For pet owners, the days of bribing neighbors with wine and chocolates from some far-flung place in return for feeding your pets in your absence are long gone. And this isn’t because people are dropping their furry creatures off at a pet “hotel” on their way to the airport.
Today, there’s a simpler, less expensive and highly enjoyable option: Travel with your pet. Thanks to an increasing number of luxurious pet-friendly hotels around the world, vacationing with your favorite four-legged family member has never been easier.
While lots of hotels will allow you to bring a pet (for a small fee, typically), others do much more than tolerate the animal in your life: This lot rolls out the red carpet for your special travel companion’s stay.
These pet-friendly establishments offer beds, bowls, bespoke in-room dining and even spa treatments. And although dogs are the most common four-legged visitors, many hotels will now welcome pretty much any animal, from horses to ferrets, each catered to based on animal need.
So, if you’re looking for a luxurious break for the entire family, read on for 13 of the most pet-friendly hotels in the world:
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle
Kimpton Hotels’ pet policy is pretty simple: If your pet can fit through the door, they’re welcome to stay. Although you may have to leave your horse at home, pretty much anything else goes. To wit: Baby pigs, llamas and goats have all been guests in the past. Not surprisingly however, dogs are the most common visitors.
At a minimum, each of the group’s 60 hotels around the world will provide water bowls, treats, pet beds, toys and clean-up bags at no extra charge for your furry friend (whatever it might be).
Many of the hotels even have a canine Director of Pet Relations, a resident dog who greets human guests and their pets and ensures that all facilities are up to scratch.
The Kimpton Monaco Seattle takes things up a notch with a particularly good doggie dining menu for a small extra cost that includes smoked beef marrow bones; pig skin chew toy; beef stew; grilled hamburger and a frozen dessert Pupsicle made from peanut butter, yogurt and banana.
And another Kimpton property – Hotel Monaco Denver – upped their dog-friendly policy with a sweet Puppies + Prosecco package running through August 26. It is essentially puppy room service with a cold adult beverage. The hotel is dog-friendly year-round.
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle, 1101 4th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, +1(206) 621-1770
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver, 1717 Champa Street, Denver, CO 80202, +1 (303) 296-1717
Fairmont San Francisco
The iconic Fairmont San Francisco will welcome dogs, cats and other pets. You just need to inform them in advance and pay a $75 fee. As you might expect from one of the city’s most prestigious hotels, the welcome for pets is every bit as luxurious as it is for their human companions, with a comfy bed and water bowls ready and waiting in the room on arrival.
San Francisco is of course a great city for walking, another reason to invite your dog the next time you head to the Bay area.
Dogs are guaranteed to get plenty of exercise in neighboring Huntington Park or along the famously steep streets. Back at the hotel, after working up an appetite, pets can enjoy their own room service menu featuring chicken or salmon with vegetables and brown rice.
Didn’t bring your own pet? Consider enlisting the services of Lilou, San Francisco’s number one therapy pig who often visits the hotel for special events and the odd staycation with her owner. Pigs may not fly yet, but they do stay in hotels.
Fairmont San Francisco, 950 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA, 94108, + 1 (415) 772 5000
NIZUC, Mexico
One of the joys of traveling is discovering and trying local cuisine, so why should it be any different for your pet?
At the NIZUC Hotel and Spa in Mexico, the in-room dining menu for pets has a distinctly local flavor including the Champion’s Burrito made from egg, sausage and shredded cheese all wrapped up in a fresh corn tortilla.
NIZUC welcomes both dogs and cats up to 10 pounds and provides beds, bowls and water throughout the stay. The luxurious resort has plenty to keep both owners and pets entertained, with acres of beach and forest to explore as well as a spa, pool and several restaurants. Extra-adventurous animals can even head out to the ocean with you so you can try paddle boarding together. If nothing else, it’ll make for a great memory.
NIZUC, Blvd Kukulcan Mz 59 Lote 1-03 Km 21.26, 77500 Cancún, QROO, Mexico, +52-998-891-5700
Eden Roc Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
The Eden Roc Cap Cana is Relais & Chateaux’s only property in the Dominican Republic, a beachside five-star stunner that doesn’t hold back on luxury. With boutique suites, a private beach set in front of the crystal-clear Caribbean Sea and a pool option too, it’s not a bad place to kick back and relax.
Befitting of such a location, the Eden Roc Cap Cana also offer a VIP (Very Important Paws) service for canine companions.
This includes “Royal Dog Bedding,” plush pet towels, treats, food and water bowls, and walking services. The “Bone Appetite” menu features woofles, pupsicles and a meaty pavlov(a).
Proving it really is a VIP service, the hotel has welcomed a discerning pet-friendly hotel expert, TravelingTink, one of Instagram’s most famous dogs, who’s given the resort a big paws-up.
Eden Roc Cap Cana, Juanillo, Punta Cana, Provincia la Altagracia 23002, Dominican Republic, +1 833 333 6762
Coworth Park, UK
Part of the Dorchester Collection, Coworth Park is one of the UK’s most luxurious countryside retreats. With 240 acres of private estate located near to the world-famous Ascot racetrack, the hotel offers a huge range of horse-related activities from gentle rides through the Berkshire countryside to polo matches.
For country folk who want to bring their own horse to experience these top equestrian facilities, Coworth Park offers the “Ultimate Horse Check In” package for a little more than $70 per night per horse.
It starts with your horse’s name on the stable door, plus a welcome card and personalized check-in. Arrival treats are on offer too, including a Himalayan Rock Salt Lick and snacks made by the hotel’s Michelin-starred pastry chef, using molasses, oats, honey and carrots.
After a day riding, your trusty steed will be pampered with an equine manicure (hood oil moisturizing treatment), a luxury post-ride bubble bath, and a relaxing aromatherapy oil muscle massage.
Coworth Park, Blacknest Rd, Sunningdale, Ascot SL5 7SE, United Kingdom, +44 1344 876600
Rosewood, London
Some people may take their pets on holiday because it’s convenient; others take them for a pampering that would be the envy of most people, let alone other animals.
The “Luxury Canine Package” at the Rosewood London (around $2,780 a night for two people plus pooch) is one such extravagant experience whereby pets and owners are both given the five-star treatment.
For the pooches there’s a stylish dog bed, collar, leash, and coat all designed by British heritage brand Barbour, plus a one-hour grooming session with celebrated dog groomer Jamie Griffen.
There’s no need to bring dog food with you either, as the Rosewood provides natural and organic dishes from Lily’s Kitchen. For the owners, there’s a Grand Premier suite, spa treatments, a personal butler service, and a full English breakfast in the morning.
Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN, United Kingdom, +44 20 7781 8888
Le Bristol, Paris
Think your pet has a nice life, furnished with all the comforts you can think of?
Meet Fa-Raon, the beautiful Burmese cat who is a permanent resident at Le Bristol, one of Paris’ most decadent hotels. Fa-Raon wanders the hallways decked out in a Goyard bow-tie collar and even has his own apartment designed by graffiti artist Renk.
Your own four-legged friends (both dogs and cats are welcome) can expect similar levels of comfort at Le Bristol of course, with a handcrafted bed and matching embroidered mat. Customized with your pet’s name, the accessories will be ready and waiting in your suite upon your arrival.
But that’s not all! Expect a silver water bowl filed with chilled Evian plus special monogrammed cookies stamped with Le Bristol’s crest and your pet’s name. In-room dining options are scarcely less glamorous for pets than humans, with grilled steak and roasted baby vegetables on the menu for your discerning pup or kitty cat.
Le Bristol, 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France, +33 1 53 43 43 00
Hewing Hotel, Minneapolis
The luxe yet understated North Loop hotel is happy to welcome guests’ pups (cats are allowed, too). And it is intent on showing both human and canine a good time.
Visitors who opt for the detailed Doggie Boarding Package will discover a comprehensive guide to all the nearby dog-friendly parks and spots in the hip neighborhood.
Those looking for less outdoorsy activity may opt for a short jaunt to local brewery such as Modist, a spacious spot where you can sip a wood-fermented pilsner and your dog can lap up water – and attention.
Return to the hotel for some R&R. The inviting room with exposed wood beams is large enough to fit a dog bed, so you and your furry friend can take a load off.
The Doggie Boarding Package also includes dog treats, toys, food and water bowls set up in the room, plus a Hewing Hotel bandana so he or she can be on brand.
Happen to sync your stay on one of the few Sundays a month when Yappy Hours take place, and you’ll get a chance to mingle with local partners specializing in dog goods and sometimes dog yoga.
Hewing Hotel, 300 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401, +1 (651) 468-0400
The Hoxton, Amsterdam
While many hotels now offer a warm welcome to dogs, few have created websites especially for them, written in their native dog language – until now.
The Hoxton hotel’s newly-launched Hox Hounds site has all the information your pooch needs about their stay, helpfully translated into woofs and barks, and illustrated by London designer Alice Bowsher. Furthermore, the Hoxton Amsterdam (and all other Hoxton hotels) offers dogs their own custom-made dog bed, Do Not Disturb sign, and dog-friendly Mutt Manual (just like the hotels’ humans Hox Guide), except written in dog, complete with local dog walkers’ details, the best parks in the area, pet spas, vets and plenty more.
The Hoxton, Herengracht 255, 1016 BJ Amsterdam, Netherlands, +31 20 888 5555
Belmond Reid’s Palace, Madeira
Opened in 1891, Reid’s Palace, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, has welcomed many distinguished guests over the years. Notable names include the likes of Winston Churchill and George Bernard Shaw.
It now offers guests’ pets a similar VIP treatment. Called Puppy Palace, the exclusive stay involves a retreat specially designed to provide a safe haven in which pets can be groomed, indulged and revitalized. A luxury wash and fluff dry service, calming full body grooming and personal training sessions are just some of the indulgent services available. Both dog walking and dog sitting services are also available for guests planning a big night out in Madeira.
And, if your pooch gets into any mischief, Belmond Reid’s Palace can even arrange a behavioral consultation to restore mind-body balance to anxious mutts.
Finally, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant will happily supply daily meals for around $40 per day, with dishes including beef tartare with vegetables and fruit; salmon tartare with banana; hearty meatballs; boiled rice with chicken and vegetables; and veal liver with mushrooms and onions.
Belmond Reid’s Palace, Estrada Monumental 139, 9000-098 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, +351 291 717 171
The Langham Sydney
The Langham is Sydney’s only pet-friendly luxury accommodation, and the hotel extends a five-star welcome to cats, birds, and dogs as long as they are under 44 pounds for around $85 per pet.
The hotel’s Pampered Pets program offers a plush bed, bowls, treats and an incredible in-room dining menu with dishes for all types of animal friends. For dogs there’s roast Angus beef; for cats, ocean-fresh sashimi and poached salmon; and birds, fresh crunchy crudités.
The hotel also offers pet-sitting services should, for instance, their human pals want to indulge in a couple of hours at the spa. Pet owners intent on spoiling their beloved creatures can purchase a pet product from the hotel’s on-site shop, The Flavors of Langham, on their way back to the room.
The Langham, 89-113 Kent St, Millers Point NSW 2000, Australia, +61 2 9256 2222
Hawley House Tasmania
At Hawley House, on the northern coast of Tasmania, all pets are welcome to join in the fun – past guests have included dogs, ferrets, rabbits, horses, cats and even chickens.
Set in a 19th-century family estate home on the coast, the small boutique hotel is pet paradise, surrounded by natural beauty and wildlife. Hawley House has miles of private bushwalking trails as well as a dog-friendly beach at the bottom of the garden, as well as its own resident German Shepherds (and turkeys) to show any visiting pets the ropes.
Pets are allowed in the stables spa rooms only as these have slate floors and direct access to the gardens, plus they can join owners for a soak on the hotel’s special outdoor bath on the rooftop. As the local wild residents in the surrounding area include penguins, eagles and even Tasmanian Devils, it goes without saying that pets must be kept on leads when exploring.
Hawley House, 68 Hawley Esplanade, Hawley Beach TAS 7307, +61 3 6428 6221
Kai Kinugawa, Japan
Japan’s hot spring (onsen) hotels are where stressed-out city dwellers head for some much-needed rest and relaxation and many now welcome pets too as a result of the country’s booming pet ownership (pets now outnumber young children in Japan). Hoshino Resorts’ luxury onsen hotel, KAI, in the famous spring town of Kinugawa is one such pet-friendly palace that has adapted to the times.
Shingo Koizumi, the marketing manager at KAI Kinugawa says: “In Japan, people are having less children and they are paying more attention to their pets. There is an increasing number of people bringing their pets along with them on holiday. KAI Kinugawa was the first KAI property to provide a pet room in order to cater to this growing demand from our guests.”
The hotel’s specially designed dog rooms feature pet towels, bowls, an outdoor dog run and even private hot spring baths for both pooches and people. The surrounding area has plenty of walking opportunities too, including the Nikko National Park and Hunter Mountain Shiobara.
Kai Kinugawa, 308 Kinugawaonsentaki, Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture 321-2526, Japan, +81 570-073-011
Stacey Lastoe contributed additional reporting to this story.
