When we are on the road with Olga ( our ambulance conversion) and our cat, Samoa, we always try our best to find free places to stay where nobody cares if you have pets onboard, or RV parks which are mostly pet friendly in our experiences. But, there are occasions where we could have had a long driving day that puts us in the middle of a busy city, or just because we want to spend a night in a hotel to break the monotony of sleeping in our own rig.
What we have learned is that there is a difference between pet friendly, and CATS friendly policy in many of these lodging establishments. Not all pet friendly establishments are cat friendly, some of them only allow dogs. Because for some odd, and unfair reason, “pet friendly” is more broadly interpreted as dog friendly.
Also since many of these motel/hotel chains are franchised by individual owners, their pet policy can vary from location to location. Last thing you need to be mindful of is to check if the cat friendly hotel charges an extra fee, because you definitely don’t want to be surprised with an extra $150 cleaning fee when you check in.
Now, let us share some of our favorite cat friendly hotels in our travel, and our experiences with them.
Motel 6
As far as we know, Motel 6s is probably the biggest pet friendly motel chain in continental U.S. All dogs and cats stay for free in every Motel 6 (Studio 6 location requires a $10.00 fee per day fee up to $75.00 per stay). Service animals with proper certification always stay for free.
Motel 6s is one of favorite motel chains when we are on the road with our cat. They are almost everywhere we go, and usually there are multiple locations available in the same general area. They are very competitive in price, especially if you are a U.S. military member/veteran who are eligible for an extra 10% off the general room rates.
We always read the the customer reviews to gauge the cleanliness, and use google maps to scout out the surrounding area for security and ease of access.
La quinta by wyndham
With almost 900 locations in North America, La Quinta is one of favorite place to stay. Most of their locations have modern and updated hotel rooms that are cat friendly.
There is a non-refundable pet fee of $25 per pet, per night for up to 2 pets, with a maximum of $75 per stay. You will be assigned a designated pet friendly room.
Another perk of staying at La Quinta is the free breakfast included in your room rates. Wake up in the morning, and knowing there is delicious breakfast waiting for you is always a plus when you are traveling.
Red lion hotels
Red lion Hotels is another big chain that allow cats in all of their locations. However, there are a good number of Red Lions have older rooms that are outdated, and not very clean especially in these designated pet friendly rooms.
I would definitely recommend reading the reviews, and check out previous guests’ photo of the location before booking.
There is a limit of 2 pets per guest room and pets of any size are welcome! There is a pet fee of $15/ stay.
Best western hotels & resorts
Best Western has over 1200 pet friendly locations across the U.S. and Canada. Not exactly all of them of cat friendly. According to their website, it is the discretion of each property, and usually requires prior approval. Therefore, it is very important for you to check out the pet policy of that specific location. And, to be 100% safe, give the front desk a call before booking to confirm if they are cat friendly, and don’t forget to jot down the name of the staff you spoke to.
There may be a maximum charge of $30 per day for each room with a pet or multiple pets, or a maximum charge per week of $150. A refundable damage deposit of up to $150 per stay may be required of all guests with a pet.
Best Western had saved our day when we decided to stay in Las Vegas for a night in ur recent trip. Majority of your go to lodging options on the Strip do not allow any pets, and the rest charge anywhere between $100-$250 extra for bringing your cat. But luckily we were able to find a cat friendly Best Western location in the more low key suburb Las Vegas with clean modern room, and free breakfast in the morning.
hotels by hilton
There is not a city that doesn’t have a hotel by Hilton. Many of them are located conveniently, and offer upscale amenities. However, according to Hilton hotels, each location sets its own pet policy. The pet fee also varies between $35-$75, which is definitely on the higher spectrum.
It is very important to use this LINK to check if your feline friends are welcomed before booking.
How to find other cat friendly hotels
There are so many other boutique hotels, and smaller chains that offers cat friendly rooms besides the ones listed above. But just remember not every property under the same company has the same pet policy. Many of them are only dog friendly. It is extremely important to check the individual location’s pets policy to confirm.
We find Google Travel to be a very helpful tool when searching for pet friendly hotels. Even though the search engine doesn’t narrow down exactly which hotels are cat friendly, but it makes the process much easier by giving you a filtered list of pet friendly hotels in your desired area with price comparison, local map, and property photos.
In order to use Google Travel, simply use this link to Google Travel, enter your desired location, and dates of travel. Be sure to select the pet friendly button in the filter section.
Once again, always check the individual hotel’s pet policy. If they don’t specifically include cats in writing, call the front desk to confirm.
WHAT TO BRING FOR YOUR CATS IN A HOTEL ROOM
1. Litter box:
Clean and fresh litter box is of course a must. We usually use the same litter box Samoa uses when she’s home. But you can use disposable litter boxes, as well as a designated travel litter box.
We found these litter box liner to be very helpful when we are staying in a hotel. It reduces the need to scoop the dirty litter, and it also keeps your litter box dry and clean when not using them. It acts like a trash can liner which you can simply wrap up and toss away when the litter is dirty.
2. We recently fell in love with Pretty Litter. Besides all the magical pH reading ability, Pretty Litter is dust free, odor less, super absorbent and easy to scoop. They just make your life much easier when it comes to dealing with your cats’ dirty business, especially when you are on the road.
3. Food & water bowl:
A set of sturdy and easy to clean food/water bowl is a necessity for your kitties. We highly recommend the Yeti Boomer pet bowl. The 6 inch wide opening of the stainless steel bowl makes it easy for your cat to eat/ drink. And, the non-slip rubber ring on the bottom of the bowl prevents accidental spills.
4. Pet Food
Don’t forget the most important item on the list! It is highly recommended to bring the same type of food your cats have been eating, rather than buying whatever is offered at your nearest grocery store. Cats are habitual animals, try to keep as many things the same as they are already in a stressful situation staying in unfamiliar places.
final thoughts
Traveling with cats can be a stressful but it doesn’t have to be.With a bit of patience and thorough research on your part, you’ll be happy that this extra effort was worth it. Cat friendly hotels aren’t as common as pet friendly hotels, and not all pet friendly hotels are particularly cat friendly. The good news is that by using Google travel and checking each hotel policy before booking, you can narrow down your search for the perfect cat-friendly hotel. Make sure to confirm your reservation with the establishment just to be sure. Don’t forget to bring all the comforts for your kitties. So get out there and start road tripping with your cats – happy trails!
What are some of your favorite places to stay when you’re on the road with your cats? Share with us!
