Luxury Hotels for Pets (and Their People)

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Miami

Americans love their pets, and when they go on vacation, they want their dogs and cats to have a holiday, too -- often at five-star pet hotels. Last year, Americans spent more than $45 billion on their pets -- not just on necessities like food and vet care -- but also on luxuries like jeweled collars and designer dog beds.

So is it any wonder that we now have a new breed of pet boarding facilities that bear no resemblance to plain, old-fashioned kennels?