Here are Hotels that are Dog-Friendly Enough to Welcome You and Your Dog

By Sarah Freddie

There are some fantastic hotels along the East Coast that are very dog-friendly.

After all, our pets are like our family, and when we get a chance to bring them with us on vacation, we are happy. They go where we go!

These hotels go out of their way to make sure that you and your beloved creature are comfortable and well taken care of.

Some of the best dog-friendly hotels, inns, and bed and breakfasts along the East Coast are the Hotel Marlowe in Boston, the Hotel Helix in Washington D.C., and the Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth Maine.

The Hotel Marlowe is located in Cambridge Massachusetts, five minutes from downtown Boston. The hotel offers complimentary high-speed internet access and wireless internet access. Guests have access to the gym, kayak and bike rentals, morning coffee/tea hour, and evening wine hour, courtesy of the hotel.

Treats for Dogs

The Marlowe goes out of its way to provide treats for its furry clientele. If your pet has stayed at the Marlowe five times, he will receive a lunch box full of treats! If your pet celebrates a birthday during your stay at the hotel, the hotel will order your dog or cat a cake from the Polka Dog Bakery.

The Marlowe also offers two different pet packages: the “Man’s Best Friend Pampering Kit,” which includes a comfy bed complete with a fleece blanket and a box full of treats from Polka Dog Bakery, a Marlowe recommended pet bakery.

The “Finicky Feline Pampering Kit” includes a scratching post, a comfy blanket, and a box full of cat treats from the Polka Dog Bakery.

One happy visitor told TripAdvisor.com that the Hotel Marlowe is “very dog-friendly.”

“They always have plenty of fresh-baked dog treats around,” she continued. “In summary, great location, great rooms, fantastic food, and an excellent value!”

A second visitor who stayed at the Marlowe explained, “My husband and I celebrated our one-year anniversary in the Boston area. We decided to stay at the Marlowe because we could take our Doberman with us. What an amazing experience! Loved the rooms and the Aveda bathroom products!

Responsible Pet Owners

“The bed and pillows were so comfortable. The staff was wonderful with our dog, and other people in the hotel appeared to be very responsible pet owners. There is a park nearby where you can take your dog for a walk.

It was such an amazing experience to feel so welcomed with our dog. The hotel even had a water bowl and a welcome sign that greeted pets as they checked in.”

Not only is The Marlowe pet-friendly and full of amenities, but it is also close to some of the best spots to visit in Boston and Cambridge. The hotspots including Quincy Market, Harvard Square, The Freedom Trail, Newbury St, and Fenway Park. You can also catch crew teams racing along the Charles River depending on what season you visit the Marlowe in.

For more information or to book a room visit hotelmarlowe.com.

Kimpton Mason Rook Dog Friendly Too

Another great choice for a pet-friendly hotel in Washington, D.C. is the Kimpton Mason & Rook Hotel. is not your average Hotel, decorated in vibrant colors and funky patterns; it reminds you more of a disco-era club, than a downtown D.C. hotel.

The Hotel Helix is conveniently located in the crux of downtown D.C. It’s a block away from 14th Street, which boats great shopping, and a few minutes away from the metro. The White House, Lincoln Monument, and The Smithsonian Institution can all be reached by a quick ride on the metro. Check out the property at www.masonandrookhotel.com

Dog-Friendly Cape Elizabeth Maine

If you are looking for a great, oceanside, pet-friendly place to stay, the Inn by the Sea, located in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is an excellent choice.

The Inn provides travelers a choice of three different types of accommodations: suites, cottages, or beach houses. Each accommodation comes complete with a view of the ocean, a bathroom, kitchen, living and dining room area.

This Inn offers every activity or amenity imaginable to make your stay a pleasant one. Indulge in valet laundry and parking, massages, high-speed internet, outdoor pool, yoga, and walking and jogging trails.

Bringing along a pet to the Inn is no concern; the Inn goes out of its way to provide a wonderful time for the pet as well as his owner. Dog-walking and dog-sitting services are offered to guests.

If you let the Inn know in advance, for a small fee, gourmet pet menus and access to a dog grooming service are available.

If you want to pamper your pet to the extreme, two different packages are available that will do just that. The Dog Days package includes a doggie bag upon arrival complete with a sweater for your canine friend, a dog toy, and an Inn by the Sea dog tag, and info on the best places to walk and play with your dog.

Waiting for you and your dog in your room will be a blanket, towel, food bowls, and bottle of water for your dog. The “Something to Bark About Package” is also an excellent choice. The doggie bag that comes with this package includes a dog coat, a toy, and a dog tag.

Book about Dog Massages

For the owner of this pampered pet, there is a book about massages for dogs, info on places to take your dog for a walk, a memento photo, two hours worth of pet sitting provided by the Inn, and a generous $50 gift certificate to a local pet specialty store.

“Although it is a LONG drive, it is worth it for the excellent restaurant, the upscale but very Maine-ish Cape Elizabeth with its easy access to downtown Portland, and the charming staff who bend over backward to offer agreeable VCR videos/ DVDs at no charge, cookies before bed, and even a bandana for each of our golden retrievers.

Another visitor says, “I stayed at this inn with my mother, my young daughter, and my dog. The grounds were beautiful, our cottage was comfortable and clean, and the staff was professional. It was well worth the price. I would highly recommend Inn by the Sea.

“For us, it was the perfect Maine vacation; we will definitely be back. Highly recommended for those who want to take their dog on vacation…truly a dog-friendly place.”

For entertainment outside of the Inn, there are a number of different activities to choose from all a short drive away. Shop at L.L.Bean, the Maine Mall, or the boutiques and antique shops in Old Port. You can find art galleries as well, located in the Old Port. Check out this great Inn for yourself at innbythesea.com.

Sarah Freddie taught in Japan for a year and now lives in Los Angeles.