Staying at "Ritz Carlton"

When we went to Tauranga for a championship last weekend, we stayed at a motel called Ritz Carlton Motel. Although the name might sound familiar to some of you, it actually has no resemblance with the world wide hotel chain, The Ritz-Carlton.

When I was looking for accommodation in Tauranga, I found two pet friendly motels in the area (I later found another one after making a booking at the Ritz Carlton). I chose Ritz Carlton over the other one, because the motel has a hot therapeutic mineral pool with each unit. Although the other one also has private thermal pools, not every unit in the motel has one, and the rate for their unit with a thermal pool was more expensive than that of Ritz Carlton.

As soon as we arrived at the motel, Cinnamon started checking the rooms and the hot pool area.





When I looked at photos on the motel's website, I thought that the hot pool was indoor. But, it was actually in an outdoor space, adjacent to the unit (the unit has a large window with curtains on the pool side) and enclosed by high walls. It was so nice and relaxing to be soaking in the warm mineral water, stargazing!!




At the motel, guests in the units on our both sides had a dog or dogs. A couple staying in the unit on our right had a basset hound and they were also from Auckland. They said that they were thinking about moving to Tauranga. And a woman staying in the unit on our left had more than one dog. When we saw dogs in crates in her van, my husband and I said to each other, half joking, that those dogs might be competing at the agility championship that we were going to (At that time we didn't see the owner of the dogs). Then, the next morning, when we were loading our luggage in our car, a woman, who I had remembered from previous agility trials, came out of the unit!

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Update on Cookie's condition:

Today we were sent to the Veterinary Specialist Group (VSG) pet hospital, after I reported our vet that Cookie's condition was not getting better. When I rang the pet hospital to make an appointment for a consultation, a receptionist said "I remember you!" in a cheerful voice. But, I didn't know whether I should be pleased to be remembered or not. VSG's specialist fees are so expensive that we always tell our dogs not to go there whenever we pass by the pet hospital.



At VSG we saw the same surgeon who had done an initial consultation when Cookie had a slipped disk two years ago. After letting Cookie walk to see how he walked and examining his body carefully, the surgeon gave a diagnosis, another slipped disk in the neck. But, this new one seems to be much less acute, so he doesn't need to have an X-ray or any medication at this stage, let alone an operation. All that is required for now is a complete rest. Thus, he will have to stay in his crate for another couple of weeks.