Hotel Chains that Welcome Large Dogs

Traveling with a large dog can be challenging.

The good news is that most of us at Petswelcome own large dogs and are sympathetic to what’s involved when heading out with our big ol’ buddies. To that end, we have dedicated a page to finding hotels that will gladly welcome large dogs.

You can also use our Petswelcome Passport program to input your dog’s weight and save it as a default so that anytime you search for hotels, you won’t have to wade through tons of hotels that only allow small dogs.

Finally, you can also check out our Hotel Chains page to find pet policies that allow big dogs at many of their hotels.

Why Don’t All Pet-Friendly Hotels Accept Large Dogs?

It’s always been a mystery to us but it’s probably based on some misconceptions in the hospitality industry. It could be that hotel management believes big dogs might be intimidating to guests who don’t travel with pets. Or that big dogs can do more damage to a room. However, these reasons do not hold up. That’s because anyone who owns a big dog knows that they don’t want to bother anyone, are pretty laid back, and, therefore, not a threat to other guests or prone to breaking things. Another reason could simply be that they are bigger, have more hair to shed and require extra cleaning. This, too, doesn’t pass the truth test. Hotel cleaning staff have significantly upped their game since COVID-19 and regularly do deep cleaning and disinfecting procedures that certainly cover anything that big dogs leave behind without needing further cleaning. Whatever the reasons for many pet-friendly hotels not accepting big dogs, it’s a stubborn reality that requires some homework before you hit the road.

How Big is a Big Dog?

A big dog is in the eye of the beholder. For our purposes, we consider any dog 75 lbs. or more a large dog. And while a 75-pound dog might not seem large to many people, put one in the back seat of your Honda Fit and you might change your mind. We chose that weight, however, because many hotels think it’s a big dog and top their size limit out at the 75 to 80-pound limit. Your hotel options drop precipitously once you get in the over 80 pounds range. However, don’t despair. The good news is that several hotel chains have no weight limits at all, so you don’t have to resort to trickery or dishonesty to get them into the hotel.

Pet-Friendly Chains That Have No Size Restrictions

This segment of the pet-friendly market covers all economic ranges, from budget hotels like Motel 6 to boutique luxury hotels such as Kimpton. Regarding the mid-range, there are a number of Sonesta Brands that also have no size limit.  

Kimpton Hotels

Talk about pet-friendly, Kimpton, an upscale boutique hotel chain with 50+ properties, tops everyone with its pet policy: If your pet fits through the door, we’ll welcome them. Enough said

Motel 6

If you’re looking to travel on a budget with your big dog, Motel 6 has you covered. Their pet policy is sweet and simple: All well-behaved pets and service animals stay free at Motel 6. It doesn’t get better than that.

Sonesta Hotels

Sonesta has five primary sub-brands that welcome pets. Royal Sonesta, Sonesta Hotels & Resorts, and Sonesta Select allow up to two pets (cats and dogs) per room for $75 per stay with no breed or size limit. Sonesta ES Suites and Sonesta Simply Suites have the same policy but charge $150 for stays longer than seven nights. If you see a Sonesta sign on the highway and you’ve got Cowabunga, your Cane Corso, getting restless in the backseat, it’s time to hit the next exit.

Studio 6

Studio 6, an extended-stay property that is part of the Motel 6 brand, requires a $10 per-day pet fee to a maximum of $100 per stay and has no size limit. Studio 6 Suites is a sub-brand of Studio 6 and allows well-behaved pets without a fee or size limit. 

Pet Friendly Chains That Allow Dogs Up to 75 – 100 Pounds

Okay, here’s the part where we’ll let you in on a little trade secret that will get your big dog into more hotels than you ever thought possible. It’s called the Hotels Are Not Fish Syndrome. Huh? you might be thinking. Let us explain. It means hotels don’t have scales. Get it? At least not at the front desk. So if you walk into an 80-pound-limit hotel with a 95-pound pooch, they’re not going to weigh it, and you’ll probably slip right on in. We’ve discovered that most front desk people haven’t worked the Westminster Dog Show and have little aptitude for judging the physical attributes of canines. Not that we’re suggesting you purposely break the rules (our lawyers made us say that), but most hotels aren’t going to turn you away. As a matter of fact, many front desk employees have told us this when we call to inquire about their pet weight policies, so don’t feel guilty about it. Besides, traveling with a pet requires a brave, adventurous and enterprising soul, so go for it!

The following chains do not have across-the-board policies For example, while most Red Roof Inns will take your 80-pound dog, not all will. The good news is that we’ve done the homework so you can check them individually on Petswelcome to see their policy.  

Best Western

With more than 4,700 hotels around the globe and 18 different brands, Best Western International is one of the world’s largest hotel chains. While every property of its namesake properties—Best Western, Best Western Plus, and Best Western Premier—don’t accept pets, most do with a weight limit from 80 to 100 pounds.

Candlewood Suites

Owned by InterContinental Hotel Group, Candlewood Suites, with nearly 370 properties, allows pets up to 80 pounds and charges a two-tiered fee system that averages $75 per stay for up to 6 nights and $150 for 7 or more nights.

Drury Hotels

Drury Hotels is an excellent midscale brand with 150 hotels in 26 states. They all accept up to 2 cats or dogs with a daily pet fee of $50 plus tax and a combined weight of 80 lbs. So, if you’ve got one pretty big dog, Drury has got you covered.

Extended Stay America

With over 700 Extended Stay America’s nationwide, it’s a great option for your big dog if you’re considering going on a longer trip. Or even if you’re not. They are the only national chain that judges size by inches rather than pounds. Their pet policy states that “pets can be no longer than 36 inches and no taller than 36 inches.” If you do the measurements, that’s a pretty big dog (and a really huge cat….). Their fee structure is $25 per pet per day for the first 6 nights and $10 per pet per day after that. 

La Quinta Inns & Suites

La Quinta used to have one of the friendliest pet policies in the industry, with no pet fee and no size limit. Since Wyndham acquired them in 2018, they’ve changed the policy for most of their properties, with their weight restriction just making the “large dog” cut-off at 75 pounds. Some still have no pet fee or weight limit, but the standard policy for most properties is, Cats and dogs only. $25 nightly for up to 2 pets. Max $75 per stay. 75 pounds or less per pet.  

My Place Hotels

My Place Hotels is a relatively new, rapidly expanding Midwestern chain with about 80 properties. Their hotels accept pets up to 80 pounds across all their properties with a pet free that averages $15 – 30 per night, not to exceed $75 – $100 per week. 

Red Roof Inn

Red Roof Inns, with more than 670 properties, has a general pet policy that allows one (sometimes two) pets for free with an 80 pounds. max. per room.

Also, be sure to check out Inns, Bed & Breakfasts and nonchain affiliated hotels, too. Since many of the proprietors are pet owners themselves, they can be the most pet friendly lodgings out there.  Some great examples are the Seahawk Inn & Villas, in Atlantic Beach, NC; Land’s End at Cannon Beach, Cannon Beach, OR; and Fairbanks Inn, St. Johnsbury, VT,  all of which have no weight restrictions.