Maya, a seven-year-old golden retriever, pranced out from behind Gild Hall Hotel’s front desk with a well-loved gray bunny in her jaws and an orange handkerchief around her neck. Her back half swayed with her wagging tail.
As she sprawled on the lobby floor, the elevator doors opened, and two bell attendants walked out. Ben Naniset squealed, hands on his cheeks, while Jose Vicente smiled.
“Oh, I love her so much. And she likes everything, treats, belly rubs—” Naniset said.
“Ice,” Vicente interjected. “She likes chewing ice.”
Leaning behind the counter, coffee in hand, Maya’s owner, 30-year-old Simon Chan, smiled through his chained glasses and loose black hair.
For five years, Maya has been Gild Hall’s (a Thompson Hotel by Hyatt) unofficial “canine concierge,” holding a part-time position in cuteness, emotional support – and the occasional crumb cleanup of the break room floor. But she wasn’t always a hotel fixture.
Her journey to Gild Hall began during a difficult time in Chan’s life.
“She was my depression dog,” said Chan.
In the summer of 2018, while going through a rough patch, he turned to Craigslist in search of a four-legged friend. That’s where he found five-month-old Maya, listed for $800 with an urgent plea. She had only two days to be rehomed before being sent to a shelter.
Her previous owners, a family of three from Midtown, were moving to a place that didn’t allow pets. While the father was reluctant to let her go, Chan promised to stay in touch, sending photos and videos for a year—a small reassurance that Maya was in good hands.
“The day I picked her up, the dad was working, and he called after Maya was already in my car,” Chan said. “On the phone, I could hear him crying.”
For many, Maya is more than just a pet—she’s a source of comfort. Though never certified as a service animal, her impact is undeniable.
“She don’t need a certificate to help me,” Chan said.
With Maya by his side, daily walks and sunlight improved Chan’s mental health. By 2020, he had secured a night auditor job at Gild Hall.
Not wanting to leave her alone in his apartment, Chan began bringing Maya on his overnight shifts. Around the same time, Hyatt acquired Thompson Hotel, and the new general manager wanted to clean house. Although the hotel has always been pet-friendly, after spotting Maya on the cameras, they deemed her a liability, wrote Chan up, and tried to fire him. Chan stopped bringing her, but that didn’t last long.
The manager left, and two weeks later, Chan brought Maya back. The new manager saw guests embracing her and even leaving positive reviews.
“The hotel dog (?) was an adorable golden retriever called Maya, who is in the photo I’ve posted. She definitely added to the whole hospitality experience,” a guest wrote on Trip Advisor in January 2020.
Chan said that around Christmas, Henrik Werdelin, the co-founder of BarkBox, a pet subscription company, stayed at the hotel, saw Maya, and gave her a free box. Chan thought it was cool since had a BarkBox subscription at the time.
The new management saw Chan and Maya as part of what makes the hotel unique. Now, Maya is even featured on Gild Hall’s Instagram.
“Say ‘hi’ to our favorite canine concierge, Maya! 🤗 She’s ready to offer a proper golden greeting with a warm welcome and a wagging tail,” wrote Gild Hall in a caption.
Maya is now such a staple of the hotel that she has an Employee of the Month photo on the wall and received an anonymous “Value-tines heart,” an employee appreciation note started for Valentine’s Day last month. When Chan is busy, staff like Ben and Jose take Maya for walks around the neighborhood.
“It would be weirder if she wasn’t here,” he said. “If I didn’t bring her, everyone would be like, ‘Where’s Maya? Is she okay?’” said Chan.
When it comes to canine guests, Chan said other dogs usually don’t freak out when they see her or if they do, it’s very brief. Moments after he said this, a small grey dog barked at Maya, who stood two times the size.
Maya ran away and hid beside Chan.
“If I had any other dog, I don’t think I could do this,” said Chan.
The Gild Hall Hotel is located at 15 Gold St. For more information, visit hyatt.com.
