Renting a pet friendly vacation property or cabin might be the perfect option for your family’s next trip. Whether you’re looking for a lake home in the woods or a condo to explore a new city, these tips will help you find a place that meets all your needs.
Finding a pet friendly vacation property or cabin requires a little extra research. While many vacation rentals allow pets, most do not make their policy clear in their listings. These tips will help you find a place that is happy to accommodate your furry family members.
Use Websites with Pet Friendly Filters
When searching for a pet friendly vacation property, start with websites that allows you to filter for properties that welcome pets. There is no need to waste your time wading through pictures of homes where your pet isn’t allowed! On GoPetFriendly, all the listings welcome pets. And on sites like VRBO.com, FlipKey.com, and GlampingHub.com, you can sort for pet friendly properties.
Once you’ve found some pet friendly options, you will need to do some additional digging to determine if your specific pets are welcome. Similar to hotels, most vacation rental owners have limits on the size and number of pets. Some owners also exclude certain breeds.
Contact the owner by email to confirm their requirements. And don’t forget to include a cute picture of your pet and share all the virtues that make him an excellent house guest.
Focus on Pet Friendly Destinations
Generally, you will have better luck finding a pet friendly vacation property in places that are known for being pet friendly. Scanning our pet friendly destination guides is a good place to start!
Narrow the options by focusing on the activities you and your pet enjoy most. Do you want to romp on the beach? Hike mountain trails? Window shop and dine out? Your vacation rental should give you easy access to many fun alternatives.
READ MORE ⇒ Keeping Your Dog Safe At The Beach
Read The Reviews
Nearly all vacation rental websites allow previous renters to write reviews. Read them carefully, and pay special attention to any comments regarding the ease or difficulty of working with the owners.
Be Honest About Your Pets
Putting your cards on the table is best when renting a pet friendly vacation property or cabin. Saying that you’ll be bringing your chihuahua when you actually have a St. Bernard can jeopardize your deposit – and pet deposits can be substantial!
Be sure that you understand the owner’s pet policy, the amount of deposit required, what animals are welcome, and whether there are certain areas of the home that pets aren’t allowed. And be sure to get all the rules in writing before you make a deposit to avoid misunderstandings.
Travel During The Off-Season
If your heart is set on a particular vacation rental, but their pet policy doesn’t accommodate your pet, try negotiating a stay during the off-season. Some owners might bend their rules or negotiate a better deal at a time when the house would otherwise be empty. Contacting the owners of several properties will also give you more options to consider.
Inquire About Deposits
Most pet friendly vacation property owners require a substantial pet deposit. Find out how much the deposit will be and what you’ll need to do to get it back after your stay.
Another option is to purchase a short-term insurance policy to protect the property owner. Though the cost of the insurance won’t be returned if your pet does no damage, these policies are generally quite affordable. And it should give the property owner the security they need to accommodate your pet.
Overall, it’s always best to be polite and friendly when inquiring about pets in vacation rentals. And make sure to follow the rules! Once you have one stay under your belt, ask if you can use that property owner as a referral for any future rentals!
Have you rented a vacation home with your pets? What tips would you pass along?
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Great article! In addition to the pet deposit be sure you understand what the pet fee is. Pet friendly vacation rentals and cabins are our preferred way of traveling. We rarely get asked to pay a pet deposit, but most charge a pet fee. Some it’s a flat rate for the entire stay. Some it’s a per day fee. Others charge per pet. All good info to keep in mind!
Absolutely, Cheri! Thank you for sharing. In fact, that’s exactly what happened at the pet friendly vacation property my family rented last week. It was $75 per dog for the entire week. Of course, leaving the yard, house, and furniture clean and undamaged ensured we got the house deposit back as well!
I’m fascinated by the insurance idea. Where would you get such a policy? Where you get your own homeowners insurance? Or are there travel insurance companies that do that? I wonder if something like that would make it easier to find a place that will allow my feline travel buddies in.
Great question, Emilia! I did a quick Google search for “vacation rental damage insurance for renters” and came up with a bunch of options. I hope that helps. Safe travels to you and your kitties!