A Note from San Diego

My wife, mom and dog were asked to leave our home in coastal San Diego this morning. While we're about five miles away from the closest blaze, much depends on the Santa Ana winds that can propel the fire through canyons and close in on us quickly. We were fortunate to be able to afford to evacuate to the Westin in downtown San Diego and the hotel has been terrific. They've lifted their 20 pound limit to allow dogs of any size to stay. The lobby is a site to see with well-behaved dogs of all sizes that seem to know something is not quite right. The hotel even has water dishes for the dogs. There are people who have lost their homes and many others of us hoping for the best.

Craigslist is full of people offering to help evacuate or accommodate those needing help or a place to stay. The only sour note was the Hotel Del Coronado, one of the only hotels in San Diego with vacancies, unsympathetically turning down those needing accommodations that have small pets, even willing to pay their $350 room rate. Fortunately, they seem to be the exception.

Comments

[kellygrrrl]

Philip, glad to hear your family is OK. Hope you can return home soon. Best wishes to you.

[amamamy]

I lived in Houston when Rita was bearing down on us. The closest hotel I could find with availability was in Abilene, about an eight hour drive away. I found this hotel with the help of a pet-friendly hotel website. After making my non-refundable reservations for me and my dog, I called the hotel to find out what they needed (vet records, proof of rabies shot, etc.) and the woman on the phone told me that no pets were allowed. I explained that I found them on the pet-friendly site, she told me that they just changed their policy earlier that month and would make no exception for my 12-pound dog even when I informed her I was fleeing my home. "What if I hadn't called and had just shown up with my dog?" I asked. She answered, "We'd turn you away." I canceled my reservatio­n...was charged anyway...f­ought the charge and they finally dropped it.

It never ceases to amaze me.