PETA's Top Five Animal-Friendly Hotels

If your dog is your copilot, you're in luck. A growing number of hotel chains are putting out the "vacancy" sign for every member of the family—no matter how many legs he or she has—making finding a hotel where you and your animal companions can stay easier than ever before.

But before leaving to go on any trip with your animal companions, make sure that you have plans for getting to your destination safely. If you must fly, never check your precious companions as "baggage." Driving your animals is more fun and less risky for them—check out PETA's road trip tips to ensure that your trip is a treat for Fido and Fluffy. For some animals, though, there's no place like home. If your kitty or pup is happiest on his or her own turf, check out our tips for finding a reputable sitter for your animal companion while you're away.

We took a look at hotels all across the country to find the top five Fido- and Fluffy-friendly accommodations. Please note that some hotels require additional fees for companion animals and may not accept animals at every location. Please contact the hotel directly to inquire about additional fees and to confirm that animals are allowed.

Here are the top five, in no particular order:

Not only do more than 1,900 Best Western locations welcome animals with open arms, the hotel chain's Web site earns two paws up for its companion-animal travel section. There, you can search for an "animals welcome" Best Western at any destination, read helpful tips on traveling with your companion, participate in polls about companion animals, and even send in photos of you and your animals on vacation—they might just be featured on Best Western's Web site! Cats and dogs get VIP treatment at Loews Hotels. From the moment you check in at these upscale hotels, your companions will be pampered and surrounded by luxury. A personal letter from the hotel's general manager tells guardians about the amenities available to companion animals at the hotel and also includes local dog-walking routes, names of area veterinarians and groomers, and more. Companion animals receive their own bowl and a special treat to make them feel at home. The hotel also offers dog and cat beds of all sizes, leashes and collars, catnip, scratching posts, litterboxes, pooper scoopers, and even videos to keep your companion entertained. "Mini bars" are stocked with gourmet dog biscuits and just about anything else that a cool cat or doggie diva could want. Be careful—after getting the "star" treatment, Fido and Fluffy might not want to leave! Starwood's W Hotels offer your feline or canine companion all the comforts of home. The hotel's P.A.W. program includes a toy and a treat, a W Hotels ID tag, clean-up bags, and a welcome letter listing all the animal services available through the concierge. A custom W bed, food and water bowl, and placemat await your companion in your room, which also comes with an "Animal in Room" door tag. Your animal companion will also receive a special good-night snack as part of the hotel's turndown service. The concierge can arrange dog-walking and dog-sitting—and can even provide your companion with a birthday cake if you happen to be staying at the hotel on his or her special day! And in case Fido or Fluffy forgets to pack something, the Whatever/Whenever store offers leashes, toys, food, treats, litterboxes, Bow-ow and Meow-ow boxes (animal first-aid kits), and much more. With more than 2,500 animal-friendly locations, Choice Hotels has a comfy place for you and your companion to stay from sea to shining sea. With locations just off the interstate in almost every major city in America, Clarion, Quality, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, Main Stay Suites, Cambria Suites, Suburban Extended Stay, EconoLodge, and Rodeway Inn are great places to stay if you're road-tripping with Rover. Before you hit the road, be sure to check out Choice Hotels' Web site for great tips on traveling with your animal companion. Wyndham Worldwide knows that "[v]acations are more fun when the whole family comes along, two-legged and four-legged!" At hundreds of Days Inn, Travelodge, and Howard Johnson locations, every member of your family is welcome, and these hotels' Web sites feature great tips for traveling with companion animals. So whether you're headed to the coast or the country, to the redwood forest or the urban jungle, Wyndham Worldwide hotels have you and your furry family members covered!