Dog-Friendly Hotel Chains Compared

Choosing a chain is the fastest shortcut when you travel with a dog. Brand policies are not perfectly uniform, because franchise owners have discretion, but they are consistent enough that knowing the typical rules saves a great deal of searching. This comparison covers the eight chains we are asked about most.

A note on accuracy before the tables: everything on this page is the typical policy, which varies by property. Where our data supplier returns a specific hotel’s published policy, we show that hotel’s actual figures on its own page. When the brand guideline and the hotel’s own figure differ, the hotel’s figure is the one that applies.

How do the major dog-friendly hotel chains compare?

The eight chains split into three groups: no-fee brands, per-night brands and flat-fee brands.

Chain	Typical pet fee	Typical weight limit	Typical max dogs	Price level
Kimpton	$0	None	No stated cap	Upscale boutique
Motel 6	$0	About 150 lb combined	2	Economy
Red Roof Inn	$0 for one pet	80 lb	1 free	Economy
Aloft	$0 at many; varies	40 lb	1	Upper midscale
La Quinta	About $25 per night, capped near $75 per stay	Varies, often 75 lb	2	Midscale
Best Western	Up to $30 per day, max $150 per week	80 lb	2	Midscale
Extended Stay America	$25 per pet per day, max $150 per month	Varies	2	Economy extended-stay
Hyatt Place	$75 per stay (1 to 6 nights)	50 lb, or 75 lb combined	2	Upper midscale

Which chain is cheapest for a one-night stay with a dog?

Motel 6 or Red Roof Inn, because both typically charge $0 for a pet and have the lowest room rates. Among mid-priced brands, La Quinta’s nightly fee of around $25 is the cheapest add-on for a single night.

Flat-fee brands are at their worst here. A $75 per-stay fee on a one-night booking can add a third or more to the cost of a modest room. If you are on a road trip making a string of one-night stops, per-night and no-fee chains will save you a meaningful amount over a week.

One-night stay, one dog	Typical pet cost
Kimpton, Motel 6, Red Roof Inn	$0
Aloft	$0 at many locations
La Quinta, Extended Stay America	About $25
Best Western	Up to $30
Hyatt Place	$75

Which chain is cheapest for a week with a dog?

The no-fee brands still win, but flat and capped fees close most of the gap. Over seven nights, the typical costs look like this:

Seven-night stay, one dog	Typical pet cost
Kimpton, Motel 6, Red Roof Inn	$0
La Quinta	About $75 (cap reached)
Hyatt Place	$75, plus a possible $100 cleaning fee from night 7
Best Western	Up to $150 (weekly maximum)
Extended Stay America	$150 (monthly cap reached on day 6)

At a week, room rate and room type matter more than the pet fee. Extended Stay America’s kitchen and lower weekly room rate can easily outweigh its higher pet fee, and from the second week onward its monthly cap means the pet costs nothing extra.

Which chain is best for large dogs over 50 lb?

Kimpton, then Best Western and Red Roof Inn. Kimpton typically has no weight limit. Best Western and Red Roof typically accept dogs up to 80 lb, which covers most labradors, golden retrievers, German shepherds and boxers. Many La Quinta hotels accept up to 75 lb.

Aloft, at a typical 40 lb, and Hyatt Place, at a typical 50 lb, are the restrictive ones on paper, though both will sometimes approve a larger dog if you ask the hotel directly before booking. For giant breeds over 100 lb, Kimpton and Motel 6 are the usual answers. We cover tactics in detail in our guide to hotels that allow large dogs.

Which chain is best if I have two dogs?

Kimpton, Motel 6, La Quinta and Best Western all typically accept two dogs without difficulty. Check two details.

First, whether the fee is per pet or per room. Extended Stay America’s fee is typically per pet, so two dogs cost double. Best Western’s and La Quinta’s fees are typically per room.

Second, whether a combined weight limit applies. Hyatt Place typically allows 75 lb combined, so two medium dogs of 40 lb each are over the limit. Red Roof Inn typically allows one pet free, with a second at the hotel’s discretion for a fee. Aloft typically allows one dog.

Which chain is best if I need to leave my dog in the room?

Kimpton, Hyatt Place and Extended Stay America are typically the most accommodating. Kimpton usually asks only for a contact number. Hyatt Place and Extended Stay America usually allow it if the dog is crated.

Motel 6 and Red Roof Inn typically ask that pets are not left unattended, which makes them better for overnight stops than for days out without the dog. See leaving a dog alone in a hotel room for how to do it well.

How do the chains differ in the experience for dogs?

Fees are only half the picture. Room layout, building type and location decide how easy the stay is.

• Exterior-entry motels (Motel 6, many Red Roof Inns and La Quintas) let you walk straight from your room to the grass. That is ideal for early-morning breaks, elderly dogs and dogs that are nervous in elevators.
• Suite-style rooms (Hyatt Place, Extended Stay America) give a crate its own corner and, in the case of Extended Stay, a refrigerator for fresh or raw food.
• Downtown boutiques (Kimpton, Aloft) put you within walking distance of restaurants and patios, but rarely have a lawn. Expect to walk a block or two for relief breaks.
• Amenities vary. Kimpton and Aloft typically lend beds and bowls. Budget brands provide nothing, so bring your own.

Are chain pet policies the same at every location?

No. Brand policies are guidelines, and franchise owners can and do set different fees, limits and exclusions. Three differences are common:

1. The fee amount. A brand’s “up to” figure is a ceiling. Individual hotels may charge less, or occasionally more.
2. Opting out. At Best Western in particular, each hotel decides whether to accept pets at all.
3. Local restrictions. Resort, casino and historic properties often have tighter rules than their brand’s standard.

This is the reason our hotel pages show each property’s own published pet policy when it is available, and label everything on our chain pages as typical.

How should I use this comparison?

Start with your trip type, then pick the two or three chains that fit and compare actual hotels.

Your trip	Start with
One-night road trip stops	Motel 6, Red Roof Inn, La Quinta
City weekend, small or medium dog	Kimpton, Aloft
City weekend, large dog	Kimpton, Best Western
Four to six nights	Hyatt Place, La Quinta, Kimpton
A week or more, or relocating	Extended Stay America
Two dogs	Kimpton, Motel 6, Best Western, La Quinta

Then open the city page for your destination. Every hotel card shows the total price for the stay and that hotel’s own pet fee side by side, so the comparison that matters, room plus dog, takes one glance. For background on fee structures, see hotel pet fees explained.