The long tail, quite literally

VirtualTourist.com, an online travel research site and community forum, has published the top 10 pet friendly hotels in major U.S. cities.

There's no doubt the Long Tail concept (where sales of niche products and services thrive thanks to the Internet) is applicable to the online travel industry, but this is taking it a bit too literally, don't you think?

Then again, being a dog owner, I probably would choose a hotel that was canine friendly over one that wasn't---but only if I was planning to travel with my big, slobbering bundle of fur in the first place!!!!!

I don't know about you other pet owners out there, but I don't usually take Fido on holiday.

I mean, it's one thing to take the little fella on the odd car trip to Calais for a cheap wine run, but I draw the line at a five-star weekend break.

But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there are a bunch of privileged pooches jet setting their way all over the place.

(Think Britney Spears' and Paris Hilton's ridiculous, diamond-collared runts. My dog would eat them...and their runts.)

Well, for those of you who are planning your next American excursion with Snoopy in tow, here's the list:

The SoHo Grand Hotel, New York City
Union Square hotel, San Francisco,
Loews Miami Beach Hotel, Miami, Florida
Pier 5 Hotel, Baltimore
Hotel Monaco, Denver, Colorado
Nine Zero, Boston, Massachusetts
W Chicago Lakeshore, Chicago
Ocean Villa Inn, San Diego,
Alexis Hotel, Seattle, Washington
Hotel Rouge, Washington, D. C.

Happy travels!

Tricia Holly Davis, chief writer, Travolution