Our Guide to the Best Pet-Friendly Hotels

There is a growing list of chic, pet-friendly hotels that not only accommodate your furry friend as your plus one, but also make them feel like royalty. To curate the best pet-friendly hotel stays possible, we first asked two Arlo Skye paw-fluencers what they take into consideration before booking a pet-friendly hotel.

Shinola Hotel, Detroit. Photo by Nicole Franzen.

1. Check if the hotel charges a nightly fee. “We tend to stay at pet-friendly hotels that do not charge. Kimpton hotels, for example, are fee-free,” said Ivy Diep—mom to paw-fluencer @popeyethefoodie. According to Kimpton Hotels, “if your pet can fit through the door, they're welcome to stay.”

2. Research your hotel’s proximity to a dog park—or see if there is outdoor space within the hotel premises that allows your pet to stretch their legs.

3. See if there are any special hotel amenities and services exclusively geared to pets. Some hotels will provide a nice comfy bed and other thoughtful goodies to make your dog feel at home. Others go one step further, offering bespoke services including on-site grooming and special meals geared to your pet’s specific dietary needs.

4. Seek out hotels that are not just dog-friendly, but dog-obsessed. Louremy Brigman, mom to paw-fluencer and agility superstar @ralphtheminicockpoo, is a fan of the Stay Pineapple boutique hotel group, which extends special dog perks, including afternoon pup-cakes and do-not-disturb door signs for furry snoozers.

Bonus pro tip: Brigman advises, “Pack your pet’s food in your carry-on (as opposed to a checked bag). That way if your checked bag is lost or delayed you still have the food that’s needed for your pet’s diet.”

Here, we give the lowdown on the pet-friendly hotels that make our four-pawed pals feel like family.

City Adventures

The LINE, Washington DC. Photo courtesy of The LINE.

If you’re traveling to Washington D.C. with Fido in tow, The LINE—a Modernist space housed in a 110-year-old neoclassical church—offers one of the most generous and inclusive pet policies we’ve found (which also applies to its locations in Austin and Los Angeles): “no fees, no weight limits, and no hassle.” When you book with the code YESPETS, the hotel will prep your room for your pet, and make a $5 nightly donation to D.C. charity City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties. If you’re looking to treat your pup in style, Boston’s XV Beacon gifts your dog with a personalized plate of peanut butter treats upon arrival, and also features an in-room, dog-dining menu and a doggie hangout on the two-tier roof deck. And the only fee is a suggested $25 per night donation, 100% of which goes to local animal charities. If Detroit is on the itinerary, the newish Shinola Hotel has a great, no-fee pet policy, plus a partnership with Canine to Five, a doggy daycare that looks after your pup while you explore. Keeping your bud with you? Visit Detroit’s Bell Isle, a 982-acre dog-friendly island park. The Hewing Hotel, located in Minneapolis’ North Loop, also has a dog-centric purview: the hotel’s Doggie Boarding Package includes dog treats, toys, food and water bowls set up in the room, and if you stay on one of the few Sundays a month when Yappy Hours take place, and you might get a chance to partake in dog yoga.

Wythe Hotel, Brooklyn. Photo courtesy of Wythe Hotel.

Stay at the dog-loving Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and you’ll be within walking distance of several dog runs, the Happy Dogs at McCarren Park doggie daycare, and Lucky Dog, a playful dive bar with a backyard where dogs and humans can socialize.

1 Hotel, West Hollywood, Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of 1 Hotel.

If you’re headed to LA, the new eco- and pet-friendly 1 Hotel in West Hollywood is located in one of the city’s most walkable neighborhoods, and houses Alice Fresh Market Place & Café, a scrumptious spot where dogs are welcome. Ivy Diep loves the Nikko in San Francisco: “They have their own chief barketing officer, Buster, who has his own Instagram. They also have their own dog run on the fifth floor, which is super nice and convenient in the city.” Dallas is home to lots of dog-friendly patio bars—our favorite is MUTTS canine cantina—along with many dog-friendly paths and trails, including the Katy Trail, which runs through the Uptown and Oak Lawn areas. And the city’s Joule Hotel is perfect pet vacation destination, with no-fee stays for cats and dogs.

Sacha, Pet Relations Manager at Bobby Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee. Photo courtesy of Bobby Hotel.

If you want a very pet-centric vacation, Nashville’s Bobby Hotel inarguably takes the concept of pet accommodation to a new level. The unofficial concierge of the Bobby is Sasha, a rescue dog who sets the tone by roaming the hotel in search of treats and cuddles. Pets are welcome almost everywhere at this hotel, including the rooftop lounge, which is housed in a retrofitted 1956 Scenicruiser bus.

Pearl, Resident Retriever at Rosewood Hotel. Photos courtesy of Rosewood Hotel. 

Another great hotel with a beloved fur mascot, the Rosewood in London, provides guests with Pearl’s Guide to London, a booklet with recommendations from their resident retriever Pearl, detailing her favorite dog-friendly restaurants, cafés, bars, and parks. Guests who book a Luxury Canine Package receive natural food from Lily’s Kitchen; dog beds, collars, leashes, and coats designed by British heritage brand Barbour; and on-the-spot doggie makeovers by celebrity groomer Jamie Griffen.

The Hoxton, Amsterdam. Photo courtesy of The Hoxton.

At the Hoxton Amsterdam (and all other Hoxton hotels) dogs get their own custom-made dog bed, Do Not Disturb sign, and a dog-friendly Mutt Manual (a Hox Guide for pups) complete with info on dog spas, walkers and vets. At the Bristol Paris Fa-Raon—an elegant Burmese cat—wanders the halls to greet both cat and dog guests, and the hotel offers gourmet grilled steak and roasted veggies from an in-room paired menu (paired with chilled Evian).

Nature Trips

 

Love wine, cuisine, and your fuzz buddy equally? One of Napa Valley’s most scrumptious culinary destinations, the 157-acre Calistoga Ranch, offers what can only be termed canine luxury for $150 per day. A member of the Auberge Resorts Collection, the resort features a doggie dinner menu with braised short ribs over brown rice, and canine-centric scavenger hunts and hiking trails. The Pines Lodge in Beaver Creek, Colorado charges $50 per night per dog, and each pup gets the “Pines Pup Bucket List,” which includes a GoPro rental camera to record hikes, as well as massages, baths and rawhide bone turndown. Located near the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, L’Auberge de Sedona allows you to explore this epic national park with your pet. Private cottages include open-air showers, and the hotel’s “Red Rocks & Ruff” package features a dog bed, bowls, and a gift bag with treats from local pet store Whiskers Barkery.

Seaside Vacays

AWOL, Provincetown, MA. Photo by Read McKendree via Rue Magazine.

Located in what has been voted “America’s most dog-friendly town” by Dog Fancy magazine, the 30-room AWOL in Provincetown, Massachusetts, is located adjacent to Herring Cove Beach, which allows four-pawed clam diggers. A member of Lark Hotels, which accommodate dogs at all eight of their properties, the fee at this beachy retreat is $35 per night per dog. San Diego boasts seven dog-friendly beaches, with the most popular being Coronado Dog Beach (where dogs are permitted off-leash). The Pendry, located in the Gaslamp Quarter of downtown San Diego, is walking distance from Petco Park, home of the Padres one of the most dog-friendly stadiums in baseball. Carmel By the Sea’s Cyprus Inn was formerly co-owned by animal activist and actress Doris Day, who inspires the hotel’s pet-friendly character. For a $30 fee, pets of all stripe are allowed here, and treated to “muttinis” during “yappy hour” at Terry’s Lounge. And, the adjacent Carmel beach is dog-friendly and leash-free.

 Palihouse, Miami. Photo by Carley Rudd.

Miami Beach’s charming Palihouse features bungalow-style rooms with kitchens, and is home to Pawlisociety, a bespoke program that offers dogs under 30 pounds organic treats upon arrival, dog beds, toys, and dog walking services for a one-stay fee of $150. If you’re traveling to the Dominican Republic, the Eden Roc Cap Cana has a VIP (very important paws) pet service that includes plush pet towels, pupsicles and a special “Bone Appetite” menu. Belmond Reid’s Palace, located on Portugal’s gorgeous Madeira island, has been in operation since 1891, and features a Puppy Palace retreat with calming full body grooming and personal training sessions, as well as dog walking and dog sitting services. The hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant creates meals for $40 per day, with dishes featuring beef tartare with vegetables and fruit, salmon tartare with banana, and veal liver with mushrooms and onions.

Las Ventanas, Los Cabos. Photo courtesy of Las Ventanas.

In Los Cabos, Mexico, Las Ventanas al Paraíso offers a personal pup butler who creates tailor-made menus, gives your pooch daily walks of the beach, and even sets up a special pet cabana for your hound to chill by the pool.