Best Western hotels that welcome pets mostly use the same wording: up to two dogs in a limited number of rooms, a size limit of 80 pounds for any one dog, other pets such as cats only with the hotel's approval before you arrive, and a pet fee charged per day. In the 57 US Best Western hotels we checked, that daily fee ranged from USD 15 to USD 40. But the pet-friendly hotels were the minority. About four in ten of the hotels we checked said pets are not accepted, and others said only that pets may be accepted and to contact the hotel.
This guide is based on the pet policy text on each hotel's own page on bestwestern.com, read in October 2026, using an even sample of US hotels taken from Best Western's own hotel list. Each Best Western hotel is independently owned and operated, so the rules can differ and can change. Check the page for the exact hotel you are booking, or call, before you travel.
What Best Western hotels said about pets
Each Best Western hotel page carries one of three standard pet statements. Here is how the 57 hotels we checked split, with examples.
| Pet statement on the hotel page | Hotels in our sample | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Pet friendly: up to two dogs, 80 lb each, daily fee | 19 | Best Western Plus Berkshire Hills, MA (USD 40 a day); Best Western Tallahassee Downtown (USD 20); Best Western Deming Southwest Inn (USD 15); Best Western Plus Sugar Land (USD 35) |
| Pets may be accepted, contact the hotel | 8 | Best Western Plus Clemson; Best Western Monticello; Hotel Manhattan, BW Signature Collection |
| Pets are not accepted | 23 | Best Western Plus Anaheim Inn; Best Western Fort Myers Inn and Suites; Best Western Plus Nashville Airport |
| No pet statement shown | 7 | Call the hotel |
The standard Best Western pet policy
Best Western's pet-friendly hotels use almost word-for-word the same statement. Best Western Plus Castle Rock in Colorado is a typical example. It says the hotel is pet friendly and allows up to two dogs in a limited number of rooms, that the size limit for any one dog is 80 pounds, that other pet types such as cats may be allowed with the hotel's approval before arrival, and that the pet friendly rate is USD 40 per day.
Broken down, that means:
- Dogs are the default. Cats and other pets need the hotel's approval before you arrive.
- Up to two dogs per room.
- Each dog can weigh up to 80 pounds, one of the higher limits among the big chains.
- Only a limited number of rooms take pets, so they can sell out.
- The fee is charged per day, not once per stay.
How much is the Best Western pet fee?
The fee is set by each hotel. In our sample, pet-friendly hotels charged USD 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 per day, with USD 30 and USD 40 the most common. Best Western Deming Southwest Inn in New Mexico charged USD 15. Best Western Tallahassee Downtown Inn and Suites, Best Western Plus Cimarron in Stillwater and the Best Western Thunderbird Motel charged USD 20. Best Western Desert Inn in West Yellowstone charged USD 25. Best Western St. Louis Kirkwood Route 66, Best Western Santa Fe and SureStay by Best Western Mt. Pleasant charged USD 30. Best Western Plus Lexington in Nebraska and Best Western Plus Sugar Land charged USD 35. Best Western Plus Berkshire Hills, Best Western Woodburn, Best Western Plus Ocean View Resort and Best Western Plus College Station charged USD 40.
Because the fee is daily, the length of your stay matters. Two nights at USD 40 a day is USD 80. A week is USD 280. Ask the hotel whether the fee is per pet or per room, because the standard statement does not say, and two dogs could double it.
Many Best Western hotels do not take pets
The common belief that Best Western is a pet-friendly chain needs a caveat. In our sample, 23 of 57 hotels said plainly that pets are not accepted, including Best Western Plus Anaheim Inn, Best Western Airport Plaza near LAX, Best Western Atlanta Cumberland Galleria, Best Western Oakbrook Inn near Chicago, Bangor Aviator Hotel and Best Western Plus Rockwall. Only a third of the hotels we checked used the pet-friendly statement.
The lesson is simple: never assume a Best Western takes pets because another one did. Check the pet policy line on the hotel's own page, then confirm by phone.
"Pets may be accepted"
Eight hotels in our sample said pets may be accepted and to contact the hotel for details. That covers a wide range: some of these hotels take pets with their own fee and size rules, and some only take pets in a few rooms. Several were upscale or boutique hotels in Best Western's collection brands, such as Hotel Manhattan, BW Signature Collection and The Inn at Lewisburg. Call these hotels before booking and get the fee and any limits in writing.
Can you bring a cat to Best Western?
Possibly, but you must ask first. The standard statement says other pet types, such as cats, may be allowed upon the hotel's approval prior to arrival. That means you should call before you book, explain what pet you are bringing, and ask the hotel to note its approval on your reservation. Do not turn up with a cat and expect the front desk to accept it.
Large dogs at Best Western
Best Western's 80 pound limit per dog is generous compared with many chains. Hyatt hotels we checked usually set 50 pounds per dog, and many Marriott and IHG hotels we checked set 50 pounds or less. For a Labrador, a German Shepherd or a large mixed breed, a pet-friendly Best Western is often one of the easier options on a road trip. For a dog over 80 pounds, call the hotel; the limit is part of the standard statement, so expect the answer to be no unless the manager agrees.
How to check a Best Western's pet policy
- Search on bestwestern.com for hotels on your route.
- Open the hotel page and find the Pet Policy line in the hotel policies, or the FAQ that asks whether the hotel is pet friendly.
- Note the daily rate and whether the hotel says dogs only.
- Call the hotel to confirm a pet room is available, ask whether the fee is per pet, and get approval for a cat or other pet.
- Book, then mention the pet again at check-in.
Our guide on how to find pet-friendly hotels walks through the same checks for other chains.
What "a limited number of rooms" means
The standard statement says dogs are allowed in a limited number of rooms. In practice, a pet-friendly Best Western keeps pets to certain rooms it has set aside, which lets it clean them more thoroughly and keep other rooms free of pet hair for guests with allergies. Once those rooms are booked, the hotel can turn away another pet even if it has other rooms free. That is why calling ahead matters more at Best Western than at chains where any room can take a pet. If you book online, call straight after to make sure a pet room is attached to your reservation.
Best Western brands and pets
Best Western Hotels and Resorts covers several brands, including Best Western, Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier, SureStay and the BW Signature, Premier and Hotel collections. The pet rules are set by each hotel rather than by brand. In our sample, SureStay by Best Western Mt. Pleasant used the standard pet-friendly statement at USD 30 a day, while three BW Signature Collection hotels asked guests to contact them and one BW Premier Collection hotel said pets are not accepted. The brand on the sign is not a reliable guide; the pet line on the hotel's page is.
Questions to ask the hotel
- Is the daily pet rate per pet or per room?
- Is a pet room available on my dates, and can you note it on my booking?
- Can my dog stay alone in the room if crated?
- Will you accept a cat, and can you confirm that in writing?
- Where can I walk my dog on the property?
Service animals at Best Western
Best Western hotel pages we checked state that service animals are welcome and that any pet policy does not apply to them. That matches US law: under the ADA service animal rules, a hotel must admit a trained service dog even if it does not accept pets, cannot charge a pet fee for it, and may ask only whether the dog is required because of a disability and what task it has been trained to perform. Emotional support animals do not have that protection in hotels and can be treated as pets. Our guide to service dog hotel rights covers what to do if a hotel refuses.
Best Western on a road trip or move
Best Western is strong on highway routes and in small towns, which makes it useful for a long drive with a dog. The 80 pound limit helps with big dogs, and a daily fee of USD 20 to USD 40 is reasonable for one or two nights. For a longer stay, the daily fee adds up, so a hotel that charges once per stay, or an extended stay hotel, may cost less. Our guides to a road trip with a dog and how long a dog can travel in a car help with planning stops, and hotels with no pet fee lists chains that do not charge at all.
Tips for a smooth Best Western stay with a dog
- Book early on busy travel dates. Pet rooms are limited and can sell out before other rooms do.
- Ask for a ground floor room near an exit if your dog needs late night or early morning walks.
- Bring a crate and ask whether your dog may be left alone in it. Many hotels do not allow pets alone in the room.
- Keep your dog leashed in public areas and away from the breakfast room.
- Expect a separate charge for damage. The daily pet rate covers the extra cleaning, not repairs.
Common mistakes with Best Western pet stays
- Assuming every Best Western takes pets. In our sample, most did not use the pet-friendly statement.
- Missing that the fee is per day, not per stay.
- Bringing a cat without asking first.
- Booking a non-refundable rate before confirming a pet room.
- Bringing a dog over 80 pounds without the manager's agreement.
How Best Western compares with other chains
Best Western's standard terms are simple and clear: two dogs, 80 pounds each, a daily rate. That is easier to plan around than a chain where every hotel writes its own rules. The trade-offs are the daily fee, which suits short stays better than long ones, and the large number of Best Westerns that do not take pets. Hilton hotels, by comparison, mostly charge one fee per stay, as covered in our Hilton pet policy guide.
A sample trip: three nights with two dogs
Say you are driving from Texas to Colorado with two 60 pound dogs and need three single-night stops. At three pet-friendly Best Westerns charging USD 30, USD 35 and USD 40 a day, the pet fees come to USD 105 for the trip if the rate is per room, or USD 210 if each hotel charges per pet. Both dogs fit the 80 pound limit and the two dog maximum. Call each hotel to confirm which way it charges and that a pet room is free on your night.
Before you book
A pet-friendly Best Western is one of the easier places to stop with a big dog. Just make sure the specific hotel actually is pet friendly, note the daily rate, ask whether it is per pet, and get approval in advance for anything other than a dog.