Pet Friendly Hotels

When you are traveling with your pet, it is important to make sure the hotel where you plan on staying is considered a pet friendly hotel. There are several ways to find dog and cat friendly hotels in the area to which you are traveling. There are several websites online that specifically search for and list pet friendly hotels that are available for your time of travel.

These websites are extremely helpful in narrowing the search for finding a friendly hotel for Fido. These searches cater to your specific travel dates and destination city to help you find a hotel that suites the needs of you and your pet. Hotel websites are sometimes confusing to navigate while some don’t even list specifically whether they are pro or anti-pets. Sometimes calling on the telephone or speaking to a hotel staff member may be a more efficient use of your time. There are many hotels that consider themselves “pet friendly,” but you will need to check up on the rules and requirements they have in effect for lodging pets.

Many hotels accept pets, but they have may have specific restrictions and/or fees for Fido. Some hotels require a pet-lodging fee, and these prices vary for each hotel. Some hotels may also require your pet to be kept in a dog crate or kennel when you are not in the room with your pet. The primary reason for this is that some pets may become anxious when traveling and develop separation anxiety when they are in unfamiliar surroundings; of course, the hotels want to avoid pets chewing on or scratching the furniture or carpet in the room. Some hotels also have specific pet designated rooms, so the availability may be limited for travelers with pets.

Here are a few hotel group suggestions that are highly recommended on these pet friendly hotels searching websites:

Intercontinental Hotels Group: This is not a specific hotel, but the hotels that are part of this group all allow pets. The hotels in this group are: Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Hotel Indigo, and Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts.

Wyndham Worldwide Franchise: AmeriHost, Baymont, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Knights Inn, Ramada Worldwide, Super 8, Travelodge, Wyngate Inn, and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts

Starwood Hotels and Resorts: Sheraton, Four Points, W Hotels, aloft (a vision of W Hotels), The Luxury Collection, Meridien, element (inspired by Westin), Westin, and St. Regis

Though the majority of these hotels allow pets, be sure to contact the hotel of your choice to confirm their pet allowance.

Many of the pet hotel search websites also offer helpful tips for traveling with your pet, by air or by car. It is always a good idea to make sure you have thought through your trip thoroughly, so that you and your pet are able to have the best traveling experience possible.

Sharon Michaels writes articles for Discount Pet Mall, a site featuring dog beds and elevated dog feeders.