Morgan Owens, a wellness, media and lifestyle entrepreneur, recently checked herself and her seven-year-old bichon frisé, Ralph, in for a staycation to the Lytle Hotel in Cincinnati. There, they watched Netflix and dined on room service. (Ralph enjoyed his own steak and rice.) Owens got a massage at Mitchell’s Salon & Day Spa across the street, and Ralph literally touched grass in all the green spaces.

The 40-year-old may be in a committed, cohabiting relationship, but when it comes down to choosing between solace and planning for kids, “I’m going to swing towards the luxury hotel.” Provided Ralph can come along.

Couples known as DINKWADs – double income, no kids, with a dog – are becoming a potent force in travel. Forgoing kids because they don’t want them or they still can’t afford them despite the dual income, these couples are filling that emotional space with pets to the point of treating them like children. And hotels are stepping up to meet the modern family by providing more canine-inclusive luxury services, from gourmet dog menus to fur-baby-tailored spas.

“The US is a quite hostile place for raising children. There are so few supports for families, everything from high costs of day care to limited protection for parental leave. The cost of everything has gone up,” says Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, who’s in her late 30s and a financial therapist with a weekly newsletter, Mind Body Balance. “I’m seeing more people choose to stay, or come to terms with staying, in a Dinkwad relationship.”

Some 53 per cent of Americans owned pets in 2025, with millennials making up the largest percentage, according to an American Pet Products Association report. Pet industry expenditures are projected to reach US$165 billion this year, up from US$158 billion in 2025. Per a recent Morgan Stanley survey, 34 per cent of respondents from age 18 to 34 intend to get a pet – and it’s this group shelling out even more cash on them.

“It’s less about spoiling your dog and more about, this is what I have the ability to do,” says Bryan-Podvin. “People are saying, ‘Yeah, I can’t support a kid, but you know what I can afford? A dog and the 50 extra bucks a night to take it on holiday.’”

Dudley Do-Right has been Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island’s beloved mascot ever since his owner, recreation manager Kathie Sendra, brought him here as a puppy in 2025. When not keeping a close eye on the treats at check-in or greeting everyone from business executives to honeymooners, Dudley is supervising the beach toy rentals. The very good boy is a very visible (and very adorable) example of how dogs are being welcomed at the upper end of luxury.

Through the Pets Are Welcome at Sonesta (PAWS) programme, four-legged guests are greeted at check-in with a welcome letter and treats. Rooms feature thoughtful essentials like a cosy pet bed, and the grounds feature designated walking and potty areas, as well as pet-friendly dining.