SMALL PLATE MENUS, beer concierges, rooftop bars. Countless amenities attract travellers to the unique offerings of hotels. But Domaine Summum, an 81-hectare wooded property at the end of a road near Mont-Tremblant, Que., has something better: six furry, tail-wagging, 45-kilogram staff members, also known as the Bernese mountain dog pack.
There’s Destiny, Tango, Shirley Pearly (the oldest of the females), SoHo, Shiraz (the youngest) and Baltazar, the only male. And on this wintry weekend, Bruno, my 10-month-old springer spaniel, along with several other canine guests, will be added to the mix.
Domaine Summum takes the concept of a dog-friendly hotel to a new level. There’s the Woof B&B Spaws, for instance, as well as a cocktail session called Yappy Hour (in the summer by the gazebo, in the winter around a bonfire), homemade pizza and playtime with the Bernese at the host’s house and an à la Bark Menu, featuring extravagant canine treats such as cheeseburgers and sweet potato chews.
The general idea, as you may have guessed? Dogs unleashed.
“This is the life,” I say on a Saturday morning, as I set out a breakfast of granola, blueberries and Corn Pops for my two daughters, Bianca, 7, and Josephina, 12. Outside, we can see quiet, snowy vistas. The espresso pot stirs on the stove. We’ve only been here one night, arriving after a two-hour drive from Ottawa on winding dark roads, but have quickly settled into the time-expansive feeling of cottage life.
Our home for the weekend, the King Auberon suite, is warm and uncluttered, with pine walls and comfy cottage furnishings. What it lacks is equally important: the flotsam of family life (erasers! socks! homework!) that tempts our chew-happy puppy and keeps us constantly on guard.
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