Luxury Resort for Pets Celebrates 20 Years

Pioneers of ‘Pet Resort’ Concept Celebrate 20 Years

INDIO — With backgrounds in various high technology industries, William and Jennifer Hamilton settled in the Coachella Valley with a vision to create a luxury resort — for pets.

Today, The Grand Paw Pet Resort in Indio is a dog’s dream: a 2.5-acre campus with 3 indoor play buildings, swimming pools, multiple outdoor play yards and a grooming salon.

“We wanted to create a place that we would be comfortable taking our own dogs to and there really wasn’t anything like it in the desert, so we purchased a property with nothing on it but a small home that was built in 1937 and we built the rest of the campus,” said Jennifer Hamilton.

While the Grand Paw primarily serves a canine and feline clientele, the resort has also hosted birds, guinea pigs, turtles and even a goldfish.

The pet owners using The Grand Paw’s doggie daycare service are mostly active seniors who play golf, visit with friends and go shopping during the day. “We have dogs that have been with us for 15 years,” said Hamilton.

“When you come to our lobby, you’ll see lots of scratch marks on the outside of the big wooden door, and I think that’s our greatest claim to fame — the dogs just can’t wait to get inside. And then when the owners come to pick them up, some pets they lay down in the lobby because they just don’t want to leave. It’s great for your dog to have its own friends that it visits with every day,” she said.

The Grand Paw also provides luxury overnight accommodations for pets. “The suites are large rooms with French doors and televisions with dog-related videos, a nice fluffy bed, and curtains for privacy. Our cabanas are a little more basic but still very nice, with full glass doors so the dog can see everything that’s going on. We encourage clients to bring their own bedding, food, treats and toys so their pet feels at home,” she said.

“This is our second career, and we just want to keep doing what we do really well. We’re at an age where we’re not really looking to expand to other locations, but we want to continue to deliver the best quality and safety for our customers and delight them in the process.”

The Grand Paw is located at 51570 Jackson Street in Indio. Visit TheGrandPaw.com.