So you’ve decided pet boarding facilities are not a solution for your best friend and you will travel together this time. One of the biggest challenges when traveling with a dog is finding a hotel that treats your pet with the love and respect. You can use wotif.com to find the best pet friendly accommodation, no matter where you want to go. You’ll get a great deal on a room close to a dog park and even hotels that accommodate to our lizard friends. Plus, you’ll save enough money to buy your mutt-ly mate a souvenir from a local pet boutique.
Some hotels proudly declare themselves as ‘pet friendly’ but they lack the basic amenities to provide a comfortable accommodation for their canine guests. Even though they allow pets in, these hotels often have a long list of restrictions and fees, which can make you feel like your furry pal is an unwanted guest. Most pet parents only get to find out about the pet-friendly amenities or lack thereof when they check in with their four-legged pal. By that time it’s already too late because finding and shifting to another pet-friendly place is not always viable. To make sure your journey with your dog is all fun and little restrictions, it’s best to call ahead and speak to a hotel executive. Following are a few things you need to verify before choosing a pet friendly hotel.
Non-Smoking: Dogs are highly sensitive to strong smells and airborne pollutants. This is why it makes sense to move into a hotel that does not allow smoking in common areas such as lobbies and stairways. It’s also advisable to ask the hotel staff not to use strongly scented room fresheners.
Dog Park/Walking Area: Hotels that come with a private walking area for dogs definitely scores higher than places that don’t. Some hotels even offer dog walking services for an extra cost. Even if a hotel does not have a private walking space, it should at least be adjacent to a patch of green where your dog can take care of its daily business.
Weight, Size, and Breed Restrictions: Just because they say they are ‘pet friendly’ doesn’t mean they allow all dogs in through their doors. Some hotels have strict weight, size, and breed restriction and are known to refuse entry to certain types of dogs. Some hotels restrict the entry of breeds that are reputed to be aggressive. Fair or not, it’s best to call ahead and find out if your pet meets the restrictions.
Pet Menu: Some hotel chains such as Marriott and Ritz Carlton offer a gourmet menu for their canine guests. The food items on these menus are not only made with safe ingredients, but they give your pet a tasty alternative to regular pet food. It’s also a welcome relief for you because you are no longer required to carry bags of pet food to last you the entire trip. However, if your dog is on a special diet or any pet meds, you should always make sure you are stacked on supplies before leaving home or place an order to have then delivered at the hotel. Reliable online suppliers like PetCareRX will ship your refills overnight if needed so even if you run out of supplies you can get them quickly delivered at the hotel.
Pet Fees: Ideally you want to check into a hotel that charges no extra fees for pets. However, some hotels ask you to pay a refundable deposit. Hotels may also add an extra cleaning charge to the final bill. Some hotels may even slap on an extra charge for any damages caused by your pet during the stay. To make sure you are not surprised by a lofty bill, be sure to inquire about all the fees before booking.
Sleeping Arrangements: After a hard day of traveling you want a hotel that allows your pet to snuggle up beside you on the master bed. Hotels that do not want pets to get up on the bed often provide separate doggie beds. Apart from these, some hotels have separate kennel areas to accommodate their canine guests at night. Considering the fact that dogs can suffer from separation anxiety if they are forced to spend the night away from their human parents, this should only be considered as the last option.
Pet Amenities: Some pet hotels such as the Four Seasons Hampshire provide a welcome kit for all guests travelling with dogs. Rooms are equipped with doggie bowls for both food and water. Pets are also allowed to freely roam the property. In an effort to make sure their canine guests feel right at home some hotels offer complimentary doggie treats and toys. Hotels may also offer pet sitting and walking services. Research online or call the hotel directly to find out the full range of pet amenities they offer. Alternatively, you can search online for local hotel pet sitting services and book them for your stay.
Rules and Restrictions: When it comes to rules and restrictions, the lesser there is the better. You would ideally want to select a hotel that’s run by pet-loving staff members who treat pets as honored guests. If you feel a hotel is too focused on enforcing strict rules and not enough on making you and your pet feel special then it’s best to find other options.
Documents Required: Most hotels would insist on checking the vaccination details of all the pets they check in. This is a good thing because that ensures your pet does not pick up a disease when socializing with other dogs in the hotel. Talk to the hotel representative to find out all the documents you need to carry.