Discover 6 Purrfectly Pampered Cats Living In High-End Hotels

Meet the feline friends who have found their forever homes at some of the world’s most iconic hotels. From Skabenga, the tabby cat at The Oyster Box in Umhlanga Rocks, South Africa, to Hamlet, the resident cat at The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection in New York, these cats have captured the hearts of staff and guests alike.

Skabenga, The Oyster Box, Umhlanga Rocks, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Skabenga, a tabby cat lovingly known as a feline with —at least — nine lives, calls one of South Africa’s most iconic properties, The Oyster Box, home. Skabenga (meaning hooligan or vagabond in the Zulu language) has been a permanent resident at The Oyster Box for more years than anybody can remember. He fortuitously wandered onto the property as a stray and, after being fed an endless array of tasty treats by guests and staff alike, he decided to stay. Who can blame him for wanting to stay forever when life is so good at the Oyster Box?

Skabenga never tires of being the “Main Cat” on the block! In between his “inspection” strolls around the hotel, Skabenga likes to relax on his preferred couch and chair, enjoy his favorite catnip treats, and spend time in other favored areas throughout the building. The hotel’s guests continue to love Skabenga, and he receives a constant flow of fan mail. Skabenga is so popular that a book has been written about him, and he even has his very own Facebook page!

Ingwe, The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, Cape Town South Africa

On a dark and stormy day in Cape Town in 2013, four bedraggled little kittens arrived at the entrance of The Café Grill Restaurant at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa. Instantly taking pity on them some of the staff members snapped them up and took them home. A few weeks later, an adult cat arrived at the hotel…and putting two and two together…staff realized that this was the mother looking for her babies! Partly wild, the stripy, feisty mommy-cat stayed and was named Ingwe, which means ‘leopard’ in Zulu. It is thought that she had been living in the nearby mountain reserve and her home had been washed away in an almighty Cape storm a few weeks before.

Two and a half years later, Ingwe’s favorite spot is still The Café Grill, where staff continue to take care of her, treating her to tasty titbits and spoiling her in general. Café Grill staff member, Isaac, calls her ‘Glosi’, which means ‘always moving’. When she isn’t hanging out somewhere in the Hotel, she can be found at the pool, keeping watch over the mighty Atlantic Ocean that fronts the property.

Kléopatre, Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, Baden Baden, Germany

Kléopatre, who had been residing at Le Bristol Paris, decided to seek a change of scenery in 2018. As a result, she packed her Goyard bags and relocated to Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, an Oetker Collection sister hotel located in the heart of the Black Forest. Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, known as the “grand dame” of Baden-Baden, was a perfect match for her majesty, offering acres of private parkland and fresh Black Forest air. Kléopatre was particularly drawn to the hotel’s historic elegance, as well as the warmth of the open fireplaces and the soothing sounds of the River Oos, which flows through the private park. She deemed this iconic masterpiece hotel as the ideal place to retreat to.

Lilibet, The Lanesborough, London

The Lanesborough hotel has a new addition to its family, a Siberian Forest Cat named Lilibet. Her arrival in June 2019 made her the latest feline friend to be welcomed into the Oetker Collection properties. Lilibet is known for her hypoallergenic, fluffy fur coat and her playful and lively temperament. The Lanesborough has a special Cat Committee, made up of employees who are fond of felines and take care of her and spoil her as she deserves.

Socrate, Le Bristol Paris, France

Le Bristol Paris distinguishes itself by offering luxurious accommodations to their guests’ four-legged family members. This palace hotel is particularly fond of furry friends because it was home to a beloved permanent resident for 11 years, a male Birman cat named Fa-raon (Pharaoh) in honor of Ancient Egypt.

In the fall of 2021, Le Bristol joyfully announced the arrival of Fa-raon’s son, Socrate (Socrates), born on June 15th, 2021, in Bazoches-sur-Guyonne, a suburb of Paris. Proud father Fa-raon has now retired from his role as Le Bristol’s resident feline, passing the baton to Socrate, who will take on the position as his successor. Socrate is content, attentive, and inquisitive about the world around him, although he may be a bit reserved. Meanwhile, Fa-raon has retired to the warm and welcoming home of one of Le Bristol’s receptionists, Jean-Philippe, in the Paris area, where he has already spent some time. Thus, Le Bristol’s first house cat will remain closely connected to his Le Bristol family.

Hamlet, The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection, New York

The hotel’s resident cat, Hamlet and his lineage have a long history reaching back to when John Barrymore (the legendary actor, raconteur, Algonquin resident and Drew Barrymore’s grandfather) charged through the door and proclaimed that the stray cat who Frank Case (the GM and owner of the Algonquin for 44 years), was petting should have the royal and fitting stage name of Hamlet. Today the hotel houses the 8th Hamlet (following three Matildas).

Hamlet is a ham in every respect. He is a glutton for attention and always on the slow prowl for treats, which contribute to his large ham-like figure. Typical of a cat, he begs people to feed him treats as if he was a Roman Emperor being fed grapes!