Santa Paws: Kimpton Hotels offer free holiday pet portraits

Here comes Santa Paws! Take your four-legged friend to your nearest Kimpton Hotel on Saturday, December 11 and Sunday, December 12, 2010 for a gratis holiday portrait session and refreshments. Human companions are invited to bring their cameras to host Kimpton hotels to snap pictures of their pets with Santa amid festive decor while furry friends enjoy treats and toys in the hotel’s living room-style lobby.

“Santa Paws is bringing holiday cheer to our two- and four-legged guests and neighbors,” said Niki Leondakis, Kimpton’s president and chief operating officer. “Pet patrons always receive special pampering at Kimpton, which is why we want to offer them this special way to celebrate the season.”

In addition to providing a fun afternoon activity for pets and their owners, Santa Paws is also helping host hotels partner with local animal rescue organizations around the country. These partnerships include the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC Animals, Washington Humane Society, Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, Baltimore SPCA, Operation Kindness, Humane Society of Vero Beach and River County, PAWS Atlanta, Aspen Animal Shelter and Aspen Valley Horse Rescue, Ginger’s Pet Rescue, Oregon Humane Society and San Francisco SPCA.

Santa Paws will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in select hotel lobbies (see the full list below).

Participating hotels include: Alexis Hotel (Seattle, WA); Cypress Hotel (Cupertino, CA); EPIC Hotel (Miami, FL); Eventi Hotel (New York, NY); FireSky Resort & Spa (Scottsdale, AZ); Hotel Allegro (Chicago, IL); Hotel Marlowe (Cambridge, MA); Hotel Monaco (Alexandria, VA); Hotel Monaco (Baltimore, MD); Hotel Monaco (Washington, DC); Hotel Monaco (Denver, CO); Hotel Monaco (Portland, OR); Hotel Monaco (Salt Lake City, UT); Hotel Palomar (Atlanta, GA); Hotel Palomar (Dallas, TX); Hotel Palomar (Philadelphia, PA); Hotel Palomar (Westwood, CA); Hotel Solamar (San Diego, CA); Sir Francis Drake Hotel (San Francisco, CA); Sky Hotel (Aspen, CO); The Muse (New York, NY) and Vero Beach Hotel & Spa (Vero Beach, FL).

Owners will need to bring cameras to capture a photo of their pet in Santa’s lap. Best of all – this event is free!