Many travelers actively search for pet-friendly accommodations, which allows them to bring along their furry family member while on vacation or traveling. With so many people owning a pet today, it’s not that surprising that cat and dog friendly retreats are so popular.
It’s also thanks to this popularity that the number of pet-friendly accommodation options has grown in recent years. However, before booking a touted pet-friendly hotel, it’s important to make sure it’s truly pet-friendly. Some tips to help with this can be found here.
What to Look for and Expect with Pet-Friendly Accommodations
To ensure you find accommodation that is truly pet-friendly, look for the following qualities or characteristics.
Reasonable Fees for Pets
The accommodation shouldn’t levy additional fees. One of the most common is the “one-time housekeeping fee.” These have been as high as $250. A charge of $25 is more acceptable.
Affordable Day to Day Pet Fees
A hotel or location that’s truly pet-friendly won’t charge an extremely high daily pet fee. If the fee quoted is $100 (and added to the housekeeping fee), this is unacceptable.
An acceptable amount is $10 to $25 per day. However, there are some high-quality pet-friendly accommodations that don’t charge anything extra.
Minimal Restrictions
Pet-friendly accommodations won’t put any restrictive conditions on pets or their owners. Some locations have a rule that you can’t leave your pet alone in your room or suite. They also require you to hire and pay to use the pet sitter at the location. A more acceptable rule is to keep the pet in a crate if you aren’t going to be in the room with them.
Location of Your Room
If you find a location that is really pet-friendly, it isn’t going to segregate you from the guests who don’t have pets or make you stay in a lower-quality section or room. If they do, it is best to find different establishments. This isn’t a true, pet-friendly location.
Cat-Friendly
Some so-called pet-friendly places don’t allow cats. Instead, they only allow dogs on-premises. The truth is, people travel with a variety of pets from cats and dogs to guinea pigs, turtles, house rabbits, and more. When these people are ready to stop and stay somewhere, they expect to take the pet in the room with them.
If the accommodations selected don’t allow this, how can they even call the establishment pet-friendly. This is essentially false advertising.
Finding Pet-Friendly Accommodations: What You Need to Know
It’s important to find places that have made a commitment to being pet-friendly. Several locations welcome pets with so-called “open-paws.” This roughly translates to a low per-diem pet fee, no housekeeping charge, and minimal restrictions. They may also provide relief areas for pets and bags for picking up pet waste.
To find the best accommodations, pet owners may have to take some time to research the options in the area where they are traveling. They can also ask people they know who have traveled to the location in the past if they can recommend a pet-friendly place.
Benefits of Traveling with Your Pet
Traveling with your pet offers benefits for everyone involved. It eliminates the need to pay someone to care for the animal while you are away and allows the pet and owner to maintain their bond. Traveling with a pet is also fun. It’s more enjoyable to travel with your best friend (even if they are furry) rather than traveling alone.
If you are traveling soon, try to look into finding pet-friendly housing. This allows you and your pet to stay together and both enjoy time away from home. You won’t regret making the decision to travel with your pet especially when you find quality, pet-friendly accommodations.