We rarely travel with our dog (only when moving out of state and preferring to avoid airlines) but I've learned it's best to call the specific hotel and double check before booking to avoid unpleasant surprises. I was considering booking a "pet friendly" hotel but when I called in person to discuss the booking, discovered there was a weight restriction to 80 pounds, not mentioned at the website which showed a photo of a Bernese Mountain Dog as a demonstration of their "pet friendliness." Adult Bernese Mountain Dogs weigh 75 or 80 pounds at a minimum.

Another time I booked through the chain's 1-800 line and specifically verified that the dog (at that time we had a beagle who weighed 25 pounds) was OK under their pet policy. Yet when I arrived late at night, I was informed that the policy was "No pets." The young man at the front desk apologized and then said "We'll just say she is a service animal and it will be OK. We have no way of checking to verify that."

I don't even bother with worries about status or points when traveling with pets. It's hard enough finding suitable facilities. We hire a pet sitter to come stay at our house when both of us travel.