Red Roof Inn lets your first pet stay free. Red Roof Inn and Red Roof PLUS+ hotels accept up to two well-behaved dogs or cats per room, each weighing no more than 80 pounds. The first pet costs nothing, a second pet is USD 15 per night, and the extra pet fee is capped at USD 105 per pet for stays of seven nights or more. You must declare pets at check-in, keep them leashed or in a carrier outside the room, and you may not leave them alone in the room. Two Red Roof hotels do not take pets at all, and HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof, the extended stay brand, sets its own rules.
This guide is built from Red Roof's official pet policy page and its FAQ, read in October 2026, plus a sample of HomeTowne Studios property pages listed in Red Roof's own sitemap. Policies can change, so confirm on the hotel's page or by phone before you travel.
Red Roof pet policy at a glance
| Rule | Red Roof Inn and Red Roof PLUS+ |
|---|---|
| First pet | Free |
| Second pet | USD 15 per night |
| More than two pets | At management discretion, USD 15 per pet per night |
| Cap on extra pet fees | USD 105 per pet for stays of 7 nights or more |
| Weight limit | 80 lb per pet |
| Species | Domestic pets, meaning cats or dogs |
| Deposit or cleaning fee | None at check-in; damage can be charged |
| Left alone in room | Not allowed, except in an emergency with the front desk told |
| Service and emotional support animals | Welcome at all properties at no charge |
| Hotels with no pets | Oxon Hill, MD (#181) and Bellmawr, NJ (#332) |
Is Red Roof Inn pet friendly?
Yes. Red Roof describes itself as a pet-friendly brand, and its policy applies across Red Roof Inn and Red Roof PLUS+ locations. Red Roof's guest FAQ says the chain has more than 715 properties in the US, Canada and Japan, and that its properties must accept two well-behaved domesticated pets per room unless the law prohibits it or there is a health and safety risk. Unlike most chains, where each hotel writes its own pet rules, Red Roof sets one standard: two domestic pets per room, 80 pounds each, first pet free. That makes it easy to plan a road trip, because the answer at one Red Roof is the answer at the next, with the exceptions below.
What the pet fee really costs
With one dog or one cat, a Red Roof stay costs nothing extra, however long you stay. With two pets, the second pet costs USD 15 per night. Red Roof caps that extra fee at USD 105 per additional pet for stays of seven nights or more, so a week or a month with two dogs costs at most USD 105 on top of the room. Here is how it works out:
- One dog, three nights: USD 0.
- Two dogs, one night: USD 15.
- Two dogs, three nights: USD 45.
- Two dogs, seven nights or more: USD 105, the cap.
- Three dogs, three nights, if the manager agrees: USD 90.
Red Roof's FAQ also says the property may not require a pet deposit or charge additional pet fees, including cleaning fees, at check-in. The only extra you can face is the cost of real damage your pet causes, which the manager can charge you for.
The 80 pound weight limit
Each pet must weigh no more than 80 pounds. That covers most Labradors, shepherds and boxers, but not a Great Dane, a Newfoundland or a large male mastiff. Note that the limit is per pet, so two 70 pound dogs are fine even though they weigh 140 pounds together. If your dog is close to the limit, be honest at the desk. Red Roof's FAQ tells guests to contact the hotel directly with property-specific questions before booking, which is the right move for a very large dog.
Cats at Red Roof
Red Roof defines domestic pets as cats or dogs, so cats are covered by the same rules and the same free first pet. Bring a litter box, keep the cat in its carrier when staff or you open the door, and remember that housekeeping cannot clean the room while a pet is inside. Our road trip with a cat guide covers motel nights with a cat in detail.
Red Roof's pet rules
The official policy lists the rules every guest with a pet has to follow:
- Declare all pets at check-in. If you forget, tell staff as soon as possible.
- Keep pets on a leash or in a carrier whenever they are outside the room.
- No pets in any dinette, restaurant or food area, fitness center, pool area or laundry room.
- Clean up after your pet, inside and outside.
- Keep your pet under control at all times.
- You pay for any damage your pet causes.
Red Roof adds that staff are not permitted to care for, feed or give treats to pets, though they may provide water. If a pet is dangerous, harmful or disruptive, management can ask you to remove it or to find other accommodations, and may call animal control.
Can you leave a pet alone at Red Roof?
No, as a rule. Guests may not leave a pet unattended in a guest room. Red Roof makes one allowance: if an emergency arises and you must leave your pet, contact the front desk, tell staff the pet will be alone and give them your contact details. That allowance ends if the pet disturbs other guests or staff or causes damage, in which case it must stay under your control.
Housekeeping cannot clean the room while a pet is present. Arrange a time with the front desk when you and your pet will be out, or ask them to skip service. Plan meals around this too. A drive-through dinner eaten in the room is easier than leaving a dog alone while you sit in a restaurant.
Hotels that do not take pets
Because of state laws, ordinances or contract terms, two locations cannot accept pets, though service animals are always welcome:
- Red Roof PLUS+ Washington DC, Oxon Hill, MD (#181)
- Red Roof Inn and Suites Philadelphia, Bellmawr, NJ (#332)
If either is on your route, book a different Red Roof nearby or another pet-friendly chain.
HomeTowne Studios and The Red Collection
Red Roof's standard policy does not automatically apply to HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof, its extended stay brand, or to The Red Collection hotels. Red Roof says policies vary by location for those, and our sample of HomeTowne Studios pages showed exactly that:
- No pets: Prattville, AL; Trenton, NJ; and one San Antonio, TX location. Service and emotional support animals are still welcome.
- USD 10 per night up to USD 100 a month: New Castle, DE; Lawrenceville, GA; Battle Creek, MI.
- USD 15 per night: Lancaster, PA.
- Red Roof standard terms, first pet free and a second pet at USD 15 a night, capped at 7 nights or USD 105 per pet: HomeTowne Studios Ridgecrest, CA.
One Austin, TX page showed both "Sorry, no pets allowed" in its amenity list and a USD 10 per night pet fee in its policy, which shows why a phone call is worth it before booking an extended stay. Several HomeTowne pages also require a refundable deposit from all guests at check-in, separate from any pet charge.
Service animals and emotional support animals
Red Roof's policy goes further than most chains. It says service animals and emotional support animals, which it calls assistance animals, are welcome at all Red Roof properties at no charge, and that pet rules and pet fees do not apply to them. It also says a guest travelling with an assistance animal and one pet does not pay the extra pet fee, since the assistance animal is not counted as a pet. The federal ADA service animal rules only require hotels to admit trained service dogs, so Red Roof's welcome for emotional support animals is a company policy, not a legal requirement. Our service dog hotel rights guide explains the difference.
Red Roof Inn, Red Roof PLUS+ and the other brands
Red Roof runs four brands, and it helps to know which one you are booking. Red Roof Inn is the classic budget motel. Red Roof PLUS+ is the slightly upgraded version, with newer rooms and extras at many locations. Both follow the standard pet policy above. HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof is the extended stay brand with kitchenettes and weekly or monthly rates, and The Red Collection is a group of independent style hotels. For the last two, pet rules are set per hotel. When you search on redroof.com, the brand name appears with each result, so check it before you book, especially for a stay of more than a few nights.
Where to walk your dog
Red Roof says pets are allowed in approved guest rooms and designated outdoor areas. Most Red Roof Inns are classic motels with exterior corridors, so you walk straight from your door to the car park, which is handy late at night. Ask the front desk where the designated pet area is when you check in, carry bags, and keep your dog on a leash the whole time, since motel car parks have moving vehicles at all hours. Do not use landscaped beds by the entrance. If there is no grass on site, a short drive to a park is better than a walk along a busy frontage road.
Red Roof compared with Motel 6
For pet owners, Red Roof's closest rival is Motel 6, which lets up to two pets stay free with a combined weight of up to 150 pounds. With one dog, both chains cost nothing extra. With two dogs, Motel 6 is free and Red Roof costs USD 15 a night, up to USD 105. With one very large dog over 80 pounds, Motel 6's combined limit is more forgiving. Red Roof's advantages are its 80 pound per pet rule, which is generous for a budget chain, and its welcome for emotional support animals. Our Motel 6 pet policy guide and our list of hotels with no pet fee compare the options.
A sample trip with one large dog
Say you are driving from Ohio to Florida with a 75 pound Labrador and stopping two nights. At any Red Roof Inn or Red Roof PLUS+ on the way, the dog is under the 80 pound limit and is your first pet, so it stays free both nights. If you planned to stay at a HomeTowne Studios for a month at the end of the trip, you would need to check that location's own page, since it might charge USD 10 a night, or take no pets at all. For a long stay, ask before you sign up for weekly rates.
Long stays at Red Roof with a pet
The USD 105 cap makes Red Roof good value for longer stays with two pets, for example while you wait for a new lease after a move. Keep a few things in mind. Housekeeping cannot clean while your pet is inside, so agree a regular time with the desk. Your dog cannot be left alone for long workdays, so a long stay works best if someone is home or you arrange a walker. And if the property is a HomeTowne Studios rather than a Red Roof Inn, the pet terms may be different.
Common mistakes
- Assuming HomeTowne Studios follows the Red Roof Inn first pet free rule.
- Forgetting that the 80 pound limit is per pet.
- Leaving a dog in the room while eating out without telling the front desk.
- Booking the Oxon Hill or Bellmawr locations with a pet.
- Walking a dog through the breakfast area on the way out.
Tips for a smooth stay
- Note your pet when you book and again at the desk.
- Ask for a room near an exterior door for easier walks.
- Bring a crate, bags, bowls and an old sheet for the bed.
- Plan your route with our road trip with a dog guide.
- Never leave a pet in a parked car, one of the ASPCA's travel safety tips.
Before you book
Red Roof is one of the easiest chains for a single dog or cat: free, with an 80 pound limit and one set of rules across the brand. Check the hotel page if you are booking HomeTowne Studios, a Red Collection hotel or more than one pet.