Motel 6 is the most dog-friendly motel chain in the US: pets stay free, up to two per room. Red Roof Inn takes the first pet free (80-lb limit per pet), and most other budget chains — Super 8, Days Inn, Econo Lodge — charge $5–$50 per pet per night, set by each franchise location. The table below compares 15 motel chains' fees, weight limits, and rules; declare your dog at booking and confirm with the front desk before arrival. Want full-service or boutique options? See our hotel chains that accept dogs. See our pet policy statistics for how motels compare across all six verticals.
✓ Policies verified August 1, 2026 Every row links to its source. Policies change — confirm with the chain before you commit.
| Chain | Deposit / fee | Weight limit | Max pets | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motel 6 | $0 -- pets stay free, no additional charge | 150 lbs combined for 2 pets (per aggregator sources; not stated on corporate policy page) | 2 pets per room | Source ↗ |
| Breed rules: No breed ban stated; pets showing aggression may be refused regardless of breed Conditions: Declare pet at check-in. Not all locations are pet-friendly; fees/limits can vary by franchise location despite corporate 'free' baseline. | ||||
| Studio 6 | $10/pet/night, max $75-$100 per stay (sources vary on the cap) | Not specified corporately; varies by property | 2 pets per room | Source ↗ |
| Breed rules: No breed ban stated Conditions: Declare pet at check-in. Sister brand to Motel 6 but charges a fee unlike standard Motel 6 rooms. | ||||
| Red Roof Inn | 1st pet free; $15/pet/night for 2nd (and additional) pets, capped at $105/pet for stays of 7+ nights | 80 lbs per pet | 2 pets per room standard (more at management discretion) | Source ↗ |
| Breed rules: No breed ban stated (subject to state/local law and individual property discretion) Conditions: Confirm with the specific property before arrival -- state law/ordinances mean not all locations accept pets despite the chain-wide 'pets stay free' marketing for the first pet. | ||||
| La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham | Optional pet fee: $25/night, max $75/room/stay | None chain-wide; select locations impose their own limit -- confirm at booking | 2 domestic pets per room | Official policy ↗ |
| Breed rules: None stated Conditions: Fee is 'optional' per corporate wording -- some locations still waive it. Only cats/dogs count as domestic pets under the policy. | ||||
| Extended Stay America | $25/day (+tax) cleaning fee for first 6 nights per pet, then $15/day (+tax) per pet thereafter -- non-refundable | No weight limit; size cap of 36 in (length and height) per pet | 2 pets per suite | Official policy ↗ |
| Deposit refundable: No Breed rules: None stated; larger animals or more than 2 pets need property-manager approval Conditions: Fee is a cleaning fee, not a security deposit, so it is non-refundable regardless of stay outcome. Service animals exempt. | ||||
| Super 8 by Wyndham | $5-$50 per pet per night, varies by property; some also charge a refundable deposit | 50 lbs typical baseline; some locations allow larger pets or no limit | 2 pets typical, some locations allow up to 3-4 | Source ↗ |
| Deposit refundable: Partial Breed rules: None stated chain-wide; individual properties may restrict Conditions: Highly franchised -- corporate does not publish one fixed number. Confirm directly with the property before booking. | ||||
| Days Inn by Wyndham | $10-$30 per pet per night typical range; some properties add a refundable deposit up to $100 | Varies by property, no fixed chain-wide limit | 1-4 pets depending on property, 2 is most common | Source ↗ |
| Deposit refundable: Partial Breed rules: None stated chain-wide Conditions: Franchised -- fee, weight limit, and max pets set per location. Confirm directly with the property before booking. | ||||
| Travelodge by Wyndham | $10-$25 per pet per night typical range; some properties add a refundable deposit up to $100 | Varies by property; some locations impose an 80 lb cap, others none | 2-3 pets depending on property | Source ↗ |
| Deposit refundable: Partial Breed rules: None stated chain-wide Conditions: Franchised -- most locations allow dogs, not all allow cats. Confirm directly with the property before booking. | ||||
| Econo Lodge (Choice Hotels) | $10-$75 per stay/night, varies by property; may be a flat surcharge or a deposit | Varies by property, no fixed chain-wide limit | 2 pets typical | Source ↗ |
| Deposit refundable: Partial Breed rules: None stated chain-wide; some properties restrict breed/size Conditions: Franchised under Choice Hotels -- pet policy set per location; confirm before booking. Due to state/local law, not every location accepts pets. | ||||
| Rodeway Inn (Choice Hotels) | $10-$75 per stay/night, varies by property | Varies by property; some locations enforce a max weight per pet | 2 pets typical | Source ↗ |
| Deposit refundable: Partial Breed rules: Breed restrictions apply at some locations -- large dogs require approval prior to booking Conditions: No pets allowed on beds at most locations. Franchised under Choice Hotels; confirm with property before booking. | ||||
| Quality Inn (Choice Hotels) | $10-$75 per stay/night, varies by property | Varies by property, no fixed chain-wide limit | 2 pets typical | Source ↗ |
| Deposit refundable: Partial Breed rules: None stated chain-wide; some properties restrict Conditions: Franchised under Choice Hotels -- pet policy set per location; confirm before booking. | ||||
| Knights Inn | $5-$25 per pet per night, varies by property | Varies by property, no fixed chain-wide limit | 2 pets typical | Source ↗ |
| Breed rules: None stated chain-wide Conditions: Only designated Knights Inn locations accept pets -- confirm with the specific property before booking. No longer part of Wyndham Rewards as of 2018 though still listed on some Wyndham pages. | ||||
| Baymont by Wyndham | $15-$35 per pet per night typical range | 20-70 lbs range reported across properties, no fixed chain-wide limit | 2 pets typical, some properties allow up to 3 | Source ↗ |
| Breed rules: None stated chain-wide Conditions: Franchised -- fee/weight limit set per property. Confirm directly with the property before booking. | ||||
| Microtel by Wyndham | $10-$50 per pet per night typical range; some locations add a $25+ refundable deposit or $25 sanitation fee | Varies by property, no fixed chain-wide limit | 2 pets typical | Source ↗ |
| Deposit refundable: Partial Breed rules: None stated chain-wide Conditions: Franchised -- fee set per property. Confirm directly with the property before booking. | ||||
| WoodSpring Suites | One-time non-refundable pet fee $40-$100 per stay plus $4-$10 per pet per night | Typically 75-80 lbs per pet where a limit is set | 2 pets typical | Source ↗ |
| Deposit refundable: No Breed rules: None stated chain-wide Conditions: Extended-stay format; chain went 100% pet-friendly nationwide per a 2018 Hotel Management trade report, but exact fee structure is set per property. | ||||
— means the company doesn’t publish that detail. Tap a column header to sort, or a chain’s arrow for breed rules and conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Do motels allow dogs?
Most do. All 15 chains below accept dogs at many locations, led by Motel 6, where pets stay free. But nearly every motel brand is franchised, so the fee, weight limit, and final yes/no are set by each location — declare your dog when you book and confirm before arrival.
Which motel chains let dogs stay free?
Motel 6 is the standout: no pet fee at all, up to two pets per room. Red Roof Inn takes the first pet free and charges $15/night for each additional pet, with an 80-lb limit per pet. Every other budget chain we verified charges something, usually per pet per night.
How much is a motel pet fee?
Budget your trip around $5-$50 per pet per night at most franchised chains. Two chains publish exact company-wide numbers: La Quinta charges an optional $25/night capped at $75 per stay, and Extended Stay America charges a $25/day cleaning fee for the first six nights, then $15/day (both verified on their own sites, Aug 2026).
Do motels have weight limits for dogs?
Often there is no chain-wide limit — it’s set by the location. Where one is published: Red Roof caps pets at 80 lbs each, Super 8 locations typically start around 50 lbs, and Motel 6’s reported cap is 150 lbs combined for two pets. La Quinta and Extended Stay America publish no weight limit (Extended Stay caps size at 36 inches instead).
Are motels or hotels better for staying with a dog?
On price, motels usually win: Motel 6 is free and most budget chains stay under $50/night per pet, while full-service hotel chains typically charge $25-$75 per night or $75-$150 per stay. If you want zero fees with no size or breed limits, boutique chains like Kimpton beat both — compare on our hotels that accept dogs page.
Do I have to tell the motel about my dog?
Yes — declare pets at booking or check-in; sneaking a dog in risks extra cleaning charges or losing the room. Service dogs are different: under the ADA they aren’t pets, so motels can’t charge a pet fee or apply weight limits to them, though you should still mention the dog when booking.