Couple’s luxury hotel for pets

A couple have opened a new cat hotel, allowing pets to also enjoy the ‘suite’ life while their owners are away.

Darren Songhurst, with help from his wife Natalie, has created Hotel Kitty, a 16-room luxury timber cabin specifically for fluffy felines.

Each room holds up to three cats and features toys, games, cat scratchers and a flap which leads to an outside balcony cage, so house cats can still safely enjoy some fresh air.

“We set up Hotel Kitty to create something a bit different for cat owners,” said Darren, 47.

“We wanted to create something which was pretty much home from home.

“People can expect their animals to be treated as they would be at home ... so spoilt is a word I would use!”

The Songhursts came up with the idea in 2015 when they applied for planning permission for their land in Bromley Green Road, between Kingsnorth and Hamstreet.

Mr Songhurst said: “We’ve always been around animals, so doing it for a living is probably the best job in the world.

“We had a lot of friends with animals who said they were always asking about boarding or whether to have people come to their house.

“Our vision was to have rooms pretty much like hotel rooms. When most people go away, they like to stay in a nice comfy room. We thought, ‘why should it be any different for animals?’.

“Your animals are your babies, so it’s about having confidence that you can leave them and not worry while you’re away.

“We do treat the animals pretty much as if they were our own. We spend time with them. They are pampered. I’m pleased to say that after years in retail I’m now doing a job that I can get up in the mornings and absolutely love.”

The hotel is open 365 days a year. Prices start at £12.40 a night. For more information visit the website www. hotelkitty.co.uk

Darren and Natalie Songhurst have created Hotel Kitty