Ten tips for choosing & staying in a dog friendly hotel
Snooze, explore, dine, repeat!
New dog owner or seasoned traveller, staying in a hotel with your four-legged friend can be a nerve-wracking affair. Will they be welcomed? How will they behave? Are there going to be lots of rules? Will I actually relax and enjoy it? We’ve put together a list of ten tips for choosing and staying in a dog friendly hotel and how to make it a wonderful, stress-free getaway for all the family.
1. Know your dog’s comfort zone and limits
It might sound like an obvious place to start but sometimes the joy of finding the most stunning dog friendly hotel can have us pressing ‘book’ before we’ve really considered if it’s the best option for our four-legged friend. If your dog leads a quiet country life surrounded by big open spaces and freedom to run off lead whenever they please, the hustle and bustle experienced on a city stay and the somewhat squeezed-in-size London hotel rooms are possibly not going to lead to the most joyous of holidays for them. Likewise, if your pup is used to ruling the roost with little to no regard for what they chew (slippers mostly in the Dog Friendly Destinations office) or which piece of furniture them deem snooze-worthy, a more formal hotel with stricter rules will likely add more stress and fewer moments of relaxation to your stay.
2. Research the local area
Do you picture yourself simply spending time in the hotel itself? Or do you want to explore the local (or wider) area? If you want to switch off and relax for the weekend, maybe all you need to confirm is whether the hotel’s grounds are sufficient to keep your canine companion entertained. If you’re keen to enjoy a more hearty adventure on four paws, you’ll want to research dog friendly places to go and dog friendly places to eat in order to build the perfect itinerary for you and your pack. You can start by using the search functionality on our homepage. On each hotel listing, we also include a comprehensive area guide packed with walks and days out that we think you and your dog will love.
3. Talk to the hotel beforehand to know what’s included
This is such an important one. ‘Dog friendly’ means different things to different people, and each individual hotel has a unique offering for four-legged friends. Some will have dog beds waiting for you, while others request that you bring your own. Same with bowls, blankets, treats and poop bags. We try to pack as much detail as possible into our listings, but when you make your booking and let the individual hotel know that you’re bringing your dog, just ask them to confirm what they provide and what they don’t. Better safe than sorry!
4. Review the hotel’s dog policy in advance
Nearly all hotels have a thorough dog policy. Please, please, please review it before booking. It will detail things such as how old your dog needs to be (often, it’s one year plus), where they can and can’t go in the hotel, whether your dog is allowed on the furniture, if you can leave them alone in the room, along with any other rules that you need to be aware of. We’re dog lovers. We find it hard to believe that some people aren’t. But hotels need to be conscious that other guests may not wish to be around four-legged friends so they need to have a structure in place to keep everyone happy.
5. Request a room that’s out of the way and with easy access to the hotel’s outdoor space
Most hotels have designated dog friendly rooms that are slightly more tucked away but with easy access to either the front door or to the grounds/gardens, but it’s worth adding a note to your booking to make certain this happens. It just means that your playful pooch is less likely to be distracted by passing footsteps, and that you’ll be able to quickly nip out for some fresh air as and when your dog needs to. You don’t want to be on a busy thoroughfare if your canine companion is likely to bark at strange noises, or stuck up on a high floor when time is of the essence.
6. Pack food, treats, toys and familiar-smelling blankets
While some hotels have amazing doggy menus, we’d still err on the side of caution and suggest you pack your pup’s favourite food. And treats to reward paw-fect hotel etiquette, too. Bring toys with you – noisy ones for the room are fine but non-squeaky ones are better for public spaces. Dog beds are often be provided but we’d always recommend bringing a familiar-smelling blanket to make your pooch feel at home.
7. Take your dog for a walk (and a sniff) as soon as you arrive at the hotel
It can be tempting to park up and rush to check in when you arrive at your dog friendly destination but from experience, we’ve found it a much less stressful affair to let our dogs stretch their legs and have a sniff around their new surroundings for half an hour. It helps them to let off steam after their journey and tire them out a little so that you can calmly settle in too.
8. Don’t leave your dog alone in your room unless they’re truly happy to be left
Many hotels are happy for you to leave your dog alone in your room providing you hang the ‘dog in residence’ sign on your door. However, if your four-legged friend is new to hotel stays, no matter how confident or happy they are to be left in their own homes, it’s best not to assume that they’ll be equally as comfortable in an unfamiliar place. It’s something to try and test for short periods of time initially to see how they cope. And …
9. Think about packing baby monitors (or ask the hotel if they have them)
Yes, baby monitors could be your best friend if you’re worried about leaving your dog snoozing while you pop to the bar or for dinner in the hotel restaurant. You’ll be able to hear if your pooch is pining for you or if they’re up to mischief without you.
10. Keep to your dog’s routine
We know that you don’t need to be told this but dog’s love routine … and have no respect for their owner’s dreams of a leisurely holiday lie in. If they’re used to rising at 6 am at home and heading straight out into the garden, they’ll want to do the same when staying at a hotel too. Our top tip? Pack something smart but easy to throw on at a moment’s notice. Even cute dogs can’t distract attention from owners wondering the corridors or grounds in a hotel robe.
Now you’ve read our top tips for tips for staying in a dog friendly hotel, browse our collection of dog friendly hotels.
Enjoy a paw-fect stay with your pooch right by your side.
