Travelling with a pet: the questions to ask a hotel before you book

Hotel listings often sum up a pet policy in one line, such as pets allowed, pets allowed on request or pets not allowed. That line rarely answers everything a pet owner needs to know. This explainer sets out what to ask a hotel before you book a stay with a dog or cat, how to read the pet line on a booking site, and how to keep the answers you get.

Read the pet line on the listing first

Start with the policy section of the listing. Most booking sites show a short pet line near the check-in rules, and three wordings are common. Pets not allowed means the hotel does not accept them, and an exception is unlikely to be granted through a booking site. Pets allowed means the hotel accepts at least some animals, though conditions may sit further down the page.

Pets allowed on request means approval is not automatic: you ask, and the hotel answers. Treat it as an open question until the hotel replies in writing. Look also for phrases such as additional charge, types or fee per pet, which point to the rules covered below. If the pet line is missing, do not assume either way. Ask the hotel.

Which animals, how many and what size

A listing that allows pets may still name only some species. Some hotels accept dogs only, others dogs and cats. If your animal is not named, ask before you book rather than at the desk. Ask too how many pets one room may hold, and whether there is a weight or size rule.

Give the hotel the details it needs for a clear answer: species, breed, weight and age. Mention whether your pet is used to a crate, since some hotels ask that pets stay crated when left alone. A short message with these facts usually gets a short, clear reply.

How pet fees are charged

Pet fees come in several forms, and the listing may only say additional charge. Some hotels charge per pet per night, some per pet per stay, and some ask you to contact them for the amount. A refundable deposit is another model. Ask which applies to your stay.

Ask also whether the booking site collects the fee with the room or the hotel collects it at check-in. That matters, because a fee paid at the hotel may not appear in the total you see online. Check whether a cleaning charge can be added at check-out, and on what grounds. Write down the amount the hotel quotes, so you have it at the desk.

Rooms, floors and house rules

Hotels that accept pets often keep them to certain rooms, such as rooms on a lower floor, near an exit or with hard floors. Ask whether the room type you plan to book is one of them. Booking a different type online may leave you without a pet room at check-in.

Then ask about house rules. Find out whether a pet can be left alone in the room and for how long, whether housekeeping will enter while it is there, and whether pets may use the lobby, restaurant or outdoor areas. Ask where guests usually walk their dogs. Clear answers here save a difficult talk at the front desk late at night.

Service animals sit on a separate line

Many listings treat service animals separately from pets. A hotel may show pets not allowed and service animals allowed in the same policy block, and some add on request after the service animal line. Read both lines, because the pet rule does not tell you the service animal rule.

Rules on service animals vary by place and by hotel, and this explainer does not give legal advice. Ask the hotel directly what, if anything, it needs from you before arrival, and note who replied. If your animal is not a service animal, ask how the hotel classes it, since it may fall under the pet policy.

Keep every answer in writing

Phone answers are easy to forget and hard to show later. Send your questions through the booking site’s message tool or by email to the hotel, and keep the replies with your confirmation. Check that each reply names your dates and room type.

If the answer depends on approval, wait for that approval before you pay for a non-refundable rate. The cancellation rule depends on the rate you choose and is shown on the booking site before payment. On arrival, mention the pet at check-in even if the booking already notes it, so the desk can assign the right room.

Pet stay questions

Q1What does pets allowed on request mean on a hotel listing?

It means the hotel decides case by case. Send the hotel your pet’s details and wait for a written yes before you pay, especially on a non-refundable rate.

Q2Is a hotel pet fee included in the price shown online?

Not always. Some hotels collect pet fees at check-in, outside the online total. Ask the hotel how and when the fee is charged.

Q3Can I bring a cat if the listing only mentions dogs?

Do not assume so. When a listing names species, others may not be accepted. Ask the hotel before booking and keep its reply.