Dog-friendly hotel, B&B or holiday home: how to choose

Getting away together: there’s nothing quite like it. But “pets allowed” on a booking site can mean almost anything, from “your dog can come as long as nobody notices” to a genuinely warm welcome, with a basket and water bowl already waiting. This is how you spot, in advance, the places where your dog is a truly welcome guest, not just tolerated. Travelling by car or train? Sort that out beforehand too. See travelling with your dog. Prefer camping? We cover that separately, in our guide to choosing a dog-friendly campsite.

What to ask before you book

“Dogs welcome” raises questions. Check these before you reserve:

• Is there an extra cost? Many stays charge a surcharge per dog, per night or per stay. Good to know, but ask to confirm.
• How many dogs, what size? Some places limit the number or the weight.
• Can your dog stay alone in the room? Many hotels and B&Bs would rather not (barking, stress). Worth knowing if you’re planning to eat out somewhere your dog can’t come along.
• Where is your dog allowed? Just the room, or also breakfast, the garden, the restaurant, the shared spaces?
• Is there outdoor space? A private garden or a nearby field makes a real difference, especially early in the morning.

Hotel: comfortable, with clear house rules

Chain hotels usually run a fixed, transparent policy, handy to compare in advance. At Ibis De Haan on the coast, you pay €21 per night per pet; at Moxy Utrecht (Marriott), there’s a maximum weight of 35 kg and a one-off, non-refundable fee of €15 per night. The Standard Brussels is stricter on size (10 kg maximum, 2 dogs maximum per room, leash or carrier required in shared spaces) but charges a flat €30 per stay. A castle hotel like Landgoed Kasteel Daelenbroeck in Herkenbosch allows one dog per room, welcome in the brasserie for breakfast and dinner, but not in the main restaurant, a good example of how “welcome” can vary from one space to another within the same property. Always ask each hotel directly about the conditions at the front desk, or check its own pet page, like the one Van der Valk Hotel Tiel provides.

B&B: personal, often the warmest welcome for a dog

At a B&B, the host sets the rules themselves, and that usually works out well for dogs, especially if they have one of their own. Hoeve Zonzicht near Callantsoog welcomes dogs for free and hands out a welcome pack with a treat and a toy. B&B De Boskouter in the Flemish Ardennes goes even further: dogs have been welcome free of charge since 2024, with a dog pool and a fenced “sniffing meadow” measuring 25 by 40 metres. At De Heithoeve near Bosland (Limburg), dogs are explicitly welcome on a farm right in the middle of walking country. Feel free to ask about the house rules at a B&B, precisely because it’s small-scale, the approach varies more from place to place than at a hotel chain.

Holiday home: the most relaxed choice

Your dog has their own spot, you’re not tied to anyone else, and there’s usually outdoor space. At larger holiday parks such as the Landal parks (Twenhaarsveld near Holten, Hoog Vaals in South Limburg, Het Vennenbos near Hapert), dog policy differs by bungalow type, some parks even have dedicated dog bungalows with a fenced garden and a dog-swimming pond, while others only allow a limited number of standard bungalows. At Recreatiepark De Paalberg on the Veluwe, you pay €4.35 per night for the first dog and €2.75 for a second. A small-scale, fully private stay like B ’t Oale Spoor in Hellendoorn takes it a step further: the hosts have two dogs of their own and love it when guests bring theirs along. Other examples: Vakantiepark Hof van Zeeland (2 pets maximum, welcome gift), Vakantiewoning Geulvallei in the Voerstreek (3 pets maximum, optional €35 cleaning fee), and ’t Boshuisje in Lille, fully dog-friendly with a fenced garden. Exactly what to look for in a listing like that, fencing, deposit, breed and weight restrictions, is covered in renting a holiday home with your dog: what to look out for.

Make the room feel like home right away

A new environment is exciting, but a little unsettling too. Help your dog by bringing a piece of home with you: their own basket or blanket, their food, a familiar toy. Put the basket somewhere quiet, keep mealtimes and walks on roughly the same rhythm, and give your dog a bit of time to settle in. Chances are they’ll be stretched out and relaxed within the hour.

Leave the place as you found it

Dog-friendly stays keep existing as long as guests treat them with respect. Keep your dog off the beds and sofas if asked, clean up hair and any accidents, and report damage honestly. That’s how you keep the door open for the owners who come after you.

Find a stay on GoPuppy

On GoPuppy, we list dog-friendly hotels, B&Bs and holiday homes, with the amenities and details that matter, where known. Prefer a campsite or motorhome pitch? We have a separate, in-depth guide for that. Know a great place that’s not listed yet? Add it. Prefer to stay closer to home? Check out our city-trip guide.