The Guide to Holiday Inn Pet Policies

Going on holiday is nice, but getting to do so with your whole family (including the ones with four legs) is even better. Even finding pet-friendly hotels can seem overwhelming, as not all properties allow pets — and some place restrictions on size or how many you can bring.

If you’re wanting to stay at a Holiday Inn with your pet, you’ll first want to make sure that they’re welcome. Let’s take a look at Holiday Inn pet policies, the types of fees you can expect to pay and how to find a pet-friendly Holiday Inn hotel.

IHG’s hotel brands

Holiday Inn hotels are a part of IHG, a massive hotel chain with more than 6,000 properties worldwide. Along with Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels, there are 17 additional IHG brands.

IHG’s brands run the gamut from luxurious InterContinental Hotels to extended-stay options such as Candlewood Suites. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express are a part of the Essentials collection, which also includes Garner and Avid hotels.

» Learn more: How to manage traveling with pets, from airplanes to hotels

Holiday Inn pet policies

Holiday Inn hotels don’t have a one-size-fits-all pet policy. This means you’ll need to check with hotels individually to see if they accept pets.

The good news is that there are Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels that do allow you to bring your pet along. The bad news is that finding information online about their policies can be difficult.

Holiday Inn pet fees

Though it's possible to search online for pet-friendly Holiday Inn hotels, it can be difficult to determine how much each location charges for pets. The amount can vary widely from property to property, and while some fees are paid on a one-time basis, others are charged at a nightly rate.

For example, through a search on the IHG website, we found the Holiday Inn Dublin-Pleasanton, in Dublin, California. The site offers the opportunity to book a pet getaway package for an additional $77, but doesn’t provide additional information. Navigating to the hotel’s website tells us how many pets are allowed, but also notes that the one-time pet fee is just $75 when paid on arrival.

In contrast, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Park City, in Utah, charges $50 per night to bring a maximum of two pets per room. This nightly fee could add up depending on how long you’re planning to stay.

How to find a pet-friendly Holiday Inn hotel

It should be simple to find a pet-friendly Holiday Inn hotel. After all, IHG’s website allows you to search for this specific amenity. To do so, you’ll first want to navigate to IHG’s website.

On the home page, enter your destination and travel dates.

Once you’ve completed your search, you’ll be able to quickly view which hotels allow you to bring pets in the search results. For example, this Holiday Inn in San Francisco indicates no pets are allowed.

However, if you’d like, you can add a filter to remove any properties that aren’t pet-friendly.

Problematically, nowhere during the booking process is the ability to note that you’re bringing a pet. Some hotels, such as the Holiday Inn in Dublin, California, mentioned above, offer a pet-specific package when booking. Otherwise, you’re going to have to call the property to indicate you’re bringing a pet.

There’s also no information on the search page about pet limitations — such as weight restrictions or the number of pets allowed. You'll need to navigate to each hotel’s website to explore its pet policies.

However, doing so can result in a situation like the one at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf. The property shows as pet-friendly in search results and indicates this as an amenity on its website.

But when looking for more detailed information on the hotel’s website, this pops up:

After reading this, it’s unclear what the hotel’s policy is for pets. Hotels aren’t allowed to charge pet fees for service dogs, so one would assume that pets can be brought for a charge of $50 per night. However, without a phone call to the property itself, it’s impossible to tell if pets are permitted, how many you can bring, what kinds are allowed and if there are size restrictions.

» Learn more: Dog-friendly vacation ideas for your next getaway

Are IHG hotels pet-friendly?

IHG won the best overall hotel company for pets in large part because its Kimpton brand accepts all animals at no additional fee and has no size restrictions (other than it must fit through the door). Plus, IHG has the lowest average pet fee as a percent of the room cost.

» Learn more: How to make traveling with your pet affordable

If you’d like to find a pet-friendly Holiday Inn…

Compared to its peers, IHG is a remarkably pet-friendly chain of hotels, and its Holiday Inn properties are part of that list. However, the booking process isn’t always transparent and it can be difficult to determine each individual hotel’s pet policy (and cost).

Before traveling to a Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express with your pet, call each hotel individually to ask about its policies for animals.