Hotel pet friendly; guests not
 

We stayed one night at a pet friendly hotel. At 9:30 in the morning, Maximo let out a couple barks that lasted not even 2 seconds -- and a guest called the front desk to complain!

I'm sensitive about not being a nuisance to other people, but this was not a legitimate complaint.

this is what I always worry about when traveling with my little ones... soo far we have been lucky! So sorry this happened to you, did the hotel give you a hard time after the call?

Yes, the front desk implied that if we couldn't keep our dog quiet, we would have to leave. I tried explaining that it was only a couple of barks. We were packing up, so it didn't really matter.

I think some people just enjoy being a pain in the ****. And yes, now I'm worried about traveling again.

Those kind of people are insecure!

What hotel or hotel chain was it? When we've stayed in hotels that were pet friendly before we even had a pet, I don't ever remember the barking that I heard being bothersome, and the dogs that were there were HUGE dogs there. Some people can be a pain and just want to complain.

So right about that. Next time ask to be put in a suit at the end of the hallway and ask what happens if they bark TWICE.

It irritates me when people are "looking" to start problems. Such jerks! I wouldn't worry about traveling in the future though. One thing I did when Chase would bark (for a long time) when the bell rang was after a few barks I would shake a metal can filled with coins and say no more bark. When he would stop I would say, "Good boy ..down. Then I would treat him. It took a week or so but he caught on. Now he barks to let me know someone is here but he stops after I tell him it's ok. This may work for you if you practice them before you travel again. BTW, mean people suck. :mad:

It was a very small, old Holiday Inn Express -- not the most plush hotel, but it was the only one in a 30 mile radius that allowed pets. I would have much rather stayed elsewhere -- and it was no bargain, so the complainers could not have chosen it for the cost.

Apart from the one desk clerk, the staff were very friendly and loved my doggies.

There were dogs of all kinds the night we were there. I heard a large dog bark a couple of times, but it was muffled, and did not last more than a minute.

Sad part is, we were at the end of the hallway. It was 9:30 in the morning and the housekeeping staff were making plenty of noise in the hall -- which is what made my dog bark. I stopped him immediately.

Maximo stopped responding to the coins in the can. :p I usually have to pick him up and whisper in his ear. In this case, he let out only a couple of barks.

I agree. :D The complainer was probably the weird guy I encountered in the hall who looked at me carrying my dog like I was carrying something hideous and grotesque.

I've never heard of any Holiday Inn Express allowing dogs at all. If they let dogs in one hotel, then they have to let them in all their hotels. Which one let the dogs in?

The chain must have changed their policies because the pet-friendly hotel internet listings include Holiday Inn Express and regular Holiday Inns in many different states. The one I stayed at is in Virginia.

Wow, sounds like that person had nothing better to do with their lives. They need to chill-ax! ;)

I'll be bringing Jackson to Gettysburg this summer and there's a few pet-friendly hotels... most of them are motels anyways (i.e. no indoor hallways) so hopefully it's not a problem. He's not a bad barker anyways. I'm a *little* worried about leaving him in the hotel (which I will have to do, but not often, only when we go to dinner) by himself but I suppose you can put the "do not disturb" on the door? He has free roam when I leave him at home so I think I should do the same at a hotel? He's never vacationed with me yet!

motels usually work out better with dogs I have found.

Usually the hotel policy is that the dog must be crated when you leave the room and this is best for the dog anyway because if a maid were to miss the sign or accidentally open your door, your dog could run out.

I usually crate them in the bathroom with the door shut to provide even extra barriers between them and anyone who could open the door.

Originally Posted by Yorkiedaze http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/ima...s/viewpost.gif
I've never heard of any Holiday Inn Express allowing dogs at all. If they let dogs in one hotel, then they have to let them in all their hotels. Which one let the dogs in?
"The chain must have changed their policies because the pet-friendly hotel internet listings include Holiday Inn Express and regular Holiday Inns in many different states. The one I stayed at is in Virginia."


Yorkiedaze: It has been my experience that just bc one particular hotel does allow dogs it does not mean that they all do. I asked and several hotels said that each hotel/motel has it's own policy.

Armaniman posted:
"Usually the hotel policy is that the dog must be crated when you leave the room and this is best for the dog anyway because if a maid were to miss the sign or accidentally open your door, your dog could run out.

I usually crate them in the bathroom with the door shut to provide even extra barriers between them and anyone who could open the door."

Oh--and I agree with you Armaniman! We don't put him in the bathroom just make sure he is in the expen. Also, someone posted that hotels have a policy about not leaving the dog alone in case of a fire but in some cases this is unavoidable. If there was heaven forbid a fire--or other emergency--if the dog is in a crate/pen he would be found immediately when the room is checked. If they were roaming free then the alarm might scare them and cause them to hide.

I wonder if it wasn't always pet friendly:confused: I've noticed in some pet friendly hotels the barking is a lot more muffled than others that have recently become pet friendly.

Actually, that's not always true that if one allows all do. In searching for pet friendly hotels, we checked Hilton brand hotels, Marriot brand hotels, and Holiday Inns as well as some other hotels. For Hilton brand hotels, Some Hiltons, Hampton Inns, Homewood Suites, Embassy Suites, & Double Trees allow pets and some don't. All Residence Inns by Marriot that we looked at in the cities we go to allow pets, but there may be some that don't. Some Sheraton hotels (like the Sheraton Safari in Orlando) allow pets. All Drury Inns allow pets and they seem to have the most muffled rooms as far as barking is concerned, so we are planning on staying in those if they are where we are going. if not, we have decided on the Residence Inns since they have full kitchens and we don't have to leave or board Sophie much if at all.

We are going there this summer, too!!! We are actually going to stay in Manassas at at Residence Inn, I think, since we are going to several surrounding areas. They are pet friendly and set up more like apartments so you don't have to worry about too many people hearing if they bark.

Are you doing a Civil War tour?

The barking from other dogs was muffled, as were sounds in general, so I think the soundproofing was adequate.

Maximo went "ruff ruff ruff" and bang the phone rang. It was seriously nothing. I am very sensitive to noise, and I don't know how the person who complained lives in this increasingly noisy world if he cannot tolerate a couple of barks at 9:30 in the morning.

Sounds like a good trip. If you do have to leave Jackson alone, I agree with Armani Man -- make sure it isn't possible for someone to accidentally let him out of the room. Dinner time with the "do not disturb" should be okay.

The hotel we stayed at required us to give them our mobile number in case we left the dog alone in the room, and they charged $25 for allowing the dog to stay overnight.

I *love* Gettysburg. We go every year. We go during the 4th of July week when the battle actually happened. A lot of fun there but not just for history buffs- cool people, restaurants and sights. If you're around there the same time, maybe we could meet up! When you're there, check out O'Rourkes. It's an Irish pub-type restaurant and it's dog-friendly. Are you aware if there any dog parks in the area?

Last year when we went, I left Jackson at home w/ my dad but was disappointed when I saw sooo many other dogs there so I decided this year, he's coming with us. :D

Thanks! Maybe I will bring his ex-pen I had when he was a pup. It would make me feel better knowing he's safer. Dinner would probably be the only time I'd have to leave him, because we spend most of the day walking around outside, battlefields, etc.

We had the same problem when we went on vacation for Christmas. Our dogs barked for maybe all of 20 seconds because some people were outside making a ton of noise and even made barking noises when they heard our dogs bark.

We got a call from the front desk within 5 minues & you could tell the poor girl at the front desk felt so bad for calling us. We go to this hotel alot since it's super dog friendly and doesn't charge an extra fee for them. This was the first time we had a problem.

I hate unreasonable people...they ruin it for the rest of us.:thumbdown

:cool: Ever stayed at a hotel and heard the LOUD t.v. going to wee hours in the morning????? Well it occurred to me.....

Yep, when we leave, pet friendly or NOT :D we turn the t.v. up really loud, to muffle any accidential ruff, ruff's:p if we leave Dudley in the room;)

Pretty much, yes. We are very excited!

We've been to the D.C. area before (and before we got Sophie), but we didn't venture up to Gettysburg. We are HUGE history buffs and I also love to check out the local scene anywhere. We are hitting a LOT of spots so I think we've only allotted one day for Gettysburg so I won't get to see as much as I'd like, but I have a feeling we'll like it enough to go back and make it a vacation in itself. I wish we could meet up but we are going in June.:( I've not checked on any dog parks, but I definitley will now.

Is Fredericksburg on the list?

LOL! I'll have to remember that trick for next time. Of course, when I'm in your area, I'm staying at your house, right? :D

I don't think that one made the list this time. :(