Pet-Friendly Hotels Welcome Your Furry Friends

Last year put traveling on hold and kept the majority of us at home. It was a challenging time, but for our favorite furry friends, it was a dream come true to have their beloved owners around all day long. Now that we’re once again going on road trips or taking to the skies, we don’t want to leave our dogs, cats, and other pets behind. Pet-friendly hotels have made bringing them along easier these days.

Pet ownership has increased since the beginning of COVID-19 in the U.S., with many rescue centers and animal shelters reporting a surge in pet adoptions since the pandemic began, and the market for pet products continues to grow. According to the American Pet Products Association’s most recent survey of pet owners, 67% of U.S. households own a pet. These pet owners continue to spend more every year, with an estimate of $99 billion spent in 2020, up by 3% from the previous year. 

Canine Check-in: Bringing Fido or Fluffy Along

As the summer unfolds, increasingly more travelers are looking for hotels that will accommodate their pets. Booking.com says that the use of a pet-friendly filter by visitors to the site when searching for a hotel is on an upward swing. In fact, the pet-friendly filter is the third most-used filter in the facilities section, according to Booking.com, behind swimming pools and parking.

A pet-friendly hotel typically charges a pet fee, with some charging a separate fee for each additional pet and/or a returnable deposit to cover potential pet-related damages.

Some hotels offer special pet amenities such as dog beds, pet treats, water bowls, outdoor play areas, and pet-sitting and dog-walking services while others offer “doggie cuisine,” with room service menus specially tailored to a dog’s palate. Some hotels even offer spa treatments for dogs! For hotels, opening their doors to pets is a great way to attract travelers and differentiate their brand.

Distinguished Programs, which focuses on providing the hotel industry with liability insurance (in fact, we cover more than 20% of all hotel rooms in the nation), insures pet-friendly establishments. Our Hotel Liability Insurance Program provides General Liability, Liquor Liability, and Auto Liability as well as high-limit Umbrellas to full-service and luxury hotels and resorts throughout the country.