Whether your dog-sitter backed out at the last minute or you simply can’t bear to leave Rusty behind, finding dog-friendly places to stay on the road can prove a challenge. Fortunately, because more people than ever are travelling with their pets, many hotels, motels and even bed & breakfasts are becoming pet-friendly. You simply need to plan ahead, if possible, and search out a dog-friendly itinerary. Here’s how to find dog-friendly hotels during your summer-time travels.
Plan ahead
The best advice is to plan your dog-friendly trip in advance. You need to book your reservations in advance, and make sure your lodging choices will accept your four-legged family member. There’s simply no stopping by the side of the road at the first motel you find when your pooch is along for the ride. Chances are, that motel won’t take dogs and you’ll be stuck spending time tracking down lodging that does. Save your time and effort.
Many of the big hotel chains indicate on their websites whether or not pets are welcome. Often, they limit the size of the dogs (no dogs over 18 kilos is common), and they usually charge an extra fee for a pet in the room. More places are waiving those fees, so check on that when you make your reservations. Some hotels may require your dog to be crated in the room, or require that you can’t leave your dog alone in the room. Ask for all of a hotel’s pet policies before you confirm a reservation.
Talk direct
Don’t make your reservations through a central reservations call centre or online. Call the hotel directly and speak to someone at the front desk, or a manager. Call centre employees typically don’t know a hotel’s specific lodging policies. For example, some hotels do accept pets, but the call centre people may not know it, so deal directly with the people who know the policies first hand — even if this means waiting on hold for a while or calling several times until you get the right info.
Do a dog-friendly search
Once you know your travel itinerary, do a search using the city name you’re visiting plus the term “dog-friendly hotels” (for example, “Melbourne dog-friendly hotels”). Most cities and towns now have lists of the lodging in their area that accepts pets. Always contact a hotel or accomodation provider directly before you book your reservation. You can’t just assume that just because specific lodgings are on the list, that they still have that policy.
Visit pet travel websites
Several travel websites have sprung up that cater directly to pet travel. Often, you can search these sites for specific locations to find the pet-friendly lodging in the area you wish to visit. Some of the pet travel websites note that they’ve verified specific pet policies, so you don’t have to.
Be a responsible pet owner
Once you’ve found the perfect hotel for your family, clean up after your dog, keep him quiet if he’s a barker, and don’t leave your room in a shambles when you leave town. Responsible owners make it easier for others to travel with their pets, so don’t be the reason hotel management ends their dog-friendly program!
Pack for your pet
Take plenty of food and water, prescribed medications, his leash, dog bed or his favourite blanket, and toys to keep him from getting bored. Be sure to have a tag on his collar that indicates his name and your contact information in the case he gets separated from you.
More pet-friendly tips
- Top apps for pet owners
- Cool products to help your pet stay cool this summer
- Pet-friendly holidays spots in Oz
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