Dog-friendly hotels in New York: the rules

Plenty of New York hotels take dogs, but nearly all of them set a weight limit, and it is lower than most travellers expect. Across the nine properties whose official conditions we read, the range runs from free with no size limit at all to 250 dollars for a dog under 25 pounds. Here is what each one publishes, and what to get confirmed before you pay. Weight is also what blocks the journey itself: on Loulou Air’s shared Pay-per-Seat private flights your dog travels in the cabin at your feet, with none of the weight limit imposed by scheduled airlines.

This guide adds to the “Where to stay” part of our article New York with your dog, which covers twelve other addresses.

Which New York hotels accept dogs?

Nine properties say so on their own websites, on very different terms.

Soho Grand Hotel: the hotel calls itself “exceptionally pet-friendly” and says it welcomes any number of pets of any size, with no additional fees and no weight restrictions. It provides bedding, bowls and waste bags, and has a private dog park.
The Standard, East Village: “We do not have a weight limit.” A bowl, bed and treats can be requested on arrival, and a pet waiver form is presented at check-in.
The Standard, High Line: the hotel says it is pet-friendly, and adds that its restaurant, The Standard Grill, is too. No fee or weight cap is published on that page.
The Hoxton, Williamsburg: one dog per room, up to 40 pounds (18.1 kg), at no extra charge. Above that, the hotel asks to be told in advance and will try to accommodate.
Arlo Hotels: up to two dogs or cats per room, each under 75 pounds (34 kg). That is the highest cap on this list.
The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel: dogs up to 35 pounds (15.9 kg).
The Dominick SoHo: dogs under 25 pounds (11.3 kg).
The William Vale, in Williamsburg: the hotel says pets are welcome on property, with no weight or number limit published on its page.
Baccarat Hotel New York: a maximum of two dogs, not exceeding 20 pounds combined, or a little over 9 kg for both together.

These terms change often. Get yours confirmed in writing before you pay.

How much does a dog cost in a New York hotel?

Anywhere from nothing to 250 dollars, depending on the property and on how the charge is worked out.

Hotel	Published fee
Soho Grand	None
The Hoxton, Williamsburg	None for a dog within the stated limits
The William Vale	50 dollar cleaning fee once a pet enters the room
The Beekman	75 dollars per stay
Arlo Hotels	20 dollars pre-tax per pet, per night
The Dominick SoHo	250 dollars for the stay, amenities included
Baccarat Hotel New York	250 dollars per dog, one time

Three different methods sit behind those numbers, and they do not compare directly. A flat fee per stay, as at The Beekman, costs the same for two nights or ten. A nightly rate, as at Arlo, climbs with the length of the trip, and Arlo also states a card hold of up to 200 dollars. A per-dog fee, as at the Baccarat, doubles if you travel with two.

The Hoxton is explicit that “no charge” does not mean no liability: if the room is damaged or left very messy, cleaning or repair costs are charged at check-out.

What weight limit do New York hotels apply?

Most often between 25 and 40 pounds, which is 11.3 to 18.1 kg. American hotels work in pounds, and the conversion catches people out: 25 pounds is not 12 kg but 11.34 kg, and 40 pounds is 18.14 kg. A dog most Europeans would call medium-sized goes over the cap very quickly.

Three thresholds recur in our survey: 25 pounds at The Dominick SoHo, 35 pounds at The Beekman, 40 pounds at The Hoxton Williamsburg, with Arlo going up to 75 pounds. Watch how the cap is counted, too. The Baccarat does not write 20 pounds per dog but two dogs “not exceeding 20 pounds combined”: two 4 kg dogs qualify, a single 10 kg dog does not. A combined cap and a per-animal cap are not the same thing, and that is exactly the misunderstanding that gets settled at the front desk.

Two addresses set no cap at all: the Soho Grand, which takes pets of any size in any number, and The Standard East Village, which states plainly that it has no weight limit. The Hoxton does not refuse outright above 40 pounds either; it asks to be told.

Can you leave your dog alone in the room?

Rarely, and never without telling the hotel. Arlo forbids it outright: pets must not be left unattended in guest rooms, and if one is found alone the owner is contacted and required to return immediately.

The Hoxton Williamsburg takes a different route. The dog should not be left alone without reception being told, a door hanger flags that a dog is inside, and the owner must be present whenever a member of staff enters the room.

Ask this question first if your trip includes a dinner or a meeting: it shapes your days far more than the fee does.

Where is your dog not allowed inside the hotel?

Almost always in restaurants and bars. The Beekman writes that pets are always welcome, but not in The Bar Room or its restaurants. The Hoxton Williamsburg allows only service animals in its indoor restaurants. The Baccarat states that certain areas of the hotel remain pet-free.

In shared spaces, how the dog is held is set out too. Arlo requires pets to be on a leash under the control of an adult at all times, inside a fully enclosed travel carrier, or properly restrained in a carry pack. The Baccarat requires dogs to be leashed or carried in public spaces. The Hoxton asks for a lead or a carrier in shared spaces.

There are exceptions worth knowing. The Standard High Line says its restaurant, The Standard Grill, is pet-friendly. And the Soho Grand offers a private dog park reserved for its guests.

Does a service animal follow the same rules?

No. Federal disability law draws a clear line between a service animal and a pet. The Department of Justice defines a service animal as a dog trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability. A dog whose mere presence provides comfort does not meet that definition.

The consequences at a hotel are concrete. A hotel may not charge a guest for cleaning the hair or dander shed by a service animal, and a guest with a disability who uses one must have the same opportunity to reserve any available room as any other guest. Emotional support animals do not qualify as service animals under the ADA, so a hotel may apply its ordinary pet policy to them.

Staff may ask only two questions: whether the dog is a service animal required because of a disability, and what work or task it has been trained to perform. No documentation and no demonstration can be required. In return, the animal must be harnessed, leashed or tethered in public places unless those devices interfere with its work or the person’s disability prevents their use, and a business may ask for the dog to be removed if it is out of control and its handler cannot regain control.

Both The Beekman and Arlo state that their restrictions do not apply to service animals.

What should you confirm before booking?

Six points, in this order, and by email rather than over the phone.

The exact weight accepted, and whether it counts per dog or for all your dogs together.
The number of animals allowed per room.
The amount of the fee, and whether it falls due per night, per stay or per dog.
Any card hold or deposit taken on arrival.
Whether the dog may be left alone in the room, and the procedure for it.
Which areas are off limits, especially if you plan to have breakfast on site.

Entry formalities are settled long before the hotel: they are set out on our United States travel requirements page and in our article on the CDC Dog Import Form.

What if your dog flew to New York in the cabin?

That is what a shared private flight from Paris to New York makes possible, and it settles the weight question long before check-in. Loulou Air, a brand of AEROAFFAIRES, a private aviation broker since 1991, offers Pay-per-Seat travel on shared private jet flights: you pay for your seat, not the jet, and your dog travels in the cabin with you, at your feet, never in the hold. There is none of the weight limit imposed by scheduled airlines: capacity depends on the aircraft and on how many animals are on board, and a broker approves each dog case by case. You board through a private aviation terminal with no queues, and the crew is briefed on welcoming animals. Our brokers check every dog’s file before departure, and entry formalities remain due on every flight, private ones included.

See our flights to New York or talk to a broker, who will go through your dog’s paperwork with you. How it all works is set out in Flying private with your dog, and the limits of scheduled airlines in Pet in cabin: weight limits, fees and airlines.

Frequently asked questions

Which New York hotel takes large dogs?

Among the properties whose conditions we read, the Soho Grand accepts pets of any size at no charge, and The Standard East Village states it has no weight limit. Arlo goes up to 75 pounds (34 kg) for 20 dollars pre-tax per pet, per night. Get your own dog confirmed in writing before booking.

How much does a dog cost at a hotel in New York?

Between nothing and 250 dollars, depending on the address. The Soho Grand and The Hoxton Williamsburg charge nothing, The William Vale adds a 50 dollar cleaning fee, The Beekman charges 75 dollars per stay, Arlo 20 dollars pre-tax per night per pet, and The Dominick SoHo and the Baccarat 250 dollars.

Does the hotel need my dog’s vaccination record?

The Hoxton Williamsburg requires dogs to be vaccinated, and several hotels have guests sign a waiver at check-in, as The Standard East Village does. Either way, carry the documents required to enter the United States: they are listed on our travel requirements page.