Top 5 Pet-Friendly Budget Hotel Chains

Most pet friendly hotel chains are franchises, with each property owned by a different management company. These separate owners set the policies for their hotels. Don't worry, though.

You can find a place to bed down with your pets using two lists, a few hints and a phone.

The Top 5 Pet-Friendly Budget Hotel Chains

1. Motel 6 facilities, all 900 of them, leave the light on for you and your one pet per room. Motel 6 was the first national pet friendly hotel chain, and has been welcoming pets since 1962. No extra fees or deposits are required. Read their pet policy.

2. La Quinta Inns & Suites allow pets at 99 percent of their 700+ properties, according to Teresa Ferguson, director of Communications and Public Relations. "People who travel with their pets generally have very well-behaved and well-groomed animals," she says. Accordingly, LaQuinta does not require deposits, fees or up charges on rooms with pets.

3. Red Roof Inn welcome pets at over 340 locations in 36 states. No additional charges. Read Red Roof's pet policy.

4. Best Western is the world's largest hotel chain and has over 1900 pet-friendly locations, 1000 of which are in the U.S. & Canada. With so many locations, it's a good bet there's one where you and your pet are traveling.

5. Candlewood Suites is where pets less than 80 lbs are always welcome. This pet friendly hotel chain may feel a lot like home for your pet, as larger accommodations for extended stays include a full kitchen and seating area. There is a fee for pets and vaccination records must be available. Read Candlewood Suites pet guidelines.

Selected OtherHotel Chains Accepting Pets

Families staying in one area for several days sometimes prefer pet friendly residential hotels with kitchens and living rooms in addition to bedrooms.

Suite hotels (and most moderately-priced hotels) usually charge cleaning fees of $100 or more. Pet friendly hotels say they perform a more thorough cleaning to remove pet hair and dander, and spruce up any nose prints doggie dearest left on the walls.

These fees may be worth the cost if you are staying for several days. Speak with the manager directly so you are clear on the finances.

Honorable Mentions (Total number of pet-friendly properties)

• Econo-lodge Hotels (380)
• Days Inn Hotels (most locations pet-friendly)
• Comfort Inn (Over 550)
• Holiday Inn (450)
• Americas Best Value Inn (400)
• Clarion Inn and Suites (60)
• Comfort Suites (85)
• The Intercontinental Hotels include InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express (some pets welcome), Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites. Prices vary between these brands. (1,600)
• Quality Inn (300)
• Rodeway Inns (80)
• Travel Lodge (300)

Pet Travel Resources

• Petside.com Travel Center
• Petswelcome.com offers a fabulous techno-service that allows you to download pet-friendly hotels into your GPS so you can find the pet-friendly lodgings along your route as you drive. Hotel names, addresses, numbers and pet policies are included. This site also offers a route-based search capability - one that will show all the pet-friendly lodgings between your departure point and destination.
• Dogfriendly.com is a complete source of information about pet travel.
• Pettravel.com maintains a directory of pet-friendly hotels searchable by city, state, and country.
• Petsonthego.com offers a travel magazine for dogs, guide books on pet-friendly travel, and an website that pinpoints pet-friendly hotels, B&B's, inns, resorts and private rentals around the country.
• Fido Friendly Magazine is the print magazine dedicated to the travel lifestyle of mans' best friend. Order through FidoFriendly.com.
• Just in case you're in the mood to splurge, see our 10 Pet Friendly Luxury Hotels and Resorts.