Whether your traveling companion is a Chihuahua, Great Dane, Siamese cat, or iguana, there are hotels out there that will cater to your pet's every need. From hotel mascots to pet concierge service, find out Oyster.com and Travel Channel's top picks for pet-friendly luxury hotels.
The Muse is an impressively pet-friendly hotel, having hosted everything from snakes to penguins to a pig (many of them in town to appear on television shows that tape nearby). Ginger, a teacup Pomeranian, serves as the "Director of Pet Relations," a companion to one of the hotel staff members. On most days, Ginger can be found hanging out on her leopard-print bed near the concierge. She has even done the morning-show circuit, most recently on the Today show for a segment about pet-friendly hotels. The hotel has a Pampered Pooch and a Hers and Furs package, starting at $229, which provides in-room pedicures for a guest and her dog. Pets also receive a special welcome package upon arrival, with food and treats for both the dogs and their human companions.
This 112-room boutique with 1940s-inspired decor welcomes pets of all shapes and sizes free of charge with free dog treats in the lobby, framed greetings with the pet's name, and amenities like cages, food and water bowls, and doggie beds. Room service features a special menu "For the Pampered Pet" that includes an 8-ounce sirloin with Kibble for $16 and gourmet dog or cat food for $7.
Pets get special treatment at the Soho Grand--and they stay for free. The hotel asks only that visitors inform the staff ahead of time so that they can book a room on one of 3 pet-friendly floors and ensure that food, bowls, and a crate are available -- all at no extra charge. The hotel doesn't even put a restriction on animal size or weight. The hotel is owned by Hartz Mountain Industries, and room service delivers Hartz-brand animal chow and some special treats. Dog walking, a more extensive menu and grooming can all be arranged through the concierge for an extra fee. If guests can't bring their own pets, the hotel offers "surrogate animal companionship" in the form of a pet goldfish in your room, which you can even take home with you.
Your pooch can eat better than you do at tony L'Ermitage, which has the most lavish -- some might say ludicrous -- room service menu we've seen. Choices include: tuna tartar ($19), fois gras ($25), and Osetra caviar with hard poached eggs (just $98!). Toys, treats, bowls, litter boxes, and dog walking are all included in the $150 fee. Oh, your pet is picky about food? The hotel will have the brand of your choice waiting. As a rule, the hotel allows just cats and dogs, but exceptions can be made for other furry friends.
At Hotel Palomar -- part of the pet-friendly Kimpton chain -- all types, shapes, and sizes of pets are welcome, and at no additional cost (some L.A. hotels tack on as much as $150 to the bill). Water bowls sit outside the front door, and pets can roam freely, although the restaurant and bar are off limits. Guests can order bowls and beds for the room, and the concierge can arrange just about any pet service, from a vet visit to a pet massage.
Pets stay for free at the Serrano, where a fun-and-games theme and special VIP packages make dogs, cats, and other critters welcome. Reserve the "Pet Palace" package at this Tenderloin District property and get deluxe accommodations, designer mineral water, special doggy biscuits, after-dinner disposable cleanup bags, and any number of pet-friendly goods (gourmet lamb and rice dog food, leashes, rawhide fetch-it sticks). Food and water dishes are provided outside the hotel entrance.
The Epic is a pro at pampering -- doggie mats, bowls, and Yip-Yap breath mints come standard in the rooms booked for guests traveling with dogs. Pets can also get pedicures, a shampoo, toys, and one-hour daily walks as part of the Epic Pet Getaway package. Like all other Kimpton Group hotels, there is no cleaning deposit required, no hidden fees, and no restrictions on weight, size, or even type of pet -- cats, birds, turtles, and snakes are all welcome. Best of all, there are no off-limit areas for pets in the resort -- feel free to take Precious to the pool.
The opulent Fairmont Copley allows pets of any size for $25 a day, a reasonably low fee compared with those at most properties that allow pets, and food and water bowls are provided. Guests can also take the hotel's "canine ambassador" Catie Copley, a 5-year old black Labrador retriever, for a walk (except on Mondays, Catie's day off). You can find her luxuriating on her doggie bed in the palatial lobby next to her personal business cards.