All for one, and one for all. If a vacation simply isn't complete without your pet at your side, you'll be happy to know that more hotel chains are making it easier (and less prohibitively expensive) to bring along your dog. The pet-friendliest of the bunch even extend the invitation to other animals, including cats, birds, and reptiles. So cancel the pet sitter, pack the treats, and hit the road.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Not all Four Seasons hotels and resorts accept pets, but those that do offer an experience yours won't ever forget. The luxury brand offers small dogs and cats (usually no more than 15 to 25 pounds) in-room amenities like beds, water bowls, and piddle pads, and concierges at pet-friendly locations have plenty of helpful tips about local dog parks and more. Properties that accept animals tend not to charge for the option.
La Quinta
On the pet-friendly hotel scene, La Quinta is one of the big dogs. Of its more than 830 U.S. locations, only four don't allow pets (San Antonio Conference/Medical Center; Manhattan and Queens, New York; and Monterey, California). The hotel allows up to two dogs or cats per room at no extra charge.
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
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
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
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. (Through December 31, 2014, visitors to Ace Hotel New York who book with the rate code PUPPYLOVE will get the pet fee waived and receive a BarkBox treasure chest of dog goodies.)
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.
Hotel Indigo
Open arms and full bowls—that's the pet policy of boutique chain Hotel Indigo. The InterContinental brand has more than three dozen hotels in the U.S., and they all roll out the red carpet for dogs with welcome treats and doggie beds. Associated costs usually run somewhere between $25 and $75, depending on the location. Some properties have resident dogs, including Huey at Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge and Indie at Hotel Indigo Atlanta Midtown.
Red Roof Inn
Red Roof Inn is a friend to pets. The hotel chain has 360 pet-friendly properties (only three Red Roof Inns don't accept pets, due to local ordinances). Best of all, the chain is among the few that simply don't charge a nightly fee or deposit for pet guests. You won't find pet concierges or doggie room service, but you will find a welcoming community of pet lovers.
Contributed by Christine Sarkis, SmarterTravel.com
Contributed by Christine Sarkis, SmarterTravel.com
READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Nine super pet-friendly hotel chains
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