Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Philadelphia

Before you go

What happens when you get there

Fees

Free at Kimpton Palomar and Kimpton Monaco, and free at the Four Seasons for one dog up to 25 lbs (about 11 kg). USD 75 at Loews per room per stay, at Canopy by Hilton, and per pet at The Study. USD 100 at The Bellevue, The Westin and Element, USD 150 at The Rittenhouse, USD 250 at W Philadelphia. Chestnut Hill Hotel charges USD 50 plus tax per dog, per night, which adds up fast on a long stay.

Terms to confirm

The Franklin on Rittenhouse, The Windsor Suites and Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square don't publish a pet fee, so get it in writing when you book. Expect about USD 100 per pet at AKA Rittenhouse Square, USD 200 per room at AKA University City and USD 75 per room plus a USD 300 deposit at Sofitel, and confirm each with the hotel. At The Bellevue, ask whether the USD 100 covers both dogs. At Element, check the total.

Weight limits

Any size at Kimpton Palomar, Kimpton Monaco and Chestnut Hill Hotel. Up to 75 lbs (about 34 kg) at The Bellevue and Canopy by Hilton, 60 lbs (about 27 kg) at Element, and 50 lbs (about 22.7 kg) at The Westin, W Philadelphia and Hyatt Centric. The Four Seasons stops at 25 lbs (about 11 kg). Loews and The Rittenhouse give no weight limit.

Two dogs

The Bellevue takes two dogs up to 75 lbs each. Element, Loews and Hyatt Centric take two, with Hyatt Centric capping the pair at 75 lbs (about 34 kg) combined. Both Kimptons set no limit on numbers. The Four Seasons and W Philadelphia take one, and The Rittenhouse allows one pet per person.

Leaving your dog in the room

Never at The Rittenhouse, where the dog is out with you or crated with you present during housekeeping. Not at the Four Seasons either, where the Canine Concierge arranges a sitter. The Windsor Suites allows short absences but not long ones. No other hotel on the list publishes a rule, so ask before you book a dinner or a show.

Restaurants and patios

Two hotels publish a rule. Kimpton Palomar serves its dog menu on the seasonal patio at Square 1682, and The Windsor Suites keeps pets out of its restaurants. Everywhere else it isn't published, and we haven't confirmed the city's rule on dogs at restaurant patios, so ring the restaurant first.

Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell

Pets aren't allowed inside the public buildings of Independence National Historical Park, which covers Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center. Outdoors, dogs must be on a lead no longer than 6 feet and under control at all times, and you pick up after them. Kimpton Monaco is the hotel beside Independence Mall.

Trains and transit

Amtrak takes pets in a carrier only, with a 20 lb limit for pet and carrier combined, a maximum carrier size of 19 x 14 x 10.5 inches, one pet per customer and trips up to 7 hours on most routes. That's Coach and Acela Business Class, and the fee shows at booking. It rules out most dogs. We haven't confirmed SEPTA's pet rule, so check with SEPTA before you rely on the subway, a bus or a trolley.

Best walks

Rittenhouse Square is where Kimpton Palomar and The Windsor Suites both send their guests with dogs. Its dog rules aren't posted anywhere we could confirm, so keep the lead on and read the signs. Schuylkill River Park, to the west, has two separate dog runs, one for all dogs and one for older, disabled and small dogs under 25 lbs, surfaced in K-9 Grass with water fountains, benches and seasonal dog pools. Schuylkill Banks has 4.5 miles of finished river trail, though it publishes no dog or lead rule. Seger Dog Park at 1001 Rodman Street is run by a dog owners' association that asks for memberships, takes no puppies under 4 months and no dogs that aren't fully vaccinated, so check whether visitors can use it before you walk over. The Windsor Suites' own list adds Cret Park at 110 N 16th Street, Sister Cities Park at 210 N 18th Street, Dilworth Park at 1 S 15th Street and Penn's Landing Dog Park at 1 N Delaware Ave. For a proper day out, Wissahickon Valley Park is 2,000 acres of wooded creek trails beside Chestnut Hill, with dogs on a lead of no more than 6 feet at all times.

When to go

The warm months get you the most, because the Square 1682 patio at Kimpton Palomar and the dog pools at Schuylkill River Park are both seasonal. Neither publishes dates, so ask before you plan around them. We haven't confirmed heat figures for the city, so check the forecast before a summer trip and plan the long walk for early or late. In winter, note the Wissahickon curfew: the park closes from 8 pm to 6 am between 1 December and 31 March, against 1 am to 6 am the rest of the year, so evening trail walks are out.