Do you travel with dogs? Or ever wanted to travel with them without the fuss?
If a vacation simply isn't complete without your furry friend(s) as your travel companion, you'll be glad to know that increasing number of hotel chains are making it easier (and less prohibitively expensive) to bring along your dog.
The pet-friendliest of them all even welcome other animal pets, including cats, birds, and reptiles!
So skip the dog sitter, pack the dog treats, and hit the road!
Check out the 9 super pet-friendly hotel chains listed out by SmarterTravel staff, Christine Sarkis to help you find the best place to stay with your dogs/pets below:
Kimpton Hotels
(Photo: Kimpton Hotels)
There's pet friendly, and then there's Kimpton. Welcoming not just dogs but any pet that can fit through the door, the boutique hotel chain with 59 properties in the U.S. shows its dedication to furry (and feathery, and scaly) friends by not charging guests extra to bring an animal.
Amenities such as pet beds, concierge lists of nearby pet-friendly restaurants and parks, and a complimentary nightly wine reception where pets are welcome make Kimpton the friendliest of the pet-friendly hotels chains.
Not traveling with a pet? Kimpton will outfit your room with a friendly pet fish for your stay.
Loews Hotels And Resorts
(Photo: Loews Hotels and Resorts)
With a pet program called Loews Loves Pets, is there any question that the brand—with hotels in 18 cities in the U.S. and Canada—has a serious soft spot for animals?
Fees vary by hotel, but a one-time service fee of $25 is common. Amenities (for up to two pets per room) include pet mats, food and water bowls, treats, beds, and even litter boxes. There's even a room service menu with vet-and-chef-developed recipes for cats and dogs.
Best Western
(Photo: Best Western)
When Best Western calls itself a leader in pet-friendly travel, it's not kidding. With more than 1,600 hotels that accommodate pets, this unfussy favorite keeps costs low and options open.
Pet-friendly properties allow two dogs (up to 80 pounds each) in each room. Some hotels also allow other pets, including cats, birds, monkeys, and snakes.
Best Western hotels charge a maximum of $20 per day, with a maximum per-week charge of $100. Some properties also charge a refundable damage deposit.
Ace Hotel
(Photo: Ace Hotel)
At the Ace Hotel‘s seven locations (five in the U.S., plus hotels in London and Panama), “pet friendly” loosely translates to dog friendly. The Ace does clarify, though, that prospective visitors should “get in touch if you have something stranger or larger and we'll try to make it work.”
The hotels charge $25 per night for the first pet; additional pets are either free or cost an additional $10 per night, depending on location.
Fairmont Hotels And Resorts
(Photo: Fairmont Hotels and Resorts)
Fairmont loves dogs so much, it has its own Canine Ambassador program that brings a little puppy love to lobbies including the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston and the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.
But pet owners can bring their own four-legged best friends too. Policies vary by property but are clearly outlined online.
For instance, at the Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown, dogs stay free and are lavished with treats handmade by the hotel's Executive Pastry Chef, while at the Battery Wharf in Boston, pets under 25 pounds cost $25 and receive a pet bed and food and water bowls.
For the other super pet-friendly hotel chains, visit the original article HERE.
