmont Hotel’s Canine Ambassadors program. A light crisp brew, The Lobby Dog Lager is the house beer at the hotel’s Notch8 restaurant and bar. A portion of the sale of Lobby Dog Lager goes toward the care and training of Kingsley, Fairmont’s chosen future guide dog.

Who are Hotel Vancouver’s Canine Ambassadors?

If you’re visiting Hotel Vancouver specifically, you might get to meet Ella and Elly (Eleanor). One is a golden retriever/lab mix and the other is a black lab, and they are the hotel’s Canine Ambassadors. That’s right, many Fairmont Hotels across North America have a Canine Ambassador program, which we first learned about at the Fairmont in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At select Fairmont hotels, well-mannered dogs, usually labs, share front desk duty with human staff.

Born three months apart, Ella and Elly each live with a different member of the Hotel Vancouver concierge staff, so they’re often on different shifts. Yet they’re best buddies. They lived in the same Vancouver building while being fostered and now often come to work together. Each works five days a week.

Fairmont Canine Ambassador Program

Most importantly, dogs in the Fairmont Canine Ambassador Program (including Ella and Elly) are failed guide dogs, making them the ideal temperament to meet and greet hotel patrons. A unique personality is necessary to interact with a steady stream of hotel guests … while sitting on a cushion near the lobby concierge desk. Of course, the pups get breaks as needed.

Both Ella and Elly were carefully chosen for their roles. According to Kaylyn Storey, Reginal Director, Marketing & Communications, Pacific Northwest, there’s a long waiting list of failed guide dogs (even longer for graduated guide dogs). Yet, the Fairmont brand has a unique relationship with the B.C. and Alberta Guide Dog Association allowing them access to dogs like Ella and Elly.

Why did both Ella and Elly fail their final guide dog test? Too social. So, a career in hospitality is ideal.

All Fairmont Canine Ambassadors are family pets living with staff members, according to Storey, many of whom have been with the Fairmont brand for 10 years or more. The Fairmont covers medical expenses for the dogs; however, the dogs live and stay with their people. Therefore, if the employee leaves or moves to another hotel, the dog goes too – which is why the Fairmont at Lake Louise no longer has a canine ambassador.

Sponsoring a Guide Dog

However, Hotel Vancouver has taken its Canine Ambassador program a step further than usual. And that’s where Kingsley comes in.

First, the Hotel Vancouver held a contest to name Kingsley – and this regal name won. Eighty-five years ago, Hotel Vancouver was opened in a ceremony attended by the royal family including then King George (Elizabeth’s dad). Known as the ‘Castle in the City,’ the hotel is iconic in Vancouver, especially after a 75-million-dollar, five-year multi-phase renovation that wrapped up in 2019.

Second, the hotel will sponsor Kingsley’s training as a guide dog. If successful, Kingsley will be a Vancouver-based guide dog where he’ll attend occasional events at the Hotel Vancouver, such as International Dog Day.

Ella and Elly, meanwhile, will continue to greet guests at the hotel at various times – and will also continue to run (or walk) in the annual Alberta Guide Dogs Association Vancouver race, a fundraiser for the association.

Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria. Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!