Belgian Hotel Offers Fish Friend to Lonely Guests

Have any friends? Go fish.

Solo travel is a rising trend for several reasons, but it can get a bit lonely from time to time. Those traveling in Belgium and experiencing the sting of loneliness are in luck, as the Hotel Charleroi Airport in Gosselies, near Brussels, offers a new quirky amenity: a pet fish.

The 4-star property offers not only great room rates but a new program allowing guests to rent a fish for only €3.50 per night. You read that correctly.

The fish friend program gained attention after radio producer Michelle Cook tweeted a photo of a fishbowl with the following caption: “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.”

Hotel manager David Dillen told The Independent the fish rental program has been running for several years and is popular with guests. He also quelled animal cruelty concerns by ensuring the fish are well cared for. He said, “We started a few years ago. The idea was to surprise our guests, as we always try to do.”

One TripAdvisor reviewer said, “Check in was pleasant and fun because they have a goldfish in a bowl at reception. A small sign offers the fish for nightly rent so as not to be lonely.”

In this case, the words of Bruce in Finding Nemo have never been truer: “Fish are friends, not food.”