Hotels That Actually Want Your Dog

A lot of hotels say pet-friendly and mean 'we will charge you two hundred dollars and put you by the ice machine.' The ones worth your money do three things: no per-night fee, a bed and bowls waiting in the room, and a staff member who tells you where the good grass is without you asking.

My reliable list: Kimpton properties anywhere (no fee, no weight limit, and they mean it), the Cypress Inn in Carmel, Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley for a splurge, and the Hotel Nia on the Peninsula if you need something near the airport. Every one of these has passed the 6am test for me.

The thing I wish someone had told me early: call the property directly rather than booking through a third party, and confirm the pet policy on the phone. Twice I've shown up with a reservation that a booking site swore was pet-friendly and had to argue at the front desk with a very tired dog at my feet.