Pet-Friendly Hotel Chains: Fees, Pet Limits & Room Rules

Pet-Friendly Hotel Chains: Current Policy Comparison

Why this table looks more complicated than old hotel lists: because the real policies are complicated. A page that prints one fee next to “Hilton” or “Marriott” as if every hotel charges the same amount is usually flattening property-level rules into a number that is not universally true.

1. Kimpton: The Cleanest “No Pet Fee” Brand Promise

Kimpton repeatedly states on current hotel pages that every Kimpton hotel welcomes furry, feathery or scaly family members with no extra pet charge, regardless of size, weight or breed. Multiple current U.S. hotel pages also show a pet fee of $0 and no weight limit.

The nuance is pet count. Some Kimpton property pages display “NO_LIMIT pets allowed,” while another current hotel page may display a numeric count in its booking metadata. That means Patify does not convert the brand's generous size/weight/breed promise into a universal “unlimited animals in every room” guarantee. If you travel with several animals, verify the exact hotel.

• Fee: $0.
• Size/weight: no brand-level restriction published.
• Breed: no brand-level breed restriction published.
• Species: Kimpton's brand language is broader than dogs/cats.
• Multiple pets: verify the chosen property if traveling with a large group of animals.
• Unattended room: check the exact property's house rules.

Official examples: Kimpton Palomar South Beach · Kimpton Monaco Philadelphia

2. Motel 6: Pets Stay Free, but the Current Policy Has a Weight Cap

Motel 6 is still one of the simplest U.S. road-trip brands for pets, but current policy details matter. Motel 6 says ordinary well-behaved pets stay free, with no more than two pets per room and a combined weight of 150 pounds or less. The policy defines pets as domesticated/tame dogs or cats.

That is more specific than the old shorthand “Motel 6 has no weight limit.” For 2026 trip planning, use the current 150-pound combined limit.

• Fee: $0 at Motel 6.
• Pet count: maximum 2.
• Weight: 150 lb combined.
• Outside the room: leash or travel carrier.
• Check-in: all pets and service animals must be declared.
• Unattended: policy says pets should not be left alone; if unavoidable, follow its crate/carrier or front-desk notification/housekeeping procedure.
• Legal exception: municipalities can prohibit ordinary pets even when the brand policy normally permits them.

Official: Motel 6 Reservation Policies · Motel 6 Brand Pet Policy

Studio 6: Same Family, Different Fee

This is an easy booking mistake. Motel 6 and Studio 6 sit under the same policy framework, but ordinary pets at standard Studio 6 locations currently carry a $10 per day pet fee, capped at $100 per stay. The central policy notes that designated Studio 6 Suites locations may have a free-pet treatment.

Do not see the “6” logo and assume the Motel 6 free-pet rule automatically applies to every Studio 6 booking.

3. Red Roof: First Pet Free, Second Pet Has a Predictable Fee

Red Roof's current policy is unusually transparent. At Red Roof Inn and Red Roof PLUS+ locations, up to two well-behaved domestic dogs or cats are standard, each weighing no more than 80 pounds.

• First pet: free.
• Second pet: $15/night.
• Second-pet cap: $105 for stays of seven nights or longer.
• More than two pets: management discretion; additional fees can apply.
• Unattended: not normally allowed. An emergency exception requires front-desk notification/contact information.
• Housekeeping: staff will not clean while the pet is present.
• Restricted spaces: food-service, fitness, pool and laundry areas are off-limits to ordinary pets.

Brand-family caveat: Red Roof itself says policies can vary at HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof and The Red Collection. Always read the property page if you are not booking a standard Red Roof Inn/PLUS+.

Official: Red Roof Pet Policy

4. La Quinta: Most Hotels Are Pet-Friendly, Not All

La Quinta by Wyndham currently says most of its hotels feature pet-friendly rooms. The central policy allows up to two domestic pets per room and says selected properties may impose weight limits.

• Fee: an optional pet fee may be charged at check-in—currently $25/night with a maximum of $75 per room per stay.
• Pet count: maximum 2 domestic pets.
• Weight: selected hotels may impose a limit; call to confirm.
• Restricted areas: ordinary pets are excluded from areas such as breakfast room, fitness center and pool.
• Housekeeping: arrange cleaning around the pet; hotel staff will not clean while the pet is present under the central guidance.
• Exceptions: La Quinta publishes a list of locations that do not allow ordinary pets.

This is the model case for why “La Quinta is pet-friendly” is directionally true but not enough to make a nonrefundable reservation. The actual hotel can be an exception.

Official: La Quinta — Pet-Friendly Hotels & Policy

5. Staybridge Suites: All Americas Hotels Pet-Friendly, Local Fee/Weight

IHG says all Staybridge Suites hotels in the Americas are pet-friendly. That is a strong brand-level promise, but the exact weight restriction and nonrefundable pet fee vary by hotel.

Staybridge also publishes one of the clearest unattended-pet rules in this comparison:

• the pet may remain in the suite;
• if you leave the hotel premises, the unattended pet must be in a crate or pet carrier;
• a “Pet In Suite” magnet must be displayed;
• pets stay out of areas such as food-service spaces, fitness center and pool;
• the pet must be removed before housekeeping or another arrangement must be made.

This is especially useful for travelers who need to attend a short dinner or appointment without the dog: you know the basic brand rule in advance, then only the local fee/weight limit remains to be checked.

Official: Staybridge Suites Pet Policy

6. Candlewood Suites: Similar Americas-Wide Pet Framework

Candlewood Suites uses nearly the same structure. IHG states all Candlewood Suites hotels in the Americas are pet-friendly, while the maximum pet weight and nonrefundable fee are set by each hotel.

• Fee: varies by hotel.
• Weight: varies by hotel.
• Vaccination records: may be requested.
• Unattended: if you leave the premises, pet must be crated/carried.
• Housekeeping: remove pet or make arrangements with management.
• Public spaces: ordinary pets excluded from fitness center and pool.

For extended stays, the key is to ask for the total pet fee for your full date range, not just “what is the nightly pet fee?” A flat fee and a daily fee can produce very different totals on a three-week booking.

Official: Candlewood Suites Pet Policy

7. Best Western: Strong Program, Participating Hotels Only

Best Western says it has more than 1,200 pet-friendly hotels in North America, but it does not say every Best Western is pet-friendly. Participating hotels follow a useful common framework:

• up to two domestic dogs per room;
• maximum 80 pounds per dog;
• cats, birds and other animals may be accepted at property discretion with prior approval;
• maximum charge may be $40 per day per room with a pet or multiple pets;
• a refundable damage deposit of up to $150 per stay may be required.

Real property pages show why the “maximum” wording matters: one current Best Western lists $15/day, another $20, another $30 and another $40. In other words, $40 is not a universal fee—it is the current published ceiling in the chain-level program.

The central Best Western page does not publish one universal unattended-pet rule, so that must be checked with the hotel.

Official: Best Western — Pet-Friendly Hotels

8. Extended Stay America: Standardized Size Limit, Potentially Expensive Daily Fees

Extended Stay America publishes a highly specific standard policy: maximum two pets per suite, with each pet no longer than 36 inches and no taller than 36 inches. Larger pets or more than two require manager approval.

The fee structure deserves close attention:

• up to $25 + tax per day, per pet for the first six nights;
• after that, up to $15 + tax per day, per pet;
• service animals are exempt from this pet cleaning fee.

Cost example: at the posted maximum, one pet staying six nights can add up to $150 before tax. Two pets can add up to $300. For a ten-night stay, the published schedule can reach up to $210 per pet before tax ($150 for the first six nights + $60 for nights 7–10). That makes Extended Stay America's policy predictable—but not necessarily cheap for multi-pet long stays.

Its central policy does not provide one clear unattended-room rule comparable to Staybridge/Candlewood, so ask the property before planning to leave a pet alone.

Official: Extended Stay America — Pet-Friendly Hotels · Extended Stay America — Terms / Pet Fee

9. Hilton: Huge Pet-Friendly Network, Property-Level Fees

Hilton currently markets more than 5,000 pet-friendly hotels across the U.S. and Canada on its pet-travel page, and its global pet-friendly location directory is even larger. But Hilton explicitly states that fees apply and vary by hotel.

Home2 Suites is particularly pet-forward as a brand, but the exact economics remain hotel-specific. For example, one current Home2 property page lists:

• $50 nonrefundable fee for 1–4 nights;
• $75 for 5+ nights;
• 2 pets maximum;
• 75 lb maximum weight.

That is a property example, not a universal Home2 rule. Use Hilton's pet-friendly filter to find candidates, then open the “Hotel Policies → Pets” block for the exact hotel.

Official: Hilton — Pet-Friendly Hotels · Home2 Suites Brand Page

10. Marriott: Use the Filter, Then Read the Property Policy

Marriott Bonvoy provides pet-friendly destination filters across its portfolio, but its own current pet-friendly pages tell guests that policies, fees and pet allowances vary by property and should be checked on the hotel website before booking.

That makes “Marriott is pet-friendly” too broad to be useful. A Residence Inn, Aloft, Element, Westin or independent Autograph/Tribute property may accept pets, but the fee, number and size rules are not one universal Marriott-wide number.

Best workflow: filter for pet-friendly → open exact hotel → find pet policy → verify fee/weight/count → call if the unattended rule is not published.

Official: Marriott Bonvoy — U.S. Pet-Friendly Hotels

Pet Fee Math: “$25” Can Mean Four Different Things

When comparing hotels, calculate the full-stay pet cost. A room that is $12 cheaper per night can still cost more overall if it adds $50–$100+ in pet fees.

Can You Leave Your Dog Alone in the Hotel Room?

This is one of the most important—and most poorly summarized—hotel pet rules.

This can determine your entire itinerary. If your dog cannot join a restaurant, museum, national-park trail or event and the hotel forbids unattended pets, you need daycare, a sitter, kennel/boarding, or a different hotel.

Service Animals: Hotel Pet Fees Do Not Apply the Same Way

Under current U.S. Department of Justice ADA guidance, hotels cannot restrict a guest with a qualifying service animal to designated “pet-friendly rooms.” The guest must have the same opportunity to reserve available rooms as other guests.

Hotels also cannot charge a pet cleaning fee or pet surcharge for a service animal. If the service animal actually damages the room, the hotel may charge the same damage fee it would charge another guest for comparable damage.

• No pet fee: qualifying service animal.
• No forced pet-room assignment: hotel cannot confine service-animal users to special pet rooms.
• Damage: ordinary damage charges can still apply if the hotel's normal policy charges guests for damage.
• Emotional-support animal: not automatically a service animal under the ADA solely because it provides comfort.

Official: ADA.gov — Service Animal FAQ · ADA Service Animal Requirements

Why Third-Party “Pet-Friendly” Filters Can Fail

A third-party booking site can correctly identify that a hotel accepts pets and still leave out the detail that breaks your trip:

• only designated room types accept pets;
• two pets are allowed but your combined weight is over the limit;
• the fee is per pet rather than per room;
• the property accepts dogs but not cats;
• the pet cannot stay alone while you leave the hotel;
• the hotel is a named exception to the brand's general pet program;
• the quoted room rate is nonrefundable before you discover the pet restriction.

Use third-party sites for price discovery if you want, but verify the final pet contract on the hotel's own website or directly with the property.

The 7-Step Booking Workflow That Prevents Check-In Surprises

1. Search the official brand site using the pet-friendly filter.
2. Open the exact hotel's property page, not only the brand pet page.
3. Write down the full-stay pet fee, not just the headline nightly fee.
4. Confirm number, weight/size and species limits.
5. Ask whether the pet can be left unattended, and if so whether a crate is mandatory.
6. Ask whether only certain room types/floors are pet-designated and confirm one is actually reserved.
7. Save the hotel's written policy or reservation confirmation so the terms you booked are easy to reference at check-in.

Which Hotel Model Fits Your Trip?

Build the Rest of the Trip Around the Hotel Rule

A hotel policy is not an isolated detail. If your dog cannot stay alone, your sightseeing options change. For outdoor-heavy itineraries, use Patify's dog-friendly national parks guide to distinguish true trail access from parks where the dog is limited to developed areas.

If you are flying to the road-trip starting point, the in-cabin pet travel checklist covers airline-side planning before the hotel stay begins.

FAQ: Pet-Friendly Hotel Chains

What hotel chain has no pet fee?

Kimpton's current brand promise is no extra pet charge regardless of size, weight or breed. Motel 6 also says well-behaved ordinary pets stay free, subject to its two-pet/150-pound-combined policy and legal exceptions. Red Roof's first standard pet stays free, while the second currently costs $15 per night.

Does La Quinta still allow pets?

Yes, most La Quinta hotels offer pet-friendly rooms, but not every property does. The current central policy lists named non-pet locations, permits up to two domestic pets, allows selected hotels to impose weight limits and says an optional $25/night fee may be charged up to $75 per room per stay.

Does Best Western allow dogs?

Many Best Western hotels do, but participation is property-specific. At participating hotels, the chain-level pet program allows up to two dogs with an 80-pound limit per dog and a maximum pet charge of $40/day per room; the actual property fee may be lower.

Can I leave my dog alone at Staybridge Suites?

Under the current Americas policy, yes—but if you leave the hotel premises, the pet must be in a crate or pet carrier.

Can I leave my dog alone at Red Roof?

Normally no. Red Roof's current policy allows an emergency exception only when the front desk is notified and current contact information is provided.

Do Hilton hotels charge the same pet fee?

No. Hilton explicitly says pet fees vary by hotel. Even within a pet-forward brand such as Home2 Suites, the exact fee, maximum weight and pet count should be checked on the chosen hotel's policy page.

Do service dogs pay hotel pet fees?

No. Under federal ADA guidance, hotels cannot charge pet fees or cleaning surcharges solely because a guest uses a qualifying service animal. The hotel may charge for actual damage under the same damage policy applied to other guests.