As April approaches so do National Pet Day and National Pet Month, and there’s hardly a better way for Tablet to celebrate than by fantasizing about taking our four-legged companions around the world.
And when that time finally comes, there’s no shortage of hotels to chose from. Pet-friendly is a moniker that often means a wide gamut of creatures are welcome, sometimes for a fee, sometimes not. But one thing is for sure: amenities for that most mobile of beasts are by far the most common. For dog lovers, “pet-friendly” is such an appealing perk that hotels everywhere compete to show that they love pooches most. And as you’ll see, they can rarely resist proving their point with a pun.
The following hotels have some of the best pet perks we’ve seen anywhere. And if you ever find yourself looking for a pet-friendly place in a city we haven’t represented below, get in touch with our customer service team. They have the full list, and they love animals. Until then, enjoy the photos.
Palihouse Santa Monica
Los Angeles Area, CA
The Palihouse speciality is making hotels “so comfortable you could quite literally move in,” and that’s doubly true when they not only let you bring your dog, but shower her with treats (organic, of course — this is California), beds, toys, and dog walkers. A call to the front desk makes the latter happen, or, if you’d rather keep your dog by your side, you can check out Palihouse’s personalized guide to dog friendly activities around the town. That includes their favorite pet-friendly restaurants, and — again, this is California — no shortage of canine-friendly hikes, parks, and beaches.
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Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami
Miami, FL
Whereas the most blasé pet-friendly hotels generally just hand out a dog toy or two upon arrival, the Hyatt Centric in Miami has found a way to innovate, bringing excitement back to the pun-amenity space with their incredible “Wooftop Deck.” Exactly as implied, the Wooftop is a rooftop dog park for people and their dogs. Come here with your pooch to lounge around with whimsically named cocktails from the nearby Deck Sixteen restaurant bar. On name alone, the bark collins deserves special praise.
Rosewood London
London, England
In a Belle Époque edifice set between London’s West end and the City, dogs and cats receive a king’s welcome in the form of bed, treats, toys, and litter box — while a dog friendly guide to the capital is slipped into the owner’s hands. Pearl’s Guide to London, named for the hotel’s own retriever, features the requisite restaurants, coffee shops, and pubs that welcome canine companions, in addition to options for in-house services like dog walking, sitting, and training. They even provide their own dog groomer, Jamie Griffen, to give canine spa-treatments. That translates to an hour of dog pampering to rival your own at the human facility onsite.
Belmond Reid’s Palace
Madeira, Portugal
In the setting of grand old palace on the terraced hillside above Madeira’s Bay of Funchal, the pup perks at Belmond Reid’s Palace are numerous, glorious, and conveniently listed on a menu. Some of those perks consist of gourmet food (beef or salmon tartare, veal liver with mushrooms and onions), some consist of activities (doggie day care, swimming pool, full body grooming). Then there are the next level offers: physiotherapy and behavior consultations. Other hotels let you bring your dog — this one actually makes it easier to own one.
ZaZa Dallas
Dallas, TX
One of Dallas’ most extraordinary hotels, Hotel ZaZa is a bit of the south of France transplanted to the south-central United States. You’d think the plush and urbane style might mean it’s human-exclusive, but of course pets are welcome, just as they are at ZaZa’s other Lone Star outposts. ZaZa’s location in Dallas, as well as their two in Houston, will all gladly welcome your canine companion and provide her with dog-friendly parks and attractions nearby, including four off-leash runs in Dallas and a botanic gardens, arboretum, and a 160-acre green space in Houston.
The Standard Downtown LA
Los Angeles Area, CA
The Standard Downtown LA, bright and funky, is nothing if not an expert curator. In general, they’re curating with a slant towards leisure, with stereo systems coming standard, disposable cameras stocked in the mini-bar, and Mr. Bubble for the oversized tub. But they do just as well curating for your pup, recommending endless rarities like dog-inclusive workout classes and dog massage, even acupuncture (and if we continue our fixation on puns, the recommended doggie daycare center, Chateau Marmutt, is a must). In fact, for the last few years pets have stayed for free at all The Standard hotels — from New York to Miami to London — and they’re each full of dog-friendly recommendations.
Surfsand Resort
Cannon Beach, OR
You know a hotel is pet friendly when they have their own dog show. Come October, guests and locals enter their dogs in 20 categories and trot them along the dog-friendly beach, with proceeds benefiting a local Oregon dog shelter. But it’s not just at showtime. Canines are just a fact of life here at Surfsand, where dog-guests are checked in with a personalized welcome board and treats are stocked daily in a cookie jar. Since this is beachfront living, there’s also a paw wash on the path leading back from the beach. This is a vacation for everyone.
Le Bristol Paris
Paris, France
We’ve seen the resident hotel dog, but the resident hotel cat is a novelty we’ve found so far exclusively at Le Bristol Paris. Here you’ll find Fa-Raon, a particularly photogenic Burmese cat, hanging out at concierge or in the garden, in the lobby or in his very own apartment, a reminder that this reserved, celebrity-feted Parisian gem will welcome your own pet with gusto and a gift package — one includes food bowls and mineral water, treats and a personally embroidered rug.
Soho Grand
New York City, NY
Cast iron canines stand guard inside the Soho Grand, a feature wholly appropriate in a city absolutely dog-obsessed. Indeed, the feelings of the city are more than reflected in this high design headquarters, a place where the international jetset flit around — and so do their pets. Besides the treats, beds, food and food bowls offered to visiting pups, there’s another amenity that’s particularly fantastic, as welcome as it is unlikely in a city that values real estate so much. We’re talking about the exclusive dog park, created by top landscape designer Rebecca Cole in perfect proximity to the hotel. Full of fire hydrants, benches, even a garden, it’s the envy of every pet-parent in Manhattan.
Eden Roc at Cap Cana
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
At a resort where everyone gets their own swimming pool, it’s already an extremely good start that pets are more than welcome to dive in. While they’re not supposed to go in the common pool areas, the ocean, the hotel, and the Caleton Beach Club are all right there for them as well. Add to that a gift of towels, treats, fresh meals, “royal dog bedding” and cat “deluxe litter.” It’s all part of the VIP program, and yes, the “P” stands for pet. It bears mentioning that Eden Roc’s especially kid-friendly as well.