Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Fort Lauderdale

Before you go

What happens when you get there

Water Taxi

The Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi doesn't take dogs. The operator's answer to whether you can bring your dog on the boat is no, service animals only, and that covers the whole service. It's the obvious way between the beach, Las Olas and 17th Street, so plan on a car or your own feet.

Beaches

Hollywood has a dog beach between the Pershing Street and Custer Street lifeguard stands. Its days, hours and fee aren't confirmed, so check with the City of Hollywood before you go. The rules for dogs on Fort Lauderdale's beach, in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and in Pompano Beach aren't confirmed either. Ask your hotel's front desk and check the city or town page, and don't assume the sand outside the hotel is open to dogs.

Dogs at the table

Margaritaville allows dogs in designated outdoor seating in its dining venues. Omni and Four Seasons keep dogs out of every restaurant and bar. The other hotels publish nothing either way. Off property, Las Olas Boulevard is where the area's dog-welcoming terraces are, with Yolo, Big City Tavern and Luigi's Tuscan Grill among those named locally, though it's worth ringing ahead.

Weight limits

No limit at Kimpton Shorebreak. DoubleTree Hollywood Beach goes to 75 lbs (34 kg), Omni to 60 lbs (27.2 kg) per dog, and Hotel Maren and Plunge to 40 lbs (18.1 kg). The Diplomat's 50 lbs (22.7 kg) is the combined weight of both pets. Four Seasons is under 25 lbs (11.4 kg) each and Margaritaville 25 lbs (11.3 kg). Embassy Suites publishes no weight limit.

Fees

Free at Kimpton Shorebreak. USD 50 at DoubleTree, USD 75 at Embassy Suites for one to four nights and USD 125 for five or more, USD 99 per dog per stay at Plunge, USD 100 per stay at the Diplomat, USD 125 at Hotel Maren, USD 200 at Omni and USD 250 at Margaritaville. Four Seasons states no fee in its pet policy, so ask what applies.

Terms to confirm

Pier Sixty-Six says only that it is pet friendly. The terms we hold are pets under 5 kg (about 11 lbs), USD 75 per room per stay, in specific rooms that must be requested after booking, so confirm all of it with the resort. DoubleTree lists both 75 lbs and a maximum size of medium, so tell them your dog's weight and get a yes in writing. Hotel Maren and Margaritaville don't say whether their charge is per stay or per pet.

Two dogs

Omni, Plunge, Four Seasons, the Diplomat and Embassy Suites each take two. At Plunge the USD 99 is per dog, and at the Diplomat the two together must come in at 50 lbs or under. The other hotels don't publish a number, so ask.

Leaving a dog in the room

Plunge doesn't allow it at all, and gives one warning for barking or crying before asking you to check out early. Omni allows it only with the dog in a carrier. Nobody else publishes a rule, so ask before you book a dinner that the dog can't come to.

Best walks

Bark Park at Snyder Park is Fort Lauderdale's off-lead dog park. Hollywood's dog beach sits between the Pershing Street and Custer Street lifeguard stands, on the same shore as the Diplomat, DoubleTree and Margaritaville, though check its days and fee with the city first. Las Olas Boulevard is the street for a walk that ends at an outdoor table. Barkham Park, inside Markham Park in Sunrise, is the other named dog park, but it's inland and outside the areas these hotels cover. We haven't confirmed the rules for dogs on the Riverwalk or on Fort Lauderdale's own beach, so check before you go.

When to go

We haven't confirmed any official guidance on summer heat or seasonal beach rules for dogs here, so we won't name months for you. None of the hotel policies above is tied to a season. The Hollywood dog beach is the one place where days and hours matter, and those need checking with the City of Hollywood before you travel. If you're staying five nights or more, note that Embassy Suites moves from USD 75 to USD 125, while the per-stay fees at the Diplomat and Plunge don't change with the length of the stay.