Sometimes, finding a dog friendly place can be difficult. Especially on short notice or when traveling on a budget. Sometimes we would find a dog friendly location only to discover fine print that added exorbitant fees or size limits (here is no way that our big guy is going to pass for 15 pounds!). However, with a little searching we have been able to find homes and hotels that welcomed us with and Züri over the last year. Here are some of our favorite experiences.
Malmaison Edinburgh, Leith, Scotland
Who wouldn’t love a hotel that offers to pet-sit your dog on New Year’s Eve? When we arrived at our hotel in Leith, we were welcomed by a dog bed, food and water dishes and a blanket. True, the plastic bed was ridiculously small for our 75 pound dog, but it is the thought that counts!
Most hotels do not allow pets to be left alone unattended in the room. This hotel was different. Not only did the permit unattended animals, they also offered to check in on him to make sure he was tolerating the New Year’s fireworks!
Botany Bay Hotel, Broadstairs, England
Shortly after our stay in Scotland, we traveled south to Broadstairs. Here we found a small, dog friendly hotel perched on the cliffs.
Immediately in front of the hotel was a huge field and access to the beach. The only catch was that the restaurant did not allow dogs (and early January isn’t exactly the best time of year to eat outside). No dogs? No problem! The hotel designated a table immediately outside the restaurant perimeter complete with a dog bowl and full service. The table was technically part of the bar, but we never would have known that it wasn’t part of the official restaurant if not for the apologies of the staff. If anything it was a preferable, quieter location.
Bormes-les-Mimosas, France (VRBO)
What could be better than a bottle of wine for a welcome gift? Well, Züri thinks that a tennis ball is a pretty good start! One of our wonderfully charming hosts in Bormes-les-Mimosas previously trained dogs for the French military. The yard was a beautiful oasis and Jacques was kind enough to endlessly throw a tennis ball for Züri. I think our dog would have been perfectly happy remaining at their home indefinitely!
Bambi, Brezovica pri Ljubljani, Slovenia (Airbnb)
One of our Airbnb’s was actually named after the host dog, Bambi! Our hosts were incredibly dog friendly, proving us with recommendations for places for pet-friendly places to visit and delicious treats form a local dog bakery. And the two bedroom apartment had 3 (T-H-R-E-E) dog beds. There was no shortage of places to snooze at Apartment Bambi. And, they even provided chocolate for us to snack on while Züri napped.
No Dogs Allowed
We have also been extremely fortunate to stay in many homes that were designated “not appropriate for pets.” Sometimes we had difficulty finding a dog friendly location. So, on several occasions we reached out to hosts to see if they would be willing to make exceptions to their “no pets” policies. We were amazed by how many people said yes. We stayed in numerous homes in several countries that typically didn’t allow pets – and, were invited to stay in dozens more. Our stays ranged in length from a a single night to an entire month. Many told us that Züri was the first canine guest to stay at their home.
I understand the reluctance to allow pets at a rental property and am thankful for the generous hosts were willing to take a chance on us. Knowing that Züri was a special guest, makes glowing feedback form a host even more appreciated.
Chalet Evergreen, Bellwald, Switzerland
I can’t conclude this post without the biggest, most sincere “thank you” to my brother and sister-in-law. We spent our first month in Europe staying near their home in Zurich. We were at their home most evenings for dinner and many days. We visited intermittently during our travels, swooping into town and leaving a trail of white dog hair in our wake.
We then spent much of the summer using their new, beautiful mountain chalet as a base for relaxing and exploring Switzerland. Their gorgeous home was the perfect remedy for a case of “travel fatigue”. Thank you, Martin and Kate!
