When a hotel says it is pet-friendly, that sounds pretty simple. You can bring your pet. At least, that is what most of us assume.

But after traveling around the country with my dogs, I have learned that the words “pet-friendly hotel” can mean very different things depending on the hotel brand and sometimes even the individual property.

One hotel may welcome large dogs. Another may have a strict weight limit. Some allow more than one pet. Others charge pet fees that can add quite a bit to the cost of your stay.

And those are only the obvious differences.

There are also rules about leaving pets unattended, where they are allowed inside the hotel, what kinds of pets qualify, and what happens if someone complains about barking.

I recently compared several major hotel brands to see what “pet-friendly” actually means.

Watch the full comparison here:

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Pet-Friendly Hotels Do Not All Follow the Same Rules

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when traveling with a dog or other pet is assuming that “pet-friendly” is a universal standard.

It isn’t.

Hotel pet policies can vary considerably.

Before booking, you may need to look at pet fees, weight limits, number of pets allowed, dogs versus cats and other animals, rules for leaving pets unattended, crate or carrier requirements, areas of the hotel where pets are prohibited, and individual property restrictions.

That means two hotels advertising themselves as pet-friendly may provide completely different experiences.

It can even happen within the same hotel brand.

Hotel Pet Fees Can Change the Real Cost of Your Stay

When comparing pet-friendly hotels, the room rate is only part of the price.

Some hotels charge a nightly pet fee. Others charge one fee for the entire stay. Some cap their fees after a certain number of nights.

And a few hotel brands handle pet fees very differently from the rest.

That matters even more on a road trip or longer vacation.

A hotel that looks cheaper when you first search may not be the cheaper option once the pet fee is added.

That is why one of my biggest pet travel tips is to check the total pet fee for the entire stay, not just whether a hotel allows pets.

Traveling With Large Dogs Can Make Hotel Policies Even More Complicated

Weight limits are another area where pet-friendly hotel policies can get confusing.

Some hotels limit the weight of each dog.

Others use a combined weight limit if you are traveling with more than one pet.

And some properties handle weight restrictions differently from others within the same brand.

That is something I pay close attention to because I often travel with two dogs.

I have even checked into a hotel where the combined weight of my dogs put us right at the property’s stated limit.

What happened at check-in was one of the reasons I wanted to dig deeper into hotel pet policies in the first place.

I explain what happened in the video.

Can You Leave Your Dog Alone in a Hotel Room?

This is one of the most important questions people overlook when searching for dog-friendly hotels.

A hotel may allow your dog to stay in the room, but that does not automatically mean you can leave the dog there while you go to dinner or visit an attraction.

Some hotels allow unattended pets under certain conditions.

Some require a crate.

Some have much stricter rules.

And sometimes the wording buried in the hotel pet policy matters a lot more than the words “pet-friendly” on the booking page.

If you plan to leave your dog in the hotel room at any point during your trip, this is something I would check before making the reservation.

Where Can Pets Go Inside the Hotel?

Another thing that surprised me while researching pet-friendly lodging was how much common-area access can vary.

A hotel may allow pets in guest rooms while restricting them from other areas of the property.

That could include places such as breakfast areas, pools, fitness centers or other shared spaces.

For some travelers, that may not matter at all.

For others, especially people spending more time around the hotel, it can make a big difference.

Again, the word “pet-friendly” by itself does not tell you any of this.

Pet-Friendly Does Not Always Mean Dog-Friendly

Another reason I prefer searching for pet-friendly hotels instead of only dog-friendly hotels is that travelers are not always bringing dogs.

Some hotel brands allow cats.

Some properties may accept other types of pets.

Others are much more restrictive.

If you are traveling with anything other than a dog, I would never assume the hotel’s definition of pet-friendly includes your animal.

Check the actual hotel pet policy before booking.

The Hotel Brand May Not Tell the Whole Story

This may be the most important thing I found.

A hotel chain can have a general pet policy, while individual properties still have their own rules.

That means you can research a hotel brand, find information saying it welcomes pets, and then discover that the particular property you want to book has different restrictions.

One viewer recently told me this happened while trying to book a hotel that appeared to be pet-friendly at the brand level, only to discover that the location they wanted did not allow pets.

That is exactly why I made the video.

What Should You Check Before Booking a Pet-Friendly Hotel?

Before I book a hotel with my dogs, there are several things I want to know.

Does my pet qualify?

How much will the pet fee actually cost for my entire stay?

Can I leave my pet in the room if I need to?

And are there any restrictions that could change how we use the hotel?

Those questions can save you from finding out about an important rule after you arrive.

But the biggest surprise from my research was how differently major hotel brands handle all of this.

Some are much more consistent than others.

I break down the differences, the fees, the weight limits, the unattended-pet rules and some of the biggest surprises in the full video.

Watch: What Pet-Friendly Hotels Actually Mean

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If you travel with dogs, cats or other pets, knowing the rules before you book can save you money, frustration and a very uncomfortable conversation at the front desk.