Boutique Luxury Cat Hotel & Resort, No Dogs Allowed

Luxury boutique hotels are not just for humans. Pets have luxury options too! Luxury boutique hotels for pets are popping up everywhere. Pet hotels offering single rooms, suites and spa services can be found tucked away in the finest of neighborhoods. Pets are pampered while their owners are on holiday and pet parents have peace of mind knowing their little ones are well cared for.

For a feline-centric family, sharing digs with the canine-type may not be appropriate. Cat-only luxury boutique hotels are the purrfect solution. Cat lovers in Orange County, California will soon have an alternative to dropping their purring feline off at a co-ed cat and dog boarding facility. Club Cat, an exclusive cat-only hotel and spa, is opening their doors in December. This cat-friendly establishment offers overnight, extended stay and day trips for the most elite kittens to discerning grimalkins.

There are limited cat-only boarding facilities in Orange County, which prompted Club Cat founder, Shana Martin, to create the upscale boarding environment. “As a lifelong cat owner, traveling was always stressful for me because it was difficult to rely on family, friends or neighbors to take care of my cats the way I wanted them to be taken care of,” says Martin. “Hiring pet sitters wasn’t an option either because I never felt comfortable giving a complete stranger access to my home and personal belongings.”

Fashioned after luxury hotels and resorts, Club Cat’s unique accommodations are a departure from conventional boarding options for cats. Designed especially for felines, who are vertically inclined creatures, the suites are eight-feet tall and at least three and a half feet wide with enclosed balconies.

Martin, a freelance writer, combined her passion for literature and cats to create an upscale and spacious yet cozy and inviting feel. Suite names are “cat-punned” after some of her favorite novels – The Great Catsby and Romeow and Juliet to name a few.

Shana was kind enough to take time to give us an interview and tell us more about how her two cats Maxi and Wilbur inspired her to open Cat Club.

What inspired you to open a Luxury Cat-Only Hotel?

My main inspiration for Club Cat was my personal experience as a cat owner. I often felt conflicted when I would travel. I didn’t want to use a paid pet sitter, because I didn’t want people in my home. Unfortunately, my family didn’t live close and I struggled with pet clinics because it was always such a stressful environment for my cats. I just couldn’t bring myself to board them. Essentially, I wanted my cats to be taken care of the way I would take care of them when I was away.

About eight years ago, I was showing a video to my students in a course I taught at a local community college in Orange County, and it featured Heidi Ganahl, founder of Camp Bow Wow and how her vision to transform dog boarding transformed the industry. It really had an impact on me. I promised myself that one day I would create something as wonderful only for cats. As of December, finally there will be a place worthy of your feline!

Tell us about your cats Maxi and Wilbur.

I am the proud momma of two kitty cats, Maximus Decimus Meridius (nicknamed Maxi) was named after the film Gladiator. We rescued him as a kitten from a local park here in Orange County. He’d survived coyotes and one of the worst cases of fleas the veterinarian had seen. We’re fairly certain he’s Maine Coon and some other breeds mixed in. Our youngest cat is a light ginger white tabby and since I always wanted to own a pig, we named him Wilbur as a nod to Charlotte’s Web. Wilbur was a rescue from National Cat Protection Society in Newport Beach, where my two daughters and I are volunteers. It was love at first sight!

What spa treatments will be available at Cat Club?

We will offer an array of services uniquely tailored to meet each kitty cat’s own unique personality and preference. Our Fur Therapy is designed to gently remove loose hairs and dead skin from kitty cat’s fur – something even the most devoted of cat owners sometimes forget to do on a regular basis. Some cats respond favorably to being massaged; others not so much. So these sessions will largely be shaped by how kitty cat responds. Calming Therapy is another spa treatment we’ll offer our cat patrons. It is natural for cats to feel a degree of stress when taken out of their own environment, but some kitty cats are more skittish than others. Our Derriere Trim treatment will help remove that pesky, hard-to-reach fur on kitty cat’s backside and our Paw-icure is essentially a nail trim with a paw massage, much like women find at a salon when getting a mani-pedi.  

Are the standard rooms large enough for more than one cat?

Absolutely. Our standard size rooms – which are 12.25 square feet (3.5’ wide x 3.5’ long x 8’ high) –will easily fit up to two cats from the same family. Replete with wrought iron framed beds and multiple levels to perch, including balconies which we refer to as “the penthouse.” Our deluxe rooms are even bigger – 17.5 square feet (3.5’ wide x 5’ long x 8’ high) – and can easily allow for up to three cats from the same family.

What type of research went into designing the feline accommodations and hotel?

I researched other pet boarding options here in Orange County, across the state, country, and even abroad. A key finding that was both disappointing and motivating was that there are very few cat-only hotels across the United States. I visited pet hotels in both Southern California and Northern California. I also looked at cat-only boarding businesses in Los Angeles and in Oregon, and even one in the UK. This was extremely helpful to me in the sense that I gleaned golden nuggets from each that helped really shape Club Cat’s layout and suite sizes. The one thing I heard pertaining to size from cathotels is that cat owners want their cats to be in large, spacious, suites. The bigger the better!  Since cats often feel safer at heights, designing the suites to be vertical was paramount. I had the luxury of having a friend who is a very experienced veterinarian advise me throughout my journey. She told me early on that cage-free boarding – meaning one large room where cats from different families stay – is not recommended due to health reasons. Apparently, veterinarians see a lot of the downside of those boarding situations, where cats have caught infections or other diseases. That is why our suites are designed spaciously but will only house cats from the same family only. If cat owners want even more four-leg room for their cats, our salon playroom can be reserved for kitty cat playtime outside of their suite.

Have you pre-booked any rooms yet?

We have a growing mailing list and we are inviting interested cat owners to join for updates on when we are taking reservations and our official grand opening date. However, we anticipate the ability to pre-book cat suites by end of October.

How many cats can Club Cat lodge at one time?

We can board up to 45 cats.

Is the hotel staff on site 24 hours a day?

Staff will be on site each day from morning to evening. Sundays we are closed to humans but will be there taking care of the cats. We will have lots of security and cameras on the cats at night. We are fortunate to be located across the street from a 24-hour veterinary hospital and will have an on-call veterinarian available.

What concierge service are available for your feline clientele?

In addition to our spa treatments, our cat patrons will receive lots of love and attention throughout their stay! Nobody has invented the technology to cuddle across the Internet, but cat owners will be able to watch their cats 24/7 via an online stream dedicated to them and accessible through a PC or designated app. They will also be able to schedule “cat-versations” with their kitties.

Visual stimulation is very important for cats. Some of our suites have views of the outside, and all of our cats will be able to easily view from their suites stimulating, cat-friendly entertainment – such as Squirrel World and Garden Birds – called  “Catflix.”

Is there a veterinarian on staff?

Our cat patrons’ health is important to us. We are not veterinarians, but our team has worked with cats for many years and will include some medically trained and/or credentialed employees as well. We will also provide special accommodations for cats who need oral medicine or have geriatric requirements.

Checking-In

Club Cat operates much like a human hotel. Check-out time is in the morning, check-in time is in the afternoon. However, we will offer special accommodations for early check-ins or late checkouts while space is available. We will provide kitty curbside concierge services so cat owners don’t have to even park their cars as they drop off their furry bundle on their way to the airport which is a five-minute drive or attempting to beat Southern California traffic.

Cat Hotel Décor

In addition to modern trompe l’oeil and whimsical cat portraiture décor, Club Cat suites will be shared only by cats from the same family. “Stress can substantially weaken a cat’s immune system,” says Kelly Doria, DVM at All Paws House Calls, who has been advising Martin from the start. “Creating a safe, secure, environmentally stimulating area at Club Cat will help to keep cats calm and minimize their stress when their owner is away.”

Entertainment Includes:

• CatFlix – Feline-friendly programs
• CatCasts – Live webcasts for cat owners who want to check in on their kitty cats 24/7
• CatChats – For cat owners who want to have live “cat-versations” with their kitty

Special Amenities Include:

• Fur therapy
• Derrière trims
• Pawi-cures
• Calming therapy
• Nightly paw-down service

Pricing:

Club Suite

$45/night first cat

$20/night additional cat

12.25 square feet (3.5’ wide x 3.5’ long x 8’ high)

Accommodates up to 2 same-family cats

Deluxe Club Suite

$55/night first cat

$25/night each additional cat

17.5 square feet (3.5’ wide x 5’ long x 8’ high)

Accommodates up to 3 same-family cats

For more information, visit www.clubcatusa.com or connect with Club Cat on Facebook and Instagram at @clubcatusa.

About Club Cat

Club Cat is a boutique luxury hotel and resort exclusively designated for the day and overnight care of domestic cats. As a high-end alternative to traditional cat boarding, Club Cat provides more than just a safe and clean environment for cats; it also promises a five-star customer service experience for both cat and cat owner alike.

While in Club Cat’s care, kitty cat patrons receive the type of authentic love, care, and attention they’re used to at home – and much more. Founded by a lifelong cat owner whose goal is to give fellow cat owners peace-of-mind when separated from their cats, Club Cat is committed to providing the highest level of service, comfort, and entertainment for each of its kitty cat patrons.