GOSSELIES, Belgium -- Traveling solo can be so lonesome that a Belgian hotel has started a pet fish rental program to combat the malady.
The Hotel Charleroi Airport offers a companion goldfish service at just 3.5 Euros ($4.17) per night, according to The Independent.
“We started a few years ago. The idea was to surprise our guests, as we always try to do," said hotel manager David Dillen. “It’s brilliant to see how people react to it. They smile, they take pictures to put on social media. We rent a few fish per week.”
Even though the program isn't new, it took social media by storm this weekend as radio producer Michelle Cooke of New Zealand posted a Tweet about it Saturday.
My friend is staying in a hotel in Belgium. They've offered her the option of renting a fish for the night, in case she's lonely. #noshit pic.twitter.com/DG74iRSfhY
— Michelle Cooke (@Mich_Cooke) September 2, 2017
Numerous reviewers of the hotel on Trip Advisor mentioned the fish, which Dillon promised are well looked after.
“I can also tell you that we take very good care of our fish; they have been with us for over four years now, so if they were not taken care of they would have died a long time ago," he said.
Trip Advisor screenshot
