Travel with your dog
 

Are there any web sites which provide information about hotels/motels/etc. that allow dogs?? I've just retired and my wife and I want to start traveling around the country but must be able to bring our dog. Please provide any helpful information. Thank you.

Here's one I've used once or twice:

http://www.petswelcome.com

But you'll be surprised once you start looking into it, MANY places allow at least smaller breeds.

~Liz

http://www.dogfriendly.com/
http://www.petswelcome.com/
http://www.petfriendlyhotelsandtravel.com/

I haven't actually used any of these sites (just glanced through them), but received them from this forum.

All LaQuintas allow dogs. I've started staying in them this last year and love the newer "LaQuinta Inns and SUITES". Great rooms, microwave and small fridge in room, good free breakfast including waffles, yogurt and boiled eggs (not just pastries and juice).

Many Holiday Inns do. Policies vary by hotel. I like the newer Holiday Inn Express but it seems that the older (vintage?) but remodeled Holiday Inns are more lenient.

With those two I can usually find a place wherever I am.

Upscale hotels (Lowes, Four Seasons, etc.) really pamper the pets with pet menus and beds and food bowls brought to the room. Starwood group (Sheraton, W, etc.) often allow dogs.

Specific policies can vary by hotel.

AAA had a book that they will send you if you are a member and you can buy if you are not. It isn't that accurate - be sure to call ahead.

I collect Hilton points so I do a search on the website and use "pets allowed" as an Advanced Search option to locate the nearest hotel.

Be sure to keep the dog's records with you. I'd have it microchipped as well.

Many hotels/motels that do accept pets, do so only with a fee - which ranges from a reasonable $10-25 and on up to a ridiculous $100. Also, many have a weight limit, which also seems ridiculous to me - since (no offense!) many (not all!) of the yappiest, most hyper dogs are small and most larger dogs have a laid-back attitude. Keep in mind that not hotel wants you to leave your dog in the room unattended. And other activites you may want to pursue during the day or evening could be impinged on by your companion. He can't stay alone in the car on a warm day, for instance. Not trying to discourage you, but there's a lot more to travelling with Fido than just finding somewhere he can stay with you at nite. Good luck!

Sounds to me like an RV might be just the ticket for you and your dog to keep everyone comfortable and happy. Travels with Charley, remember?

I'm fortunate in that I can bring my dog to work (antique dealer), but I will still leave him at the kennel if it's not an inside air conditioned show and the weather is too hot for a whole day outside (for him, not for me I guess!).

For motels, I use Red Roof, Motel 6, Drury Suites, and LaQuinta -- none of which charge (at least not the locations in the southeast I've used). Both Drury and LQ are quite nice, RR and M6 are acceptable most of the time.

B/

Joe, I'll add to the lists of hotels that usually accept pets .............. The Residence Inns by Marriott. We love them, our favorite; also have found several Holiday Inns and Holiday Inn Express hotels that allow them. I've found these chains to be the cleanest and, overall, nicest hotels to stay in (that accept pets.) All Days Inns accept pets, but THEY couldn't pay ME to stay there, usually.

Have a happy retirement, Joe! It can be a lot of fun....... ours started a couple of years ago. :-)

One more thing, Joe. Our dog is 15 years old, totally deaf, and sleeps most of the time, never barks. The hotels who tell you that you cannot leave the dogs unattended in the room do, in fact, allow us to leave him on his bed in the bathroom with the door closed. We put the do-not-disturb sign on the door, so no staff ever enters our room while we're out. We tell them we'll keep our cell phone turned on so they can call us if there's problem (which there never is.) Sometimes you have to talk to a manager to work this out, but, so far, every hotel has accommodated us.

And yet another thought. I have found when researching that there are quite a few parks (especially national ones) that don't allow dogs on the trails.

I travel quite often with my dog on short trips, 2-3 days. I've used petswelcome.com to find most of the hotels I've stayed at and have never had a problem.

We just bought an 8 week old Lab pup in South Dakota and traveled with her 2,000 miles to SW FL. We stayed in: Super 8, Day's Inn, Comfort Inns and all allowed dogs. We had to pay anywhere from $5-$10 per night extra. I used AAA trip tik to check out the hotels and called them direct. We had no problem with any of them. We did eat our evening meals in the room so as not to leave her alone and barking. You could always call a hotel's 800 number and tell them what you are looking for and they will help you out.

The Starwood group (Sheraton, Westin, etc.) also allows dogs in most of their properties. There were several dogs staying at the W in Chicago when I was there recently.

I have yet to find a hotel in Mexico which allows dogs in the room.
M

Is this not the US board?

Another option if you're travelling in an area that does not have dog-friendly hotels--see if you can board your dog at a local vets. Carry his(your dog's, of course!) vaccination papers with you. We do this when we go visit family--we board the hound while we're in town and yet can have him on the road with us.