Are Hilton Hotels Pet-Friendly?

Traveling with loved ones makes your trip more enjoyable. But what happens if your best friend is your pet? While some hotels allow guests to bring pets, not all do. Those that allow pets often have restrictions, fees and other rules that govern how and when you can bring your pet while traveling.

Many Hilton properties are pet-friendly. Here’s everything you need to know about the Hilton pet policy before you book your next hotel reservation.

Why people travel with pets

It’s increasingly common for travelers to bring their pets with them on vacation. According to the Transportation Department, more than two million pets travel by air annually. Here are some of the most common reasons pet owners bring their furry friends on trips with them:

• Service dogs. Service dogs are pets with responsibilities. They help their owners complete daily tasks and serve as companions to their owners by accompanying them everywhere they go.

• Pet health. Some pets are in bad health, so pet owners don’t want to leave them behind. Other pets have a health regimen they must follow. Bringing the pet along is often easier than explaining the regimen to someone else.

• To see friends and family. Pets are often treated like a member of the family. When visiting others, some travelers bring their pets with them like they would their children.

• Cheaper than boarding. With the average cost of boarding a dog at $40 a day, bringing your pet with you is often cheaper than boarding it.

The Hilton pet policy

A majority of Hilton hotel locations are pet-friendly. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t restrictions or fees associated with bringing your pet with you. Before booking, it’s important to understand the Hilton pet policy to know the fees and restrictions of your stay.

During the booking process, guests can add their pets under the “Special Requests” section. There is usually a fee to do so, but if your pet is a service animal, there is no charge.

Pet fees vary from one Hilton location to the next. Additionally, the hotel may charge extra based on the length of your stay.

According to our analysis of the best hotels that allow pets, the average Hilton pet fee was $81.25 per stay. This equated to about 30% of the typical room rate. Both findings were close to the overall average of our survey results.

The restrictions on the size and type of pet vary across Hilton properties. While reviewing a handful of Hilton properties, many did not include weight limits for pets. However, most limited the type of pets to dogs and cats.

This table compares how the Hilton pet policy applies for some of the Hilton-owned hotels in Nashville, Tennessee:

Which Hilton brands are pet-friendly?

Hilton has 19 distinct hotel brands, but not all allow guests to bring pets. Of the Hilton brands, only seven are pet-friendly. Fortunately, of the more than 7,000 hotel locations, almost 5,800 of them allow pets. This is approximately 80% of all Hilton hotel locations.

Pet-friendly brands include:

• Canopy by Hilton.

• Hampton by Hilton.

• Tru by Hilton.

• Homewood Suites by Hilton.

• Home2 Suites by Hilton.

• Embassy Suites by Hilton.

• Hilton Garden Inn.

How staying at Hilton with pets compares to other hotels

The Hilton pet policy is one of the best, according to our annual analysis of the best hotel rewards programs. NerdWallet reviews pet policies, availability, and fees, across major hotel brands, including Best Western, IHG, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and Wyndham. Here are the results.

Final thoughts on the Hilton pet policy

The Hilton pet policy allows guests to bring their pets to seven of its 19 hotel brands. While this is fewer than half of its brands, around 80% of Hilton locations are pet-friendly.

The typical Hilton property charged a pet fee of $50 to $75 for up to four nights and $75 to $125 when staying five nights or longer.

Although these fees increase your traveling costs, they may be cheaper than boarding your pet during your trip.