Having an 80-pound Labradoodle as a travel buddy means B.L. Ochman can quickly separate the hotels that love dogs from those that just put up with them.
A bed-and-breakfast she visited north of New York City wouldn’t let her pooch Benny trot around in the main house, among other troubles. Ochman, a Manhattan Internet strategist, has since discovered Audrey’s Farmhouse, a B&B in Wallkill, N.Y., that caters to dogs and doesn’t charge pet fees that can top hundreds of dollars.
“Dog-friendly means your dog is welcome,” she says. “If the dog is welcome, he shouldn’t cost extra money. Of course, I am a dog owner, not an innkeeper.”
Hotels ranging from major chains to small outposts are capitalizing on the wave of travelers who bring along their dogs, some by charging for perks that pamper pets and others by expanding fees. What started as a basic, one-time pet fee has blossomed into a per-night charge at many places and costs that can total hundreds.
Some properties offer amenities from patches of grass to chew toys, designer bowls and in-room massages — usually for an additional price — while others simply levy cleaning fees, whether your dog makes a mess or not. Those hotels often don’t offer extras or permission for pooches over a certain weight, locking out larger pets like Ochman’s.