Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Hudson Valley and the Catskills

Before you go

What happens when you get there

Getting there by train

Metro-North's Hudson Line to Tarrytown, Cold Spring, Beacon and Poughkeepsie takes pets carried in a container or securely controlled on a lead for the whole journey, so a dog of any size can ride. That makes Beacon easy from New York City without a car. Amtrak is much tighter, with a 20 lb limit for pet and carrier combined and a carrier no bigger than 19 x 14 x 10.5 inches. Whether Amtrak's Empire Service to Hudson or Rhinecliff takes pets is not confirmed, so check at booking.

The Shawangunks

Mohonk Preserve welcomes dogs on a six-foot lead and under your control. They aren't allowed on the grounds of Mohonk Mountain House, on Preserve carriage roads during cross-country ski season, or in any Preserve ponds or streams. Minnewaska State Park Preserve takes dogs on a lead of no more than 6 feet, but not in buildings, picnic areas, bathing areas or beaches. In summer the dog walks the trails and doesn't swim at the lake beaches.

Sights that don't take dogs

Storm King Art Center admits ADA service dogs only, and emotional support and therapy dogs are not permitted. Dia Beacon doesn't allow pets in the galleries. Mohonk Mountain House does not permit pets, day visits to the grounds included. The Dutchess Inn in Beacon can help arrange a pet sitter for the hours the dog can't join you.

Walkway Over the Hudson

Dogs on a lead are allowed on the Walkway between Poughkeepsie and Highland. Only service animals can use the elevator, so with a dog, get on at either end of the bridge.

Eating with your dog

Outdoor seating only is the rule. Babbler's outdoor area at Wylder Windham, the outdoor dining at Shandaken Inn and the porch at Hotel Mountain Brook all take dogs. Babbler's is seasonal and the Mountain Brook porch table depends on the weather. Wildflower Farms keeps dogs out of Clay restaurant but welcomes them on The Great Porch.

Fees

One-off fees: USD 50 per dog at Deer Mountain Inn (USD 150 for Tuckaway), USD 75 per dog at Wm. Farmer and Sons, USD 100 per pet at Hotel Mountain Brook, USD 150 per dog at Wildflower Farms. Nightly fees: USD 50 per pet at Eastwind, USD 50 at Shandaken Inn, USD 55 per dog at Hotel Vienna and The Dutchess Inn, USD 60 per dog at Wylder Windham. Hudson Whaler doesn't publish a fee. At Shandaken Inn, confirm when booking whether the fee is per room or per dog.

Weight limits

Under 30 lbs (13.5 kg) at Wm. Farmer and Sons. Under 50 lbs (about 22.7 kg) at Deer Mountain Inn and up to 50 lbs at The Dutchess Inn. Under 75 lbs (about 34 kg) at Wildflower Farms. No weight or breed limits at Hotel Mountain Brook. Eastwind asks you to get in touch if your dog is on the larger side, and Hotel Vienna says breed restrictions may apply, so ask before booking.

Winter

The indoor exclusions bite harder once the porches and outdoor tables close. Mohonk Preserve carriage roads close to dogs during cross-country ski season, and Minnewaska's groomed ski trails are closed to dogs when open for skiing. If you're coming in the cold, ask the hotel exactly where the dog can sit with you.

Best walks

Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park Preserve in the Shawangunks, both on a six-foot lead, are the big ones and sit close to Wildflower Farms, which has 140 acres of its own meadows and trails. The Walkway Over the Hudson between Poughkeepsie and Highland takes dogs on a lead. The grounds at Olana State Historic Site near Hudson are walked with dogs, though no lead length is published there. In the Catskills, forest trails are a short drive from Tannersville, and Wylder Windham has its own fenced dog run.

When to go

Go when the porches, fire pits and outdoor tables are in use, because that is where the dog is welcome. Babbler's outdoor dining at Wylder Windham is seasonal and the breakfast porch at Hotel Mountain Brook is weather permitting. In winter the dog is shut out of more of each hotel, and the ski season closes Mohonk Preserve carriage roads and Minnewaska's groomed trails to dogs. Summer has its own catch at Minnewaska, where dogs can't use the bathing areas or beaches.