When someone decides to travel with their pet, there’s a lot of work to be done. Multiple formalities to keep and documents to get can exhaust even the most patient animal keeper. However, if that didn’t stop you, the next step of your trip preparation may be confusing.
How to choose a suitable hotel for you and your pet? Good news first: that’s not too difficult. However, there are certain nuances for you to know if you want to avoid unpleasant surprises and sudden changes in your plans.
Here below, you’ll find a short guide on finding and choosing accommodation for your trip with a pet to be comfortable and smooth.
Table of Contents
1. First documents to have to travel with your pet
Well, the decision is made. You want to travel with your pet. So, you need papers, especially when you two are traveling abroad.
Here is a checklist:
- An international veterinary certificate
- Pet microchip inserted
- Rabies vaccine
- Other procedures required by the destination country’s regulations
- More formalities depending on your state and the one you’re going to
After all the documents are at hand, it is time to take care of accommodation. Let’s try to find a suitable hotel!
2. Check if the Hotel Actually Accommodates Animals
It depends on the hotel administration whether or not they allow pet keepers to use their services. No particular laws or regulations exist for business owners. It’s their decision only.
In case there is a clearly visible prohibition of pet accommodation at the hotel’s website, Booking.com, Airbnb, or other likely service profiles, start looking for other options at once. There’s nothing you can do to change the internal rules of the hotel.
Pets Allowed
If the chosen place allows keepers to bring their pets, then the rules may vary again. The most critical point for you is to understand all the payments required. Pet accommodation may be:
- Paid. In this case, they’ll take a fixed price or some specified extra payment depending on the cost of your room. The hotel administration will give you more info for sure.
- Deposit. Before a check-in, you pay the defined sum. In case your pet behaves well and does not damage anything, they’ll give the money back to you. But if something goes wrong, money will serve as compensation to the hotel.
- Free. Yes, some pet-friendly hotels offer free animal accommodation. No additional costs. Sweet!
Additional Limitations
However, even if the hotel is supposed to allow pets according to the public info, additional restrictions may apply. For example:
- By species. Some hotels may allow cats and dogs, but not birds or reptiles.
- By breeds. Dog accommodation permission may work only for Yorkshire terriers or dachshunds, for instance. Well, yes, your malamute or shepherd won’t find acceptance here.
- By sizes. Usually, hotels allow pets weighing not more than 12 or even 7 pounds (3 to 5 kg). Guide dogs are beyond all limitations, though.
No Info
In case the available info does not specify pet accommodation in the chosen hotel, you may want to ask your booking service or hotel support officers to help you. Use their email, phone number, Facebook profile, Instagram direct messages, etc., to find out everything you need to know.
Pick the most comfortable way to get in touch just like when you get in touch with the support team of a writing service every time you decide to pay people to write essays.
It is sometimes possible to view questions and comments from former customers, it is always worth taking a look at these reports. Sometimes all your doubts have already been clarified there and you won’t have the need to contact the accommodation.
3. Choose the type of accommodation well
This is an essential point, if you are traveling with your cat it is necessary to check if your accommodation will have bars on the windows or if it is possible to close all exits, this way your traveling companion will not run away.
Small hotel rooms usually don’t have safety nets, but they’re great if you need to close all the doors and windows as they usually have air conditioning.
If you are traveling with your dog, an accommodation with a balcony or backyard can be perfect to give your furry friend more freedom and relieve the stress that travel can cause.
4. Prepare Your Pet
In case your pet is active and expressive, make sure you walk it before the check-in. Even if a hotel is pet-friendly, staff members have the right to reject the accommodation of animals that are too loud or aggressive.
Therefore, we recommend that you tire your furry friend before going to your room. A walk, a game or a game of catch can be great options to use up your pet’s energy.
5. Some Tips for Pet Travelers
Here are some additional recommendations. Keeping up with them will save you time, money, and nerves during your trip with your beloved animal.
Take Your Bowl
Take your pet’s bowl with you. You can’t feed animals using the hotel crockery. It’s forbidden due to sanitary regulations. By the way, you might want to check one of the online reviews to pick high-quality food for your kitty. Dog owners may find it useful to see a pile of reviews left by dog owners.
Find a Sleep Carpet and a Towel
They may ask you to pay the fine if you use hotel linens and towels. Most probably, you would like to avoid that issue.
So take a bed for your furry best friend, or bring a sheet, towel, or mat to put on the bed if your pet sleeps in bed with you.
Is Muzzle Required?
Well, if your dog is midsize or large, yes. You should walk it only with the muzzle applied. Additionally, try to choose your routes wisely: don’t come close to swimming pools and playgrounds to avoid inconvenience and discomfort.
Don’t Leave Pets Alone
In case you need to leave, warn the hotel staff members. And make sure you won’t make your pet spend too much time without you. Don’t forget: you can’t leave an animal in the room at cleaning time.
In addition, your pet may exhibit unstable behavior during the trip and you may be in for a nasty surprise when you return to find your pet with destroyed furniture, torn bedding, or if your furry friend forgets the right place to hold your needs.
Summing up
Our tips for choosing a hotel when traveling with pets are:
- Search for the documents needed to travel with your pet
- Check if the hotel actually accommodates animals
- Choose the type of accommodation well
- Prepare your pet
- Tips for pet travelers
Concluding
Traveling is amazing and with the necessary care it can be a great experience with your pet. Follow our list above, and if you have any questions, leave them in the comments, we’ll love to help you live an adventure with your furry friend.