If you enjoy traveling with your BFF (Best Furry Friend) as much as I do, you probably know that pet-friendly travel has become a significant segment of the hospitality industry. Pet owners are taking more family road trips and RV road trips with their furry pals, inspiring pet-friendly resorts and hotels to create innovative pampered pooch perks that offer more doggone fun than ever for canine companions.
It’s comforting to know you can take your best buddy with you to pet-friendly hotels and resorts and wake up to that familiar sloppy wet kiss and unconditional love on your next getaway.
Pet-friendly hotels and resorts in the United States
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing family beach vacation, mountain getaway, or a getaway to some of the most popular family vacation spots, the top pet-friendly hotels and resort brands feature some of the best pet amenities across the U.S. So, pack up your pup, kibble, and bones, and hit the road for a barktastic good time at the best pet-friendly places to stay in the country.
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1. Inn by the Sea
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
The luxury Inn by the Sea, situated along the picturesque coastline of Southern Maine, was one of the first dog-friendly U.S. beach resorts when it began allowing pets about 30 years ago. Inn by the Sea’s special pet package includes complimentary stays, L.L. Bean blankets, beach towels, water bowls, and homemade goodies at turndown service. The hotel also offers doggie daycare and dog walking.
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Pups are even permitted to dine with their humans in the fireplace lounge or enjoy al fresco meals on the seaside deck, where they can feast on culinary creations such as Meat “Roaff” or “The Bird Dog.” And if you came without a furry friend, you might decide to go home with one after playing with or walking one of the hotel’s fostered pets. In partnership with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, the foster dog program has placed more than 154 dogs in approximately five years. Is there any better family vacation idea than coming home from your with a new pet?
2. The Ritz-Carlton
Various Locations
Many Ritz-Carlton properties welcome our canine friends, but some of the more pet-friendly hotels in the brand go the extra mile by offering over-the-top pup perks like those at The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour in Miami. This coastal retreat features a dog park with ocean views, welcome amenities, and a gourmet in-room pet menu with selections like The Bow Wow Bal Harbour Bowl, Tail-Chasin’ Chicken, and a Watermelon Poochtini.
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Nearby, there are also several pet-friendly parks, off-leash beaches, and upscale shopping plazas to explore. Lincoln Road Mall even hosts a Yappy Hour every Thursday. Other pet-friendly Ritz-Carlton properties include Sarasota, Florida; Lake Oconee, Georgia; St. Louis, Missouri; and Washington, D.C.
3. Grand Hyatt Vail
Vail, Colorado
The pet program at Grand Hyatt Vail makes for a pawfect weekend retreat at 8,150 feet elevation in the Colorado Rockies. Upon arrival at this beautiful mountain resort, your BFF will receive an assortment of goodies, a plush dog bed, and water and food bowls in your room or suite. After settling in, take a long walk along picturesque Gore Creek Trail, which is adjacent to the resort, or kick back and relax and enjoy the views.
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From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the pet-friendly property hosts a Yappy Hour on Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. During the event, pups enjoy specialty baked treats. At the same time, their owners can sip pooch-themed cocktails that support the Eagle Valley Humane Society and Eagle County Animal Shelter with 20 percent of the proceeds.
4. The Don Cesar
St. Pete Beach, Florida
Iconic The Don Cesar, an oceanfront resort situated along the sugar-white sands of St. Pete Beach, allows guests to bring up to two pets to experience the dog-friendly hotel’s renowned five-star service. The historic property that’s also known as the Pink Palace recently underwent a complete renovation, so you, Fifi, and Fido can stay in one of the freshly reimagined pooch-friendly rooms or suites.
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Its Pet Program provides dog bowls and a placemat, toys and treats, and a list of local pet services and dog walking routes. The hotel also has recommendations for dog-friendly beaches, bars, and restaurants in one of the best cities in the U.S. to travel with your pet, St. Petersburg, Florida.
After a busy day outdoors, head over to the Dog Bar, a bar that literally “goes to the dogs” with an off-leash dog park boasting a “Wooferee” and a full-service bar.
5. Kimpton Hotels
Various Locations
Since its founding, Kimpton Hotels‘ pet policy has welcomed any furry, scaly, or feathery friend that can fit through the front door, with no extra charges and no limit on the number of guests. In addition to dogs and cats, some of these pet-friendly hotels have hosted llamas, hedgehogs, goats, micro pigs, penguins, chimpanzees, and other breeds and species of all sizes.
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Amenities for two- and four-legged pals include plush beds, food and water bowls, homemade and specialty treats, complimentary waste bags, personalized door hangers, and a curated Spotify Pet Playlist to listen to on the road or in the room. Your pal can even join you for the hotel’s nightly wine reception.
Some pet-friendly hotels in the Kimpton family, such as the Kimpton Hotel Vintage Seattle, also have dogs in the pawsition of Director of Pet Relations.
6. Emeline
Charleston, South Carolina
Luxury boutique hotel Emeline is centrally located in Charleston‘s historic district and a perfect home base from which to explore the Holy City with your dog. The pet-friendly property’s Pawsome Package provides a comfy bed for your pup, a dog mat and bowl, and custom-made goodies by the in-house pastry chef.
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From Monday to Saturday, you can both join in on the festivities during Happy Hour from 3 to 5 p.m. on the patio and courtyard at Frannie & The Fox. Sip specialty cocktails under the Charleston sky while spoiling your furry friend with house-made dog treats.
7. Hard Rock Hotels
Various Locations
Hard Rock Hotels‘ Unleashed pet program guarantees a “bad-to-the-bone” experience for four-legged guests. Exclusive amenities include sWAG bags upon arrival, customized “pet tracks” available on Spotify, velvet memory foam beds, and water and food bowls.
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While at one of these pet-friendly hotels, furry pals receive rock star treatment while they “relax and roll over, raise the woof, and pawty hard.”
Several Florida Hard Rock properties, including Tampa and Orlando, offer the program, but for a pawsitively good time, make a point to visit Hard Rock Daytona Beach. Here, you and your pup can visit nearby Ponlet Inlet Park, which features a dedicated dog beach, pet-friendly nature trails, and Florida’s tallest lighthouse. Other Hard Rock hotels offering the “Unleashed” program include Sioux City and Lake Tahoe.
8. The Woof Cottages
Nantucket, Massachusetts
The waterfront pet-friendly Woof Cottages at The Cottages at Nantucket Boat Basin offer one- and two-bedroom accommodations for the entire family, including our four-legged friends. The pet concierge at The Cottages is Bailey, a Black Lab/Britney Spaniel mix, a Nantucket native who will ensure your pup is barking up the right tree. He has an email address, so you can send him a request for insider tips on the best places on the island to run free, play catch, and chow down at lunchtime.
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Doggie amenities include a bag of nautical treats and toys, a plush bed, personalized pet tags, water and food bowls, turndown service, and dog walking services.
9. Aloft Hotels
Various Locations
Aloft’s brand-wide ARF (Animals R Fun) program delights furry guests at is pet-friendly hotels with a signature dog bed, bowl, toys, a dog tag, yummy treats, and picker upper bags. At Aloft Asheville Downtown, pups will enjoy snacks from Woof Gang Bakery and sleep on comfy custom-made Serta Beds. The Asheville property’s Foster Dog Adoption Program, a partnership with Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue, has connected more than 225 thankful pups with loving families since its inception in 2014.
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The hotel’s associates take care of their special canine guests with walks around town and tail-wagging playtime. Prospective pet parents (both hotel guests and local residents) can meet these pups in the lobby, which features a doghouse in a special enclosure. Two other excellent dog-friendly hotels from the brand where your pal can have a howling good time are Aloft Chicago Mag Mile or, in South Carolina, Aloft Greenville Downtown.
10. Pasea Hotel and Spa
Huntington Beach, California
Located in California’s “Surf City,” the oceanside Pasea Hotel and Spa in Huntington Beach is one of the most dog-friendly destinations in Southern California. Doggie perks at Pasea Hotel and Spa include Paw-séa Pup Play Park, a 1,100-square foot outdoor play area with a lifeguard station dog house. There’s also nearby Huntington Dog Beach (approximately two miles), where your pal can romp in the sand and surf off-leash.
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Other amenities at this pet-friendly hotel include a dog toy and leash to take home, collapsible bowls for food and water, a pet menu featuring everything from Puppy Parfaits to Pupcakes, and discounted services at Top Dog Barkery in nearby Newport Beach. This shop offers everything from freshly baked canine cakes and savory Pup-overs to daycare, “Barkday” parties, and pet grooming.
Pet friendly hotels offer perks to please both dogs and their humans, and create the conditions to help both thrive on vacation.
