A spa vacation with your dog? You may be wondering what that would look like, picturing your four-legged friend wearing a cucumber mask and a towel. While the idea is fun, it probably wouldn’t be relaxing for neither you or your dog, would it? Maren and Kristin from the family-run Hotel Okelmann’s in Lower Saxony, Germany, know how to have a relaxing getaway with your dog. For our blog, they have put together a weekend that will leave you and your dog feeling relaxed and ready to get back to the daily grind.
This is the eighth part of our series “Tips for a sustainable weekend trip.” A new green idea awaits you on our blog every three weeks!
Wellness Vacation for your Dog?
Let’s face it: You don’t go on this vacation for your dog. He probably doesn’t care where you go as long as you’re together. But that’s the point. Whether it’s a spa weekend or a mini-break with the dog, we dog people always have our four-legged friend’s relaxation in mind. Especially when they are insecure, anxious or in training. A hotel with extremely strict rules about where you can and cannot take him is not very helpful. Then your dog will have to spend a lot of time alone in the room – or you will have to spend a lot of time with him. In that case, you might as well skip the wellness hotel, right?
Tip 1 for your Weekend Getaway with Dog: Choice of Hotel
Choose a hotel that meets both of your needs. For example, find out if you can take your dog with you to eat, if you can take him to the sunbathing lawn, etc., and of course if there are places for him to run around. It also helps if the hotel is generally open to dogs and does not view them as “annoying appendages” of the guests. For more tips, check out our blog post on a relaxing hotel stay with your four-legged companion.
Welcome to the dog-friendly Okelmann‘s
At Hotel Okelmann’s, the love of dogs is palpable. Not only do the two sisters, who are the third generation to run the hotel, have dogs themselves, but there is also a special offer for dog lovers called “Hundeleeve“. Around Warpe, the small town in Lower Saxony where the Okelmann’ is located, there are fields, meadows and forests – ideal for long walks. There is also a large garden (most of the rooms for dog owners have direct access!) and a small restaurant and café with an integrated concept store. What’s on offer? Treats for two and four-legged friends, dog accessories and all sorts of other lovely things for yourself or the ones at home.
Weekend Getaway with Dog: Our Suggestion for a Relaxing Stay
Day 1: Arrive and Feel right at Home
Your weekend starts Friday afternoon. By the way: Whether you’re traveling with a partner, friend or alone, you’ll feel right at home! When you check in, you will not only receive all the information you need about the hotel, but also tips for the best walks, and your dog can look forward to a welcome treat.
Afterwards, it’s best to leave the unpacking for later and enjoy coffee and cake at Café Heimatliebe. Your dog is welcome, of course! You can also take a first look at the dog boutique. Before dinner, take a walk through the woods and later enjoy a sundowner on the terrace of your room.
Tip 2 for your Weekend Getaway with Dog: Walking the Dog
Depending on his character, age and level of training, your dog will be excited by a new environment. Take your time with the initial exploration. If your dog is too nervous, it is best not to make a round trip, but simply return the same way. Also, things you take for granted at home may not work. So be gentle with both of you and don’t stress yourself out. The holiday should be relaxing for both of you 🙂
Day 2: Exploration Tours and Wellness
Even when you are on vacation, you should maintain certain routines for your dog. This means that if you walk your dog before breakfast at home, you should do the same on vacation. There’s nothing like walking through a new area in the morning when everyone else is asleep. You might even see a deer or a fox!
At Café Heimatliebe, breakfast bliss awaits you: Local products, homemade specialties – All prepared with love and traded as fairly and organically as possible. Above all, most of what you are served comes from the region, from partners who know the sisters personally. If that isn’t reason enough to linger a little longer at the breakfast table 😉
Tip 3 for your Weekend Getaway with Dog: Visiting the Restaurant
I always have a blanket for my dog when I go to a cafe or restaurant (even if he never uses it…) That way he knows he has a fixed place and it’s time to relax. Nowadays there is a wide range of foldable and rollable blankets on the market. But an old cloth blanket will do just as well.
Sightseeing: Sculpture Trail in Warpe
The car takes a break for the day as the Warpe area is best explored on foot or by bike. We recommend the Warpe Sculpture Trail. This trail is about 16 kilometers long and combines culture and nature. It’s also relatively flat, so you don’t have to climb any hills. Along the way you will discover works of art surrounded by nature. Information boards give you a glimpse and information about the work you are looking at. The tour takes just over an hour, although it may take a little longer if you want to take in the artwork and perhaps make a stop or detour.
Alternatively, you can hike to the Weser River and Schwerin Lake. Or you can do both if you are good on your feet.
When you return in the afternoon, your dog will be so tired from all the new impressions (hopefully 😉 ) that he will want to curl up in your room and just sleep. For you, this means some dog-free time in the hot tub or sauna in the old shepherd’s wagon. You can also book wellness massages or sound massages at Okelmann’s! Refreshed, you can end the day with dinner at the restaurant.
Day 3: Yoga and Wellness with your Dog
Before you head home, take advantage of the hotel’s special offer: Yin Doga. In this private yin yoga class, Maren, a certified yoga instructor, will guide you through the poses. Your dog can join in and relax with you. If yoga is not for you, there is also the option of a sound bath with your dog. The singing bowls are only used on you, not your dog!
After breakfast in the café, it’s time to say goodbye to Okelmann’s. But before you go straight home, why not make a stop at the Schweringer See, if you haven’t already done so the day before, or go for a long walk in Sellingsloh, a wooded area between Hoyerhagen and Bruchhausen-Vilsen.
Weekend Getaway with Dog: Why you should do it!
It doesn’t always have to be a full week. A weekend can recharge your batteries and maybe even give you a new perspective. Plus, a short trip like this is a great opportunity to practice traveling with a dog – for both you and your four-legged friend.
Save this post as inspiration for your next weekend trip!
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