A checklist for traveling with pets in the United States
If your client is planning on heading off on a journey with their pet, remind them to check all the required documents for the trip.
When selecting somewhere to stay, pay attention to the rules of the accommodation: are there any weight restrictions? Do they require additional payment for accommodating pets (per day or for the entire duration of the stay)? Is housekeeping paid for separately? Do you need to pay a deposit in advance? Can you leave the pet alone in the room? (In such cases, pets are often required to be locked in a pet carrier.) What rules are in effect for animals in public places, and are there areas for walking them? What additional services are offered for animals?
On RateHawk, this information is specified on the hotel’s website in the “About the hotel — All Facilities and Services” section.
It is also important to observe the hotels’ rules upon arrival: don’t give your pet complete freedom in public places. Firstly, you need to respect other vacationers, and secondly, it could
result in a fine. If a mishap occurs, it is better to promptly clean up all traces of it and inform the hotel staff.
Where to stay
Lots of the hotels in our selection aren’t just pet friendly, they also offer various services for pets.
Adobe & Pines Inn- Bed And Breakfast
- Location: Taos, New Mexico
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2021, Safe Travels 202
- Price: from 130 USD a night with breakfast
An inexpensive, comfortable mini-hotel in a historical hacienda with a fireplace, hammocks, a seating area around a campfire, a terrace, and a garden. It is next to a golf club and various walking paths (that are also suitable for dogs), leading to picturesque spots and hot springs.
Pet accommodation rules: 30 USD for each pet for the whole period of the stay. An animal can only be left in a room if they are inside a cage. You can visit the hotel’s public spaces with your pet (even without a lead if it is well behaved).
Middlebury Inn
- Location: Middlebury, Vermont
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2021, Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 175 USD per night without food
A hotel with historical charm (dating from 1827) right in the center of a student town with a classic New England atmosphere. This is where to come for a relaxing vacation, walks and cycling routes, as well as skiing.
The hotel is surrounded by picturesque countryside: the national parks, rivers, lakes, and paths will make your vacation either an active one or a relaxing one.
Pet accommodation rules: you’ll have to pay 335 USD for the entirety of your stay. Having animals in public spaces is restricted, and it is forbidden to leave them on their own in rooms. Also, make sure your pet doesn’t play on the furniture.
Swift House Inn
- Location: Middlebury, Vermont
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2020, Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 175 USD per night without food
Another historical spot in Middlebury, this is an authentic mansion that belonged to a former governor and has 20 rooms. Guests can look forward to dinner by candlelight, a wine bar, a garden, a fireplace, exquisite breakfasts, and afternoon pastries. There are paths for walking nearby.
Pet accommodation rules: 50 USD per night for each animal.
Home2 Suites by Hilton Brooklyn Park
- Location: Brooklyn Park, Minneapolis
- Awards: Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 162 USD with breakfast
Staying in this hotel is just like being at home: the rooms have a well-equipped kitchen, a desk, a television, a bath with a shower, newspapers on weekdays, and there’s a 24-hour store within the hotel, a swimming pool, and a fitness club. And the price is as good as the level of comfort.
You can take your beloved pet for a walk in the nearby Brookdale Park Off Leash Dog Park (which costs 3 USD for all-day entry).
Pet accommodation rules: you can stay with two pets of up to 50 pounds in weight for an additional cost of 75 USD (when staying from one to five nights) or 150 USD (when staying for six nights or more).
Pet-friendly hotels in the USA when staying in the countryside
- The Oxford Hotel Bend (Bend, Oregon) is located in USA’s “city for dogs.” It is near the Cascade Mountain Range and 50 miles of paths that are suitable for pets (we recommend walking along the Deschutes River path). You can also take a kayak or canoe trip with your dog in Tumalo Creek and take some really cute photos.
- Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows (Scottsdale, Arizona) boasts 23 acres of green space for pets. In the hotel’s inner courtyard, you can have dinner while enjoying a view over Camelback Mountain (and take your pet with you). There’s a special menu for dogs, and one dollar from every order goes to Lucky Dog Rescue, a local pet shelter.
- The Lodge at Spruce Peak, a destination by Hyatt Residence (Stowe, Vermont) brings together lots of dogs in its mountain location. You can go for a walk with your pet along a stunning path or take a ride on the cable car up to the top of the mountain.
- Archer Hotel at The Domain (Austin, Texas) offers impeccable service for animals (a bowl by the entrance, free treats, comfy beds, toys, a list of groomers and parks for walking near the concierge, and specialized activities for dogs), and you can also go for a walk or a cycle along the paths by Lady Bird Lake or take a trip in a kayak or on an SUP.
- Barnsley Resort (Adairsville, Georgia) is another mountain resort that offers its guests and their pets walks in the mountains, architectural ruins, and landscaped gardens, as well as recreation areas, lawn games, and open-air lunches.
Lift House Lodge
- Location: Vail, Colorado
- Awards: Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 148 USD per night
This comfortable aparthotel on Vail Mountain is perfectly suited for lovers of alpine skiing, as well as those who appreciate picturesque views from their window. Stunning landscapes, a fireplace, mulled wine, and a cozy balcony. It’s worth booking early, as the rooms go very quickly.
Pet accommodation rules: two dogs of any size are allowed at an additional cost of 30 USD per night for each animal. Nearby, you’ll find the Bighorn Park Off Leash Dog Area (a great place for taking your pet for a walk), and also a path to Pitkin Lake (which is eight miles long) that lies along a valley in the Eagles Nest Wilderness.
AC Hotel by Marriott Boston Downtown
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Awards: Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 256 USD per night without food
A stylish, comfortable urban hotel in the center, where everything is exquisite, especially their attitude to pets. Not far from the hotel, there are places to go for a walk with your beloved pet, as well as parks and various sights.
Pet accommodation rules: you can check in with two pets of any size at an additional cost of 100 USD for the room for the duration of your stay. Special care is offered for puppies. For VIP pets, treats, food, and water are served from special bowls, toys are provided, and a discount is offered at the neighboring pet store.
The Crescent Hotel and Spa
- Location: Eureka Springs, Arkansas
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2020, Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 175 USD per night without food
A boutique hotel from the Victorian era (dating from 1886) in the Ozark Mountains that is inhabited by ghosts (or so they say). Besides supernatural adventures, you’ll also have a great time chilling with your pets: there are walking routes of various difficulties, there’s a golf club nearby, and the hotel has its own sports club called “Frisco,” where all kinds of games are available (bocce, disco golf, and so on).
Pet accommodation rules: you can bring dogs and cats. The cost is 35 USD per room for the whole period of your stay.
Angad Arts Hotel
- Location: St. Louis, Missouri
- Awards: Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 163 USD per night without food
Here, everything is about art: you’ll have the chance to choose a vibrant, even surrealist room with all mod cons. Each room has its own service package for pets.
Pet accommodation rules: 75 USD for each pet for the whole period of the stay.
Inn By The Sea
- Location: Cape Elizabeth, Maine
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2020, Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 720 USD per night without food
A tranquil, comfortable vacation on the coastline of South Maine. This hotel was one of the first to accept guests with pets more than 25 years ago, and to this day, they are known for their exceptional service.
Pet accommodation rules: there are special service packages for staying with a pet. These include pet accommodation, blankets, and towels, as well as bowls and treats. There are also dog-walking services. Puppies can have lunch with their owners in the lounge or on the terrace by the sea. In autumn (in October), the hotel’s swimming pool is open just to dogs (now that’s privilege!).
Anyone who comes without a pet can get to know local ones instead: the hotel works in cooperation with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, and during the course of their collaboration, more than 156 foster dogs have been housed here.
Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach
- Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
- Awards: Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 350 USD per night without food
Firstly, this is an excellent hotel for spending a vacation in hard-rock style and it’s just four minutes’ walk from the beach. Secondly, your pet can chill out like a true rocker too! The hotel runs a program called “Unleashed,” which grants pets: special accommodation, WAG bags as a gift when registering, velvet beds made of memory foam for pets that want to chill out, and even special “pet tracks” playlists on Spotify for those who want to pawty hard!
Pet accommodation rules: rooms can accommodate two pets of up to 50 pounds in weight. You can also go with your pets to separate areas within the hotel. A welcome gift and items for pets upon arrival or upon request. You need to confirm your participation in Hard Rock Unleashed Pet at reception.
The Marker Key West Harbor Resort
- Location: Key West, Florida
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2020, Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 430 USD per night without food
This four-star resort is located on the coast, at Florida’s southernmost point. Situated near the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the hotel has three swimming pools and everything that comes with its star rating in terms of comfort. A high-class resort vacation lies in store here, both for pets, who get a special tag for the hotel when they check in, as well as a bag of toys and treats, and for their owners, who are greeted with a glass of bubbly.
Their services for pets include: a bed-making service, walks along Smathers Bay, a session in the Salty Paws spa and salon, an excursion with Lazy Dog (where you can go surfing with your pet), and even a romantic dinner under the stars with a diverse menu for dogs.
Pet accommodation rules: 75 USD for each pet per day, no more than two pets to a room, and each must weigh no more than 20 pounds.
Virgin Hotels Chicago
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2021, Safe Travels 2021, Condé Nast Traveler
- Price: from 285 USD per night without food
Here’s everything you need to know about this location: it has an unusual design and it hosts legendary parties to celebrate dogs’ birthdays.
Bonuses for pets: plush beds, food and water bowls, a bandana, and loads of tasty treats.
Pet accommodation rules: there are no additional charges.
The Line LA
- Location: Los Angeles ,California
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2020, Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 244 USD per night
Each room is furnished individually and decorated with works of art by local artists, and their panoramic windows open up onto a stunning view over Los Angeles. Bars, restaurants, and swimming pools: in short, everything the modern traveler who loves to vacation in style and comfort, with a hint of excitement, needs.
Pets enjoy themselves here too. There are no weight restrictions, and the staff will be more than happy to give you tips about how to spend your free time with your four-legged friend.
Pet accommodation rules: 50 USD for each pet for the whole period of the stay.
Nick’s Cove
- Location: Marshall, California
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2021
- Price: from 542 USD per night with breakfast
These luxurious, comfortable cottages that have been thought out down to the last detail are located on the shore of the picturesque Tomales Bay in a meadow. The restaurant menu offers local produce and wine from neighboring vineyards.
There is a private beach nearby, and pets are given their own privileges, in the form of treats, a towel for their paws, and maps for walks (in April, dogs are also offered massages, toys, and a trendy bandana).
Pet accommodation rules: 50 USD per pet.
Grand Hyatt Vail
- Location: Vail, Colorado
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2021, Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 279 USD per night without food
A hotel at 8,150 feet in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It boasts its own cable car up to the ski slopes, swimming pools, a spa, mountain air, and the picturesque Grouse Creek Trail.
Pets are spoiled with treats, a comfortable, plush bed, and bowls for food and water.
Pet accommodation rules: 100 USD for each pet for the whole period of the stay.
The Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection
- Location: Beverly Hills, California
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2020, Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 1083 USD per night without food
Stylish and exquisite in every way, this hotel has been welcoming guests since 1912, and it has five-star service for both two-legged and four-legged guests!
Pets are offered treats (personalized biscuits), a soft bed, and special bowls.
Pet accommodation rules: the hotel permits two dogs/cats of any size to stay for an additional fee of 35 USD per pet per night. Pets can be left without supervision, but only in a cage.
If your clients are planning a trip to Beverly Hills, check out the vintage Beverly Hilton, where Marilyn Monroe used to stay, the luxurious Beverly Wilshire – Beverly Hills, A Four Seasons Hotel, where you can sit with your dog in the restaurant, and The Peninsula Beverly Hills, where, for 35 USD, your pet will get luxurious bedding, its own monogrammed towel, and various treats.
Loews Regency New York Hotel
- Location: Park Ave, New York
- Awards: Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2021, Safe Travels 2021
- Price: from 732 USD per night without food
This elegant hotel boasts a great location (next to Central Park and Times Square), a stylish interior, and privileges for pets, such as pet food served to your room and dog-walking services.
Pet accommodation rules: 50 USD for the room for the whole period of your stay.
Check out the stylish New York hotel Mondrian Park Avenue (with beds, bowls, and treats all available for pets), the Soho Grand Hotel with a private park for dogs, The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel, where no extra payment is required for pets of any size, and Gansevoort Meatpacking, where guests can enjoy themselves in the rooftop swimming pool while their pets relax in a bed that has been embroidered with their name and with a mountain of toys.
Dog-friendly hotel chains in the United States
Important: it is worth checking the pet friendly status of your chosen hotel chain and the rules for staying there, since they can vary depending on location and category. You can use the “Hotel chain” filter to find a hotel in a specific chain.
Kimpton Hotels
These hotels don’t usually have any additional fees or restrictions regarding the number of pets in a room. As well as dogs and cats, llamas, hedgehogs, goats, mini-pigs, penguins, chimpanzees, and other animals stay at some of these hotels.
The Ritz-Carlton
Many Ritz-Carlton hotels are not merely happy to accept dogs, they even spoil pets with gifts, such as treats, a special menu, and even views from the window (in The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, for example).
Hard Rock Hotels
As we mentioned above, some hotel chains are part of the Unleashed program, meaning that exclusive comforts are available to pets: gift bags, tailored playlists on Spotify, velvet beds, and even food and water bowls.
All in all, animals can chill out here like rock stars. A portion of the fees for pets goes to local shelters as part of Hard Rock’s “Take Time to Be Kind” campaign.
Aloft Hotels
Hotels in this chain are super hi-tech (with voice activation in rooms, Apple Watch apps for checking in and out, and a robot butler called “Botlr”) and super welcoming to pets. They’re happy to meet dogs of up to 40 pound in weight. The hotel operates its trademark ARF program (Animals R Fun): pets are offered a special bed, a bowl, and a bag of tasty treats and toys that can be used for free for the duration of your stay.
Check out Aloft Chicago Mag Mile in Chicago and Aloft Greenville Downtown in Greenville. Some hotels operate a program whereby you can take an animal from a shelter (Aloft Asheville Downtown).
Now you know what to advise your clients who are planning to travel to the United States with a pet.
Cover: Photo by Mikhail Vasilyev on Unsplash