How to Spot Genuine Dog-Friendly Hotels & Avoid the Pet-Friendly Imposters

Travelling with your dog should be about more than simply finding a place that’s tolerable for the night. The ideal is to discover a genuinely dog friendly hotel that is committed to meeting your needs as a dog owner with basic amenities like food and water bowls, and dog food in case you run out. A hotel at doesn't restrict your dog to the room allowing them access to the bar and lounges, who will walk your dog when you need them to, and direct you to the nearest dog friendly pubs.

In a world where most hotels claim to be pet friendly, that ideal can sometimes feel like a daydream, but I can tell you from experience that those hotels are out there.

But how do you find them without someone recommending them to you?

As someone who has stayed in hundreds of hotels around the world with my dog, I've experienced the full spectrum of what "pet-friendly" can mean. I’ve seen firsthand how this vague term can create a disconnect between a hotel's promise and the reality of your stay. Too often, hotels treat dogs as an afterthought, leading to frustrations like unexpected fees, unfair access restrictions, a lack of amenities, or the discovery that only a few, less desirable, rooms are available for you.

To help you navigate this inconsistent landscape, I’ve distilled my experience into a systematic, ten-step approach. This framework is designed to help you look past the marketing slogans and ask the right questions. It will enable you to distinguish the hotels that are truly committed to canine hospitality from those that merely pay it lip service, ensuring a better, more seamless experience for you both.

1. Forget 'Pet Friendly', Search for 'Dog Friendly'

The very first step sets the tone for your entire stay. If you search for a “pet-friendly hotel,” you’ll get a mixed bag of hotels that see animals as an afterthought. The industry default—“pet-friendly”—makes it really difficult to find a good dog friendly hotel, and avoid the bad pet friendly ones. When a hotel deliberately calls itself “dog-friendly,” it’s sending a clear message: they understand and prioritise canine guests. You’ll often find that their staff training, menus, layouts and marketing are all consciously built around dogs’ needs and habits.

You can ignore the default pet friendly tag on Expedia or Booking, the tag is almost meaningless. If you like a hotel, head to the hotel’s own website and look for a dedicated “Dog-Friendly” section. If it’s buried two clicks deep under “Terms and Conditions” or absent entirely, that tells you all you need to know. Conversely, a prominent “Dog-Friendly” tab, ideally front and centre in the main navigation, suggests the property has invested in staffing, amenities, facilities, and services.

In my experience, genuinely good dog friendly hotels call themselves "dog friendly", and avoid the often outdated "pet friendly" marketing term, if you want to find the best hotels to stay with your dog, you should do the same.

2. Read the Policy with a Critical Eye

Once you’ve identified candidates with credible dog-friendly branding, it’s time to to dig into their policies, and not just skim the bullet points. The way a hotel presents its rules reveals its underlying attitude toward canine guests. Imposters often lead with lists of prohibitions: “No dogs in the lobby, no off-leash play, no leaving dogs unattended even for five minutes,” followed by stern warnings of fines or penalties. This approach treats dogs as risks to be managed.

Genuine dog-friendly hotels, on the other hand, open by highlighting the comforts and conveniences they provide: comfortable dog beds, food and water bowls, welcome treats, curated maps of off-leash parks within a five-mile radius. Rules appear only as brief, common sense guidelines phrased as “to ensure the comfort of all guests” rather than “or incur a £200 fine.” Transparency is key, the dog policy should be easy to locate, clearly titled, and written in warm, engaging language that conveys hospitality first and enforcement second.

I’ve seen countless hotels proudly advertise themselves as “pet-friendly,” only to arrive and find no food or water bowls, a strict ban from the bar, and dogs confined to the rooms. To avoid that disappointment, always ask specific questions about their pet restrictions and read the fine print of their policy before you book.

3. Look For Basic Amenities & Services

If a hotel fails to provide basic amenities like appropriately sized food and water bowls so you can comfortably feed your dog, they fail at being dog friendly in my view. I know of one well known hotel brand that enthusiastically prides itself on being pet friendly, but fails to provide food and water bowls, and doesn't sell food if you run out, or provide any sort of services/facilities. Instead you get one of those cheap plastic collapsible travel bowls intended for quick drinks on the go, that none of us would use to comfortably feed or water our dogs at home.

It’s the basics that transform “pet-friendly” into dog friendly. Beyond the basic bed and bowls, look for properties that allow you to order dog food, arrange grooming or spa sessions. Some hotels offer a Canine Concierge service where you can schedule walks, request fresh towels for the dog, or order meals with special dietary needs. When a hotel that provides amenities you need, or tailors the experience to your dog’s requirements, you know their hospitality goes well beyond mere tolerance, and that you are going to have a great time when you stay.

If they can't be bothered to provide you with a real food and water bowl while charging you a 'cleaning fee', you are better of staying elsewhere with your dog.

4. Beware the Cleaning Fee

Few practices expose a hotel’s true motivations quicker than the “cleaning fee.” Originally introduced to cover extraordinary sanitation efforts, it has become a lazy source of profit for unscrupulous hotels. Housekeeping staff routinely tell me that it doesn't matter if a dog or a child stays in the room, the cleaning regimen remains the same. Yet hotels continue to charge anywhere from £75 up to £150 extra per stay, and rarely bother to explain what those fees actually cover.

A legitimately dog-friendly establishment will either waive this fee altogether, making a statement that they stand by their capacity to clean to consistent standards, or charge a modest, clearly itemised amount in exchange for real amenities, like a high-quality dog bed, food and water bowls, a selection of locally sourced treats, and perhaps a voucher for a nearby dog-daycare or grooming service. Always call ahead and request a detailed breakdown. If the desk clerk cannot say what the fee includes beyond 'cleaning', you’re better off moving on.

5. Spot the “Limited Rooms” Scam

Few things frustrate me more than arriving at a “pet-friendly” hotel I’ve already paid for, only to be told, “I’m sorry, sir, we only have four dog-friendly rooms and they’re all occupied.” Suddenly I am left scrambling for new accommodations, and I usually end up arguing over their so-called pet-friendly status. “We are pet-friendly!” they always protest, yet their actions say otherwise.

This scarcity play often means that dog owners are relegated to the least desirable corners of the hotel, rooms beside loud service elevators, next to garbage chutes, or on the ground floor. To me the message is clear, dogs are barely tolerated.

Truly dog-friendly hotels make as many rooms as possible available to dog owners, usually every room type is open for booking with your dog. Allergy-sensitive guests receive priority access to a handful of designated pet-free rooms, while dog owners enjoy universal availability. When you see this model in action you can rest assured that dogs are central, not peripheral. Never stay at a hotel with only a few pet friendly rooms, it is a red flag and the hallmark of a bad pet friendly hotel.

6. Ask About Shared Space Access

Your dog shouldn’t be confined to a cramped corner of your room while you sip cocktails in the bar or lounge by the pool, assuming of course the hotel even lets you leave the dog in your room on its own. Shared-space access is a fundamental test of how seriously a hotel takes canine hospitality. Imposters will insist you carry your dog through the lobby, ban them from their bars and restaurants, or forbid them in public areas, relegating your dog to unwelcome guest status.

By contrast, the best dog-friendly hotels welcome leashed dogs into the lobby lounge, outdoor patios, and even certain dining areas. They maintain well-lit, landscaped relief zones complete with biodegradable waste stations, and may host regular dog-centric events, think weekday “Yappy Hours” featuring pup-safe mocktails, or weekend morning group walks led by a knowledgeable local handler.

When a hotel lets dogs in their lounges, bars and restaurant, it means you can fully enjoy the hotel with your dog by your side, and get a really good guest experience. I personally am often shocked at five star hotels calling themselves pet-friendly, whilst restricting dogs from being anywhere in the hotel other than the room. its what I call the Five Star Lie, in that it's only five star if you arrive without a dog.

7. Ask About Their Health & Safety Protocols

Nothing undermines a dog-friendly promise faster than an emergency unpreparedness. Top hotels maintain partnerships with local veterinary clinics, have a vet on-call 24/7, or a vets phone number behind reception in case of emergency. They keep basic first-aid kits, complete with bandages, tick removers and antiseptic wipes, in reception or with their concierge. You want to see explicit assurances that, should your dog stumble on a hike or get into something they shouldn’t, the staff have clear protocols to get medical help immediately, rather than scrambling to Google “vet near me” when the worst case scenario occurs.

8. Look For Staff Expertise & Training

A truly dog-friendly hotel shows it from the moment you arrive. Look for hotels that highlight staff training in canine behaviour, whether it’s through “dog safety” certifications or in-house workshops on reading dog body language. You’ll notice the difference when the front-desk team greets your pup by crouching down, offering a treat, and speaking in a calm, friendly tone, rather than tensing up or stepping back. That kind of confidence and care means they understand dogs, not just tolerate them. Hotels that prepare their teams with dedicated training covering canine guests, set their guests up for a great guest experience.

9. Ask About Local Dog-Friendly Experiences

A hotel can’t operate in a vacuum, its neighbourhood must also cater to canine guests. The best dog-centric properties collaborate with local businesses, dog-walking services, canine-only cafés, training schools, groomers, and even breweries with off-leash patios, to create fantastic guest experiences for dog owners. Ask whether they can help you with local dog walk routes, or book you a table at the nearby pup-friendly restaurant, any good dog friendly hotel will be able to, and this level of local integration turns a regular stay into a good experience.

10. Lean On Independent Certifications

This is obviously a shameless plug, but if you want to avoid calling multiple hotels to ask them lots of questions, then don't worry because I already did that for you. Its why I founded Roch Dog, to assess, certify, rank, and review pet friendly hotels.

We publish our criteria openly, compare hotels fairly, and rank hotels using a data-driven model that easily lets you see the best places to stay with your dog. We write comprehensive reviews of dog friendly hotels, covering every aspect of your stay, including contact details so you can book directly to get the best prices.

Hotels that earn a ranking from us have been rigorously evaluated against a comprehensive criteria, covering services, facilities, amenities and staff training to safety protocols, local partnerships, and charitable initiatives. Our transparent, data-driven ratings cut through marketing fluff, so you know exactly what to expect before you book, and from the moment you arrive with your dog.

Traveling with your dog shouldn't have to be a series of compromises and disappointing surprises. By asking pet-friendly hotels lots of questions, reading their policies for tone as well as content, scrutinising cleaning fees, sniffing out artificial room scarcity, demanding shared space access, and trusting only truly independent certifications, you’ll transform every hotel stay into an experience you and your dog will remember. Good dog friendly hotels know that if they look after my dog properly, they don’t just earn my business in the future, they will earn my loyalty over the long term, and will almost certainly see me and my dog again.

Most dog owners feel the same way.