Maximo, Hotel Rex Ambassador
Joie de Vivre, largest operator of boutique hotels in California, has seven dog-friendly properties in San Francisco, none of which impose breed or weight restrictions or charge extra for canine guests. Policies vary a bit from hotel to hotel, but in general, you can expect Fido to be welcomed with a soft bed, food and water bowls, tasty treats and clean-up bags. We at DogTrekker.com are such JDV fans that we’ve teamed up with the brand’s Hotel Rex, a Union Square property that takes its inspiration from literary salons of the 1920s and ‘30s, to offer a two-night “DogCation” for one (or two!) lucky dogs and their humans.
Time was, of course, when bringing a dog to an urban hotel was unheard of. Kimpton Hotels led the industry with its hosPETality program intended to ensure that pet guests are treated as well as the humans on the other end of the leash. Many of Kimpton’s nine San Francisco hotels even employ four-legged directors of pet relations who, among other duties, often host complimentary evening wine hours in the lobby. Kimpton imposes no breed or weight restrictions on its canine guests, and there’s never an extra charge for pets.
If your dog is calm and can be expected to behave well around antiques and other elements of Victorian décor, The Inn San Francisco, a bed-and-breakfast housed in an 1872 mansion, might be just the place for a memorable stay.
If casual is your thing, you value free parking and like to lodge a little bit out of the mainstream, consider the Ocean Park Motel, (dog fee $10-$20 per day) a streamline-modern jewel with ship-shape rooms, a grassy courtyard, a romantic hot tub—and yes, free parking. There's lots of history at this 1936 landmark in the Sunset District, but what's best for dogs is a location just two blocks from Ocean Beach and adjacent Fort Funston, a leash-free canine playground that ranks as one of the premier dog hangouts in the city.
