Hotel Pet Fee Comparison: What 8 Major Chains Really Charge in 2025

Bringing a dog or cat on a trip sounds simple until you start reading hotel fine print. One property charges a flat $25 for the whole stay. The one next door bills $150 for a single night. Same brand, same city, two wildly different answers — because pet fees are not standardized anywhere in the U.S. hotel industry.

This hotel pet fee comparison breaks down what the major chains actually charge, how those charges are structured (per night, per stay, or as a “cleaning fee”), and where the truly pet-friendly exceptions live. We pulled numbers from current brand policies, and we flag the ones that change by location so you can budget before you book instead of being surprised at check-in.

How Pet Fees Are Actually Structured

Every chain frames pet charges differently, but they fall into four buckets: a flat per-stay fee, a per-night fee, a refundable deposit, or no fee at all. The difference between a per-stay and per-night charge is the single biggest factor in what you’ll pay, so read the wording carefully.

• Per-night fees — the most common, typically $25 to $75 per night, and they add up fast over a week.
• Per-stay fees — a one-time charge, usually $50 to $150, that doesn’t grow with your trip length.
• Refundable deposits — held on your card and returned at checkout if the room isn’t damaged; common at independent and extended-stay properties.
• No fee — a shrinking group, led by Kimpton (an InterContinental brand) and Motel 6.

Weight limits matter as much as the dollar amount. Most pet-friendly chains cap dogs at 40 or 50 pounds and limit guests to two pets per room. Cats are allowed at far fewer brands than dogs, so confirm species, not just “pets,” before booking.

Hotel Pet Fee Comparison: Chain by Chain

Brand	Typical Fee	Weight Limit	Pets Allowed
Kimpton (IHG)	$0 per stay	No limit	Any pet, any size
Motel 6	$0 per stay	No limit	Dogs and cats
Hilton	$50–$75 per stay	Varies by property	2 pets per room
Marriott	$20–$100+ per stay	Varies by brand	Usually 2 pets
Hyatt	$75–$150 per stay	50 lb or varies	2 dogs (some cats)
La Quinta (Wyndham)	$20–$25 per night	Varies by property	2 pets per room
Best Western	$30 per night (up to $150/stay)	Usually 80 lb	2 dogs per room
Four Seasons / luxury boutiques	$100–$250 per stay	Case by case	Dogs, sometimes cats

The takeaway from this hotel pet fee comparison: Kimpton and Motel 6 are the only national brands with a genuine $0 policy, and Kimpton is the standout because it combines no fee with no weight limit and accepts nearly any pet — birds, reptiles, and caged animals included at many locations. If your dog is over 50 pounds, your no-fee options are Kimpton, Motel 6, and a handful of boutique properties that often beat big resorts on flexibility rather than just price.

The Fine Print You’ll Actually Get Billed For

Fee structure is where hotels quietly inflate the bill. Here’s how the math plays out on a five-night stay:

• Per-night fee of $25 = $125 total, plus tax and any resort charges.
• Per-stay fee of $75 = $75 flat, often the better deal beyond three nights.
• “Cleaning fee” of $150 = a one-time charge that reads like a fee but functions as a per-stay cost.

Always confirm whether the per-night charge is capped. Some Best Westerns cap their $30 nightly fee at $150 per stay, which dramatically changes the math for a long visit. The same rule applies if you’re weighing a direct booking versus a third-party price: pet fees are almost never included in the headline rate on any booking site, direct or otherwise.

Which Chains Are Actually Pet-Friendly (and Which Aren’t)

Pet fee size tells you only half the story. A cheap fee means little if the hotel crams pet rooms on one smoking floor with no green space. These are the brands travelers consistently rate as dog-friendly in practice, not just on paper.

Kimpton remains the gold standard. No fee, no weight cap, and properties hand out beds, bowls, and door hangers. La Quinta (Wyndham) is the budget workhorse — fees run $20 to $25 per night, but locations are everywhere and rarely turn away a well-behaved dog. Motel 6 is fee-free and allows large dogs, which makes it the default for road-trippers towing a Lab or a shepherd.

On the other end, Hyatt leans higher — their non-free brands commonly charge $75 to $150 per stay — while individual Marriott brands like Westin and Ritz-Carlton set their own policies that can range from $20 to over $100. Luxury properties almost always charge the most and enforce the strictest rules, so check the specific hotel page rather than trusting the brand’s general “pet friendly” checkbox.

How to Keep the Bill Down

Pet fees are negotiable in exactly one situation: longer stays. A front desk that won’t budge on a one-nighter will often cap or waive fees when you’re staying a week or more, because the housekeeping economy of scale works in your favor. Ask when you call, not when you arrive.

• Call the property directly — third-party sites rarely show pet fees, so the published rate you see is not the rate you’ll pay.
• Ask for the per-stay cap — many per-night fees have a hidden ceiling; invoking it for a 5+ night stay can cut the charge in half.
• Skip the fee at elite tiers — some loyalty programs waive pet fees as a status perk, so check your membership before paying.
• Compare the whole stay — a $150 cleaning fee at a $120 room often beats a $25/night fee at a $180 room once you do the full math.
• Use a last-minute app with pet filters — if plans are flexible, a last-minute booking app that lets you filter for “pets allowed” can surface a no-fee or low-fee room during off-peak dates when hotels are more willing to deal.

Credit cards won’t reimburse pet fees as a travel credit in most cases, but some premium cards do count pet fees toward a general travel credit, which effectively softens the blow if you were going to use that credit anyway.

Regional and Property-Level Differences You Should Expect

Brand policy is the starting point, not the final price. A Hilton in Manhattan and a Hilton in Omaha can charge completely different pet fees because most chains leave the decision to the individual franchise owner. Outside the U.S., the rules shift again — many U.K. and European hotels charge daily pet fees, while Australian and Canadian properties frequently require a larger refundable bond.

City-center hotels are the most expensive for pet owners, driven by higher cleaning costs and limited outdoor space. Airports are a quieter sweet spot: many airport hotels with free shuttles also run generous pet policies, targeting travelers who are already juggling logistics and appreciate one less surprise.

Service animals are the universal exception. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, hotels cannot charge a pet fee or deposit for a trained service dog — though they can still bill you for actual damage, and the exemption does not extend to emotional support animals at most major chains.

What Determines Your Final Number

Three things combine to set your real cost, and none of them are visible on the search results page:

1. Fee structure — per night, per stay, or deposit.
2. Weight and species limits — over-limit pets get rejected or pay more.
3. Property-level override — the franchise owner’s call, not the chain’s.

For current rates and deeper guidance, the research team at U.S. News Travel keeps regularly updated references worth bookmarking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which hotel chains are genuinely free for pets?

Kimpton and Motel 6 are the two major brands that charge no pet fee at all. Kimpton is the better choice for larger dogs and unusual pets because it also has no weight limit, while Motel 6 is the budget favorite for road trips.

Is a hotel pet fee charged per night or per stay?

Both models exist. Per-night fees, common at Best Western and La Quinta, add up quickly on longer trips. Per-stay fees, typical of Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt, cap your cost regardless of length — and some per-night fees are secretly capped at a per-stay maximum, so it’s worth asking.

Do hotels charge for emotional support animals?

Usually, yes. The fee-free protection under U.S. law applies to trained service dogs performing a specific task, not to emotional support animals. Most major chains now treat ESAs as standard pets and apply their normal pet fee.

Are pet fees refundable?

No. A pet fee is a charge you keep paying; a pet deposit is what comes back to you at checkout if the room is undamaged. Make sure any deposit is listed as “refundable” in writing before you hand over your card.

How do I find a hotel’s actual pet fee before booking?

Start with the brand’s pet policy page, then call the specific property and ask for the fee structure, weight limit, and whether the per-night fee is capped for longer stays. Booking directly almost always gives you a cleaner answer than a third-party itinerary, because pet fees are rarely itemized on aggregator sites.

The Bottom Line

A hotel pet fee comparison comes down to one question: which fee structure fits your trip. Kimpton gives pet owners the best deal in the industry — nothing — while budget chains like Motel 6 and La Quinta offer a decent backup for most drivers. Hilton and Marriott sit in the middle with per-stay fees that stay flat, and Hyatt and luxury properties charge the most while giving the least flexibility.

The single most effective habit is boring but works: call the hotel, ask for the fee in dollars and the weight limit in pounds, and get the answer in writing. Pet policies are franchise-driven, so treating the brand’s website as gospel will cost you money somewhere down the line. For a deeper look at whether a boutique or a full resort is the better fit for your travel style — pets included — see our boutique hotel vs. resort guide.

Plan for the fee, know your dog’s weight, and you’ll never pay the “surprise pet tax” at check-in again.