February 24, 2010

Destination: Miami, Florida

It’s February and the Miami heat is calling to you and your pup! Get some sun and fun this winter in pet-friendly Coconut Grove. With the help of Janine & Beau of PAW; Pet-friendly Accommodations Worldwide, you can’t go wrong! 

Nibble
Man, you can count on the French every single time when it comes to pet-friendly sidewalk dining! Le Petite Paris on the corner of Grand Ave. and Commodore Plaza is a wonderful French sidewalk bistro that could not have been friendlier to Beau and me. Service was great and the meal even better! Beau perched on the wicker settee enjoying one of his favorite pastimes; being admired by the masses, as I enjoyed the perfect quiche and salad...c'est magnifique!

Shop
The Bookstore in the Grove located at 2911 Grand Avenue in Coconut Grove. I loved this bookstore and so did Beau! It is such a treat to be allowed to bring Beau into a little coffee shop/book store! Beau was welcomed by the owner with a biscuit as I ordered a cup of tea. Together, Beau and I wandered in and around the little shop of curiosities, delighted at every turn! A great selection of books and very unique gift items fill the store to the brim and then there's also the patisserie and coffee section and a bunch of little bistro tables and living room furniture to lounge upon...a delightful, cool, (and I mean both the temperature and the vibe) place to spend a little time perusing.

Play
A great, (pet-friendly) way to discover the art deco architectural gems of South Beach is to pick up a set of headphones at the Welcome Center located at 1001 Ocean Drive South Beach in Miami, 305-672-2014 for $10 and take advantage of the Art Deco Self-Guided Walking Tour.  Remember to bring your appetite and leave time to people watch and have lunch under one of the shade-providing umbrellas along Ocean Drive.

Nap
Our home in Coconut Grove/Miami, FL for four glorious days was the Mayfair Hotel. A Four Diamond luxury hotel tucked into the exclusive Coconut Grove shopping district it is a perfectly located, Art Nouveau masterpiece.  All of the guestroom doors are intricately carved, the centerpiece of the building is the open-air atrium blooming with tropical plants, and not to be missed is the sensuous roof-top pool complete with private cabanas tricked out with flat-screen televisions and bar service. (It was very difficult for Beau to become accustomed to this rock-star status…but somehow he managed).  The Mayfair Hotel & Spa graciously welcomes pet-guests of all sizes for a one-time $25 fee with a wonderful welcome amenity of a pet-bed, two stainless steel bowls, bottled Mayfair water, and Mayfair biscuits.

luxurypaw.com

Janine Franceschi, and her 3 year old Irish Setter Beau have driven 40,000 miles, visited 30 states, and stayed in hundreds of luxury pet-friendly hotels around the country!  Searching for pet-friendly excellence in hotels, activities, restaurants and resources, together they source and review luxury pet-friendly hotels for PAW; Pet-friendly Accommodations Worldwide, the only online pet-friendly hotel booking engine to exclusively focus on luxury, (3-star or higher rated) pet-friendly hotels.