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Top picks: best dog friendly hotels california for 2025
- sky mozart
- 4 days ago
- 12 min read
California's sun-drenched landscapes are best explored with your four-legged best friend by your side. But finding a hotel that truly welcomes your pet, without sacrificing style, comfort, or location, can feel like a challenge. From chic desert oases to breezy coastal inns, the Golden State is packed with incredible stays that roll out the welcome mat for dogs. This guide cuts through the noise to bring you the definitive list of the best dog-friendly hotels California has to offer, whether you're planning a romantic getaway, a group celebration, or a solo adventure.
TL;DR – Why The Muse Hotel Palm Springs Is a Standout
Adults-only boutique hotel with private patios
Located minutes from downtown in Warm Sands
Each suite features a unique muse-inspired theme
Heated floral pool, fire pit, swings, & stylish common areas
Great for couples, bachelorettes, and full property buyouts
We've organized our top picks by region and travel style, highlighting standout amenities, pet policies, and fees so you can book with confidence. Forget endless searching and vague pet policies; this curated roundup gives you all the details needed to find the perfect stay. Topping our list for a stylish desert retreat is The Muse Hotel Palm Springs, a boutique gem that perfectly blends an adults-only vibe with a warm welcome for pets, setting the standard for a truly memorable stay.
1. The Muse Hotel Palm Springs – A Boutique Stay with Style, Soul, and Seclusion
For travelers seeking a quintessential Palm Springs escape that masterfully blends mid-century modern design, intimate luxury, and a genuinely welcoming attitude towards pets, The Muse Hotel Palm Springs stands in a class of its own. A true adults-only (21+) oasis, this boutique retreat is more than just a place to stay; it's a curated experience, making it an exceptional choice and one of the best dog friendly hotels in California for couples, group getaways, and anyone with an eye for style.
The Muse offers a rare combination: a sophisticated, adults-only atmosphere where your canine companion is also a celebrated guest. This distinction is crucial for pet owners who want an elevated getaway in a kid-free environment. The property’s desert-chic design, featuring nine uniquely styled suites named after iconic muses, creates an Instagram-worthy backdrop at every turn. It’s a space built for creating memories, whether you’re planning a romantic weekend, a milestone birthday, or a bachelorette party.
Standout Features and Pet-Friendly Perks
What truly sets The Muse apart is its thoughtful layout and amenities, which cater perfectly to both humans and their dogs.
Private and Semi-Private Outdoor Spaces: Many suites feature private patios, offering a secure and convenient area for your dog to relax in the desert sun. The enclosed courtyard provides a safe, contained environment for leashed strolls.
Intimate Boutique Setting: With only nine suites, the hotel never feels crowded. This low-density environment is ideal for dogs that may be sensitive to the noise and high traffic of larger resorts.
Exceptional Group Accommodations: The Muse excels at hosting groups and sleeps up to 21 guests. Options range from spacious two-bedroom suites to full-property buyouts, making it a premier destination for private events where every guest (including the furry ones) can stay together in an exclusive setting.
Luxurious Human Amenities: While your dog is living its best life, you can enjoy the heated floral courtyard pool, relax on a swing under the pergola, or gather around the outdoor fire pit. Suites with full kitchens or kitchenettes make group stays seamless and polished.
🌟 Spotlight on The Muse Hotel Palm Springs ✔ Adults-only, private & peaceful ✔ Hot tub + floral pergola courtyard ✔ Stylish mid-century aesthetic ✔ Kitchenettes & patios in every suite ✔ Ideal for groups & full buyouts 👉 Check it out
Why It’s Our Top Choice
The Muse Hotel delivers an unparalleled boutique experience that feels both exclusive and warmly personal. It’s the perfect synthesis of desert chic and practical pet-friendly design. While its adults-only policy makes it unsuitable for family vacations, it is the definitive choice for those planning a stylish group getaway, a romantic escape, or simply a peaceful retreat with their four-legged friend in tow.
Pros: Intimate and stylish adults-only environment, exceptional for groups and private buyouts, private patios in many suites, and highly personalized service.
Cons: Limited availability due to its small size requires advance booking, and the adults-only policy is not a fit for travelers with children.
Visit the website: The Muse Hotel
2. BringFido
For travelers who live by the mantra "if my dog can't come, I'm not going," BringFido is the essential first stop. Unlike general booking sites where pet-friendly is just a filter, this platform is built from the ground up exclusively for pet owners. It curates a massive directory of hotels, vacation rentals, and B&Bs across the Golden State, making the search for the best dog friendly hotels in California remarkably straightforward and stress-free.
What truly sets BringFido apart is the depth of its pet-specific details. Each listing goes beyond a simple "pets allowed" checkmark, often providing crucial information like the exact pet fee, weight or size restrictions, the number of pets permitted per room, and whether there are designated pet relief areas on-site. This level of detail removes the guesswork and prevents unwelcome surprises upon arrival. You can learn more about how to use tools like BringFido effectively to plan your trip by reading our ultimate 2024 guide to California pet-friendly stays.
Key Features and User Experience
The user experience is tailored for animal lovers. You can filter your search not just by location but also by whether a hotel allows large dogs, multiple pets, or even has a low or non-existent pet fee. The platform's secret weapon is its community-driven content.
Pet-Owner Reviews: Real-world reviews and photos from other dog owners offer invaluable insights, showing you exactly how a property accommodates its four-legged guests.
Pet Friendly Guarantee: For bookings made directly on the site, BringFido offers a guarantee, ensuring the hotel's pet policy is accurate or they'll help you find a new place.
Canine Concierge: If you have questions, their support team (the "Canine Concierge") can be reached by phone to confirm policies and assist with booking.
While some listings link out to third-party sites for booking, the vast and highly specialized inventory makes it an indispensable tool for planning any California getaway with your furry best friend.
3. Booking.com
As one of the world's largest online travel agencies, Booking.com offers a nearly unparalleled inventory of lodging options across the state. While not a pet-exclusive platform, its powerful filters and dedicated 'Pet-friendly' hub make it an excellent resource for finding the best dog friendly hotels in California, from budget motels to five-star resorts. Its sheer scale means you'll find options in almost every city and town, with strong availability even for last-minute trips.
The primary advantage of using Booking.com is the ability to compare a vast number of properties in one place. Users can sort by price, review score, and location, then apply the crucial 'Pets allowed' filter to narrow the results. For those planning a stylish getaway, you can often find unique properties not listed elsewhere; you can learn more about how to find top-tier boutique hotels on the platform in this guide to stylish California stays. However, a key tip is to always read the 'House Rules' section carefully, as specific pet fees and restrictions are often detailed there rather than in the main price breakdown.
Key Features and User Experience
Booking.com’s interface is familiar to most travelers, making the search process intuitive. The map view is particularly useful for pet owners, allowing you to visually scout for hotels near parks, beaches, or hiking trails.
Massive Inventory: The platform’s extensive list of hotels, apartments, and vacation homes provides the widest possible selection.
'Pets Allowed' Filter: This simple but essential filter quickly isolates properties that welcome four-legged guests.
Extensive User Reviews: Millions of reviews provide general insights into a property's quality, though they may not always be pet-specific.
Flexible Cancellation Policies: Easily filter for properties offering free cancellation, giving you peace of mind when planning.
While Booking.com is a powerhouse for comparison and booking, it's wise to call the hotel directly after booking to confirm their pet policy and any associated fees to avoid surprises at check-in.
4. Hotels.com
For travelers who value choice and the potential for rewards, Hotels.com is a powerhouse online travel agency with a massive inventory. While not a pet-exclusive platform, its robust filtering system and dedicated California pages make it an excellent resource for finding the best dog friendly hotels in California. It allows users to compare a wide range of properties, from budget-friendly motels to luxury resorts, all while stacking rewards through its One Key program.
What makes Hotels.com particularly useful is its combination of a vast selection with loyalty benefits. You can easily drill down your search using the "Pet-friendly" filter alongside other crucial criteria like price, star rating, and neighborhood. The platform often surfaces special Member Prices and highlights hotels with free cancellation, giving you flexibility and savings. For those planning a desert getaway, it's a great tool for cross-referencing options, and you can learn more about finding the perfect Palm Springs hotel by reviewing our guide to the best hotels for a stylish getaway.
Key Features and User Experience
The user experience is designed for broad appeal, making it simple for anyone to find and book a room. However, pet owners must be diligent when reviewing the fine print on each listing, as pet policies can sometimes be less detailed than on niche sites.
Robust Filtering: The ability to layer filters for pet-friendly status, price, guest rating, and amenities is a major advantage for narrowing down California's extensive lodging options.
One Key Rewards: Bookings contribute to the One Key loyalty program, which works across the Expedia and Vrbo ecosystem, offering a way to earn rewards on your travels with your pet.
Regional Collections: Specific landing pages for "Pet-friendly hotels in California" or "Southern California pet-friendly hotels" help streamline the initial search process.
While the sheer volume of choices is a significant pro, the main drawback is that pet fee details and specific rules might be buried in the "Hotel Policies" section. It is always a good practice to call the hotel directly to confirm their pet policy after booking.
Website: https://www.hotels.com/sa10233198-am64/pet-friendly-hotels-in-california-united-states-of-america/
5. Expedia
For travelers who value convenience and bundled deals, Expedia is a powerhouse booking platform that extends its massive inventory to pet owners. As a one-stop-shop for flights, cars, and lodging, it simplifies planning a trip with your furry companion. While not a pet-exclusive site, its robust filtering options and regional collections make finding the best dog friendly hotels in California a manageable part of your overall travel booking process.
Expedia is particularly useful for those who are members of its One Key loyalty program, offering Member Prices and the ability to earn and use rewards across its family of brands. The platform’s upfront pricing model, which often includes taxes and fees in the initial view, helps clarify the total cost, though pet fees are frequently a separate charge handled at the hotel. This makes it a strong contender for travelers looking for last-minute availability or planning a multi-faceted California adventure.
Key Features and User Experience
Expedia's main advantage is its scale and integration with other travel services. Its interface is familiar to most online travelers, featuring map views, extensive filters, and user reviews. For dog owners, the key is to use the "pet-friendly" filter and then dig into the property details.
Bundled Travel Savings: The platform excels when you need to book a flight and hotel together, often providing a package discount that individual bookings can't match.
Large Inventory & Last-Minute Options: With one of the largest selections of hotels, you’re likely to find good last-minute options, even in popular destinations like Southern and Northern California.
Member Pricing: One Key members often see exclusive discounts, which can help offset additional pet fees and make a trip more affordable.
Dedicated Collections: Expedia curates regional collections, including pages specifically for Southern California and Northern California pet-friendly hotels, which can be a good starting point for your search. For instance, you can use these collections to find a perfect poolside retreat, and you can learn more about top dog-friendly hotels with pools to refine your choice.
A significant downside is that specific pet policy details can be less comprehensive than on specialty sites. The pet fee is often not included in the booking total and is paid directly to the hotel. It is always a best practice to call the hotel directly after booking through Expedia to confirm their specific pet policies and any associated fees.
Website: https://www.expedia.com
6. Tripadvisor
While many platforms help you find a room, Tripadvisor helps you find the right room by leveraging the power of community experience. As a massive, review-focused travel platform, it’s an indispensable tool for cross-referencing and verifying which properties truly deliver on their pet-friendly promises. It provides a crucial layer of social proof, allowing you to see which of the best dog friendly hotels in California are consistently earning high marks from fellow pet parents.
What makes Tripadvisor essential is its wealth of unfiltered traveler photos, reviews, and a Q&A section where you can ask past guests specific questions. Wondering if the "pet relief area" is a sad patch of dirt or a lush, grassy lawn? A quick scan of user-submitted photos and reviews will likely give you the answer. This ground-level intelligence is invaluable for managing expectations and ensuring a hotel’s advertised amenities match the reality on the ground.
Key Features and User Experience
Tripadvisor excels at using crowd-sourced data to help you make an informed decision. You can filter for pet-friendly properties and then sort by traveler ranking, price, or "best value" to quickly narrow your options. Its reputation-based system highlights properties that consistently satisfy guests, both human and canine.
Traveler Reviews and Photos: Read recent, firsthand accounts of pet experiences, see real photos of the rooms and grounds, and check the Q&A section for specific policy questions.
Travelers' Choice Awards: Look for the "Travelers' Choice" badge, which often identifies top-rated hotels known for excellent service, a great indicator for a welcoming pet stay.
Ranking System: Properties are ranked by popularity and user ratings, often surfacing hidden gems or boutique hotels that are highly praised but may not appear on larger booking sites.
While booking often redirects to third-party partners, its primary strength is as a research tool. Use it to build confidence in your choice, confirm details, and uncover insights that booking engines alone simply can't provide.
7. Kimpton Hotels (IHG)
For travelers seeking a brand-direct booking experience with one of the most famously generous pet policies, Kimpton Hotels is a top-tier choice. As a boutique brand within the IHG family, Kimpton has built its reputation on stylish design and a genuinely welcoming attitude toward four-legged guests. Instead of navigating a maze of varying rules, you get a refreshingly simple promise: if your pet fits through the door, they're welcome, typically with no extra fees, deposits, or size restrictions.
What makes booking direct with Kimpton a smart move for finding the best dog friendly hotels in California is the brand-wide consistency and premium perks. Their website clearly outlines their pet-friendly philosophy, removing the guesswork and anxiety that often comes with travel planning. Many Kimpton properties in California even offer special amenities like plush pet beds, water bowls, and treats upon arrival, making your furry companion feel as pampered as you do.
Key Features and User Experience
The user experience on the IHG site for Kimpton properties is streamlined, allowing you to easily find locations and book with confidence, knowing their pet policy is baked into the brand's DNA. This approach is integrated with the powerful IHG One Rewards loyalty program.
Unbeatable Pet Policy: Kimpton's official policy welcomes any number of pets with no size or weight restrictions and, most importantly, no pet fees or deposits at most locations. Always confirm with the specific hotel, but this is their standard.
On-Site Amenities: Beyond a welcoming policy, properties often provide practical perks like loaner pet beds, food and water bowls, and door hangers to alert staff to your pet's presence.
IHG One Rewards: Booking direct allows you to earn and redeem points through the IHG loyalty program, adding value to every stay with your pet.
While Kimpton offers a premium boutique experience with a corresponding price point, the value of its transparent, stress-free pet policy is invaluable for travelers who refuse to leave their best friends behind.
Your Perfect California Getaway Awaits
Choosing the right accommodation is the final, most important step in planning an unforgettable California vacation with your four-legged best friend. This guide has navigated the diverse landscape of options, from major booking platforms like Booking.com to hotel-specific programs like Kimpton’s famously welcoming pet policy. We've shown how tools like BringFido can simplify your search, while TripAdvisor provides invaluable peer reviews to set your expectations. The Golden State is truly a paradise for pet owners, offering everything from sprawling coastal resorts to secluded mountain retreats.
The key takeaway is that finding the best dog friendly hotels in California requires a clear understanding of your travel style. Are you looking for a no-fuss, no-fee stay where your Great Dane is as welcome as a Chihuahua? A Kimpton hotel might be your perfect match. Do you prefer a stylish, private setting for a group celebration? A boutique gem like The Muse Hotel Palm Springs delivers an experience that feels like a private hideaway, just blocks from the buzz of downtown. The most important thing is to read the fine print on pet policies and choose a place that celebrates your pet, not just tolerates them.
Whether you're planning a Palm Springs weekend getaway, a girls’ trip, or simply want a more stylish place to unwind, The Muse Hotel Palm Springs brings together privacy, design, and atmosphere in one beautifully curated package.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes The Muse Hotel unique among boutique hotels in Palm Springs?
The Muse Hotel stands out with its adults-only (21+) policy, intimate nine-suite layout, and focus on group travel. Each suite has a unique muse-inspired theme, private patio, and kitchenette, making it ideal for bachelorette parties, birthdays, and full-property buyouts for up to 21 guests.
Is The Muse Hotel adults-only?
Yes, The Muse Hotel Palm Springs is a strictly adults-only property for guests aged 21 and over, creating a peaceful and sophisticated atmosphere.
How close is The Muse Hotel to downtown Palm Springs?
It is conveniently located just minutes from the heart of downtown Palm Springs, offering easy access to the city’s best restaurants, shops, and attractions while being tucked into the quiet and desirable Warm Sands neighborhood.
Is The Muse a good hotel for groups or bachelorettes?
Absolutely. With its flexible suites, full buyout option, heated pool, and Instagram-worthy shared spaces like the floral courtyard and swing pergola, it's designed to be the perfect backdrop for memorable group getaways and celebrations.
Do suites at The Muse have kitchens and private patios?
Yes, every suite is equipped with a full kitchen or kitchenette and a private or semi-private patio, giving guests the flexibility to dine in and enjoy the beautiful desert weather in their own space.
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