6 pet-friendly stays if you’re in the “not without my pooch” camp

Don’t you just wish your four-legged companion could follow you everywhere—on an impromptu long-weekend plan, road trips, and week-long getaways? What’s a holiday without the whole family, right? After DINK, the increasing prevalence of the DINKWAD lifestyle (double income, no kids, with a dog) means more and more properties across the country are opening their doors to furry travellers.

Boutique villas and properties are going all out to please their canine and feline guests. The welcome mats are out, and welcome kits are being put together. Some offer custom bedding, toys and freshly cooked food. Many offer off-leash areas and pet-friendly restaurants. Others go a step further with planned walks and wilderness hikes.

So, while you enjoy a spa treatment, your pooch can have its own retreat complete with open spaces and extra plushies.

Below, our pick of the best pet-approved stays across the country:

Ayatana Coorg, Karnataka

Imagine waking up to the view of Coorg’s verdant hills and the sound of a waterfall—it’s the kind of nervous system reset that both you and your pet will truly appreciate. Set amidst 100 acres of lush landscape of untouched rainforest, Ayatana Coorg is a 62-key property with expansive open areas, a private waterfall within the property, and a bunch of walking trails you and your pet can set off on. And if you are the staying-in kind, leave it to the staff and the canine concierge (yes, there’s one) to cater to your special requests.

Pets allowed: Dogs and cats

Price: Stay starting ₹21,440 per night; one-time pet charge ₹3,500 per pet for two nights. Additional nights will be charged ₹1,750 per pet per night

Bookings: Click here

Tree of Life Resort & Spa Jaipur, Rajasthan

Like many properties on the Taj Hotels roster, Tree of Life Resort & Spa (part of Indian Hotels Company Limited since November 2024) is one of the few chains in the country that has treated pets and their hoomans equally since its inception. The Jaipur property, about 30 minutes from the city centre, is a 14-key property spread across seven acres, which basically translates to a private lawn and a private pool with each villa so, you and your fur babies can loll all day long. If you have outdoor spa therapies, personalised yoga sessions, and a chef who can curate a personalised menu at the in-house restaurant, your pet has a designated pooch area with a pet bed, a pet mini bar loaded with treats, gourmet pet meals, and basic pet-grooming products.

Pets allowed: Dogs and cats

Price: Stay starting ₹12,000 per night; pet charge ₹1,000 per night (two pets allowed per room)

Booking: Click here

The Kumaon, Almora, Uttarakhand

This two-Michelin-Key (2026) mountain retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas surrounded by rhododendron blooms, ancient trees, and the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, where leopards roam, is where nature, luxury, and sustainability meet. The 10-suite retreat is the ideal destination for you and your snoot to bond amid nature. They can join you for your early-morning yoga sesh or accompany you on a picnic on the banks of the Kosi river or on nature trails through oak and rhododendron forests or on a hike to a nearby waterfall that the lovely folks at The Kumaon are happy to organise. 

Pets allowed: Dogs and cats; the property also has three resident dogs that interact with guests and roam the grounds

Price: Stay starting ₹39,000 per night; pet charge ₹1,500 per night per pet

Bookings: Click here

Whispering Woods, Maharashtra

This farm retreat, a short drive from Mumbai and Pune, welcomes your furry companions with open arms—and for free! Set in the green landscape of Bhiwandi taluka, the retreat offers both quiet and adventure on its property. Think nature trails, forest immersion spa rituals as well as a game of paddle, pickleball, and paintball. For your pets there is enough and more space to play. They can move around freely in the restaurant and bar outdoor section and be served with all the essentials on request.

Pets allowed: Dogs and cats

Price: Stay starting ₹16,000 per night

Bookings: Click here

Outpost 12, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh

Most wildlife safaris don’t allow pets. But if you’re in the ‘not without my pet’ camp and love spotting wildlife, all those months of training your pooch might finally pay off. Outpost 12, a fairly new wildlife lodge led by two seasoned naturalists in the Kanha National Park, “warmly welcomes well-behaved dogs and cats”. With sensitively designed ranger cottages in the midst of sal trees, the bio-lodge is an extension of the national park and offers everything from safaris to local food experiences. While you are expected to keep your pets on a leash at all times when outside your cottage, they can accompany you in designated outdoor areas.

Pets allowed: Dogs and cats; the property also has resident pets.

Price: Stay starting ₹44,368 per night (single occupancy) and ₹50,858 per night (double occupancy); pet fees apply (on request)

Bookings: Click here

Baale Resort, Goa

In the charming village of Arpora, close to the happening spots in Goa, is a quiet, secluded villa resort—Baale Resort. A part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, each villa in Baale has its own garden, lily ponds, sculpted outdoor spaces, and a private pool. Meaning: your dog gets genuine outdoor space and you get a chill, lazy day. But if you ask us, your pets will feel at home even before they go running around the property. A proper welcome kit awaits you and your pet—upon arrival, the resort provides a pet bed, food and water bowls, and welcome treats for your dog. And if your pet belongs to the pampered generation of pooches, let the team know of their preferences in advance and they will be happy to accommodate them for an extra cost.

Pets allowed: Dogs and cats

Price: Stay starting ₹99,000 per night; pet fee is ₹2,000 plus taxes per pet per night, plus a one-time non-refundable sanitisation fee of ₹1,000

Bookings: Click here