This post outlines exactly what you can expect when bringing a dog to a hotel and what to do to set you and your dog up for success.
Traveling is one of the best things you can do to become more independent, well-rounded and cultured. Having a dog is one of the best things, period. Why not combine them every now and then?
If you’re planning a trip that includes overnight stays in hotels, you may be nervous about bringing your fur baby with you. Check out the tips below to see if bringing your dog to a hotel is the right for you and what you can do to improve your experience.
How to Book a Pet-Friendly Hotel Room & What to Expect
First thing first: Find yourself a pet-friendly hotel. Not all hotels allow you to bring your dog, so call the hotel or check out their website before you make any commitments. Booking.com is my go-to and has a filter for pet-friendly hotels.
If it’s an option, try to book rooms with outdoor access. My dog seems much more relaxed in rooms where he knows the outside is just on the other side of the door. It also makes potty time way easier.
We’re in a day in age where online reservations are preferred over phone calls, but I urge you to save yourself the hassle later and call to book your room. Let them know you’re bringing your dog and request a room near an exit or with outdoor access. You’ll be glad you did!
Most pet-friendly hotels ask that you let them know you’re bringing your dog in advance of your stay anyway. Just like smoking or handicap-accessible rooms, pet-friendly hotels set aside specific rooms for pets. Conveniently, most of these rooms tend to be on the first floor, so you won’t have to worry about taking your pooch in an elevator or up flights of stairs.
Many hotels charge a small one-time or nightly fee for your dog. In my experience, this is usually somewhere between $10-30 extra, but depending on where you’re traveling, the cost can be more.
Pet-friendly hotels typically have a designated area to walk your dog for potty breaks. Many even have free doggy poop bag stations on-site. Please be prepared to clean up after your dog!
Most hotels have it outlined in their rules that you may not leave your dog unattended in the room or that you must crate your dog before leaving them alone. If they have this requirement, you’ll likely sign a waiver upon check-in to agree to their conditions. If you think your dog will be upset if you leave them alone in the room, be prepared to make accommodations for them so you don’t get into trouble for this!
Make Check-In a Breeze
Be smart about logistics before you check into the hotel. I recommend leaving your dog in the car while you check in. Some hotels don’t allow dogs in the lobby. If you think your dog might bark at people, definitely don’t bring them in yet.
Remind the front desk that you have your dog with you so they can confirm you have a pet-friendly room. At this time, you’ll probably get the spiel about their pet rules.
Find your room and determine the best way to get your dog into the room. If you’re lucky (or you request it), you can get a room near an exit for easy outside access.
I have a fear-reactive dog that barks and lunges at people or dogs that come into his personal space. If we can safely get into a hotel room, I’m confident there’s hope for you too. Here’s how we make it happen:
- We take a long walk before entering the hotel so he can mark until there’s nothing left. He knows not to potty inside, but with the stress of entering a strange place, I’d rather be safe than sorry.
- If there’s an entrance we can use to get to our room other than through the lobby, we use it. Side entrances tend to have fewer people coming in and out.
- He wears a muzzle if we have to walk through any high-traffic areas of the hotel. Not only does this virtually eliminate bite risk, but he also won’t bark and disturb (or scare) other guests.
- He receives loads of treats for positive reinforcement of good behavior (and sometimes as a distraction).
After almost a dozen hotel stays in all kinds of different circumstances, we still haven’t had a problematic incident!
Staying in a Pet-Friendly Room
You made it! Now settle in and enjoy a new kind of hotel stay experience.
Pack a dog bed and blanket for your trip so your bud has somewhere familiar to sleep and you can protect the bed from dog hair (like I didn’t do below).
If your dog is anxious about all the unfamiliar smells and sounds, they may feel the urge to bark. Keep them calm by staying calm yourself. Try hopping into bed and doing something familiar so they can see how relaxed you are.
Barking is super annoying for other guests and may be enough to get you both kicked out of the hotel. One strategy that’s worked great for my dog is giving him a treat every time there is a noise and he doesn’t bark.
He starts to realize that if he hears a new or scary sound, there’s a yummy treat coming. That provides a distraction from him fixating on the sound and barking at it.
Give yourself and your doggo plenty of time to settle in before hitting the hay.
Some hotels provide dog hangers for people sharing a room with their dogs. This is super helpful to avoid having hotel staff knock on your door or housekeeping come in while your dog is loose. You should use the door hanger!
Potty Breaks
As mentioned before, pet-friendly hotels typically have designated areas for dogs to be walked. They are usually grassy, have poop bags readily available and are marked with signs. Please be considerate and clean up after your dog!
Even the most experienced dog may get a little anxious in a hotel room and have an accident. Prevent this by offering frequent potty breaks.
It’s important to know, before you check your dog into a hotel, that many properties have hefty fees for accidents in the rooms. The fines vary from location to location, but I’ve never seen anything less than $100.
Read More: 14 Must-Have Dog Essentials for the Perfect Road Trip
How to Avoid Pet Fees at Hotels
Some other rules I’ve often come across in my travels with my dog include:
- Weight restrictions
- Breed restrictions
- Dogs not allowed in breakfast/restaurant areas
- Dogs are not allowed in the pool area
- Fees for damage to hotel property
- Dogs are not allowed to be left alone in the room
- Special door hangers for rooms with dogs
- Clauses allowing the hotel the right to cancel your booking for disruptive barking
The pet fees range from hotel to hotel, but depending on the offense, you could be charged hundreds or even thousands of dollars for damage to a hotel room.
If you have any questions or concerns about bringing a dog to a hotel, give them a call before you book.
As long as you clean up after yourself and your dog and don’t have any accidents, you likely won’t incur any pet fees. Even worse than fees, keep your dog under your control and quiet so you’re not asked to leave entirely.
Should I bring my dog to a hotel?
Is bringing your dog the right choice for you?
Let’s be frank here and answer some questions honestly.
- Is your dog going to be miserable in a hotel room? If yes, then seriously consider other options for your travels.
- Does your dog bark or cry a lot? Unless you can get that under control, bringing your dog would be inconsiderate to other paying guests and may get you both into trouble with hotel staff.
- Is your dog potty-trained? If you think your dog will have an accident in the room, then either arrive extremely prepared (both in packing and for the potential hotel fines) or reconsider bringing them.
- Do you have control of your dog? If your dog isn’t trained with basic commands or you can’t pick them up, then bringing your dog to a hotel may pose a risk to you both.
- Is your dog a threat to other people? Gear your dog up with a “do not pet” collar or harness and a muzzle. If you’re not prepared to protect your dog and other people, you should probably leave Cujo at home.
Think that you and your dog are ready to take on an overnight stay? Great! Having your four-legged friend with you in a hotel room is a completely different experience than without.
I love traveling but feel so sad when that means leaving my dog at home. Whenever I have the option to bring him with me, I do. It’s so worth it! Eventually, that meant overcoming my fear of bringing him into a hotel. For me, it’s been a great experience and would recommend anyone who feels it’s the right thing for them and their dog.
With a jam-packed itinerary and a safe place to sleep, a girl and her dog can surely take on the world.
Happy adventuring!
Sincerely,
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