This Hotel Pet Program Claims It Will Make Any Travel Experience Easier For You And Your Dog So Here's My Honest Review After Staying There For One Night

Let's be honest: traveling with other people can be difficult, but add a pet into the mix, and things may get a little ruff . As pet parents, we strive to make sure our fur babies are as comfortable as possible when traveling long distances — and one of the best ways to reduce travel stress (for everyone involved) is by finding a hotel that feels like a home away from home.

So when I was invited to try out Aloft Hotel 's ARF (Animals R Fun) Pet Program at the Aloft Chelsea in New York City for one night, I jumped at the chance to test it out with my husband and our nearly two-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Loki , to see if the service actually provides comfort and ease to dogs (and their owners).

So, if you plan on taking a vacation with your fur baby and are not quite sure where to book a stay, here's a complete breakdown of our experience to see if the ARF program is a right fit for you and your family.

* BuzzFeed was provided this stay free of charge; however, we were under no obligation to give a positive review.

According to Aloft, the ARF program is a service that is automatically included in the pet fee ($50 standard) when you mention ahead of time that you are bringing your furry little pup.

While not all Alofts include the program, around 130 properties worldwide (United States, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America) do. As previously mentioned, there is a standard fee of $50 for the program, yet this will vary based on each property. Also, while there is no weight limit for your furry friends, some properties do have size (and pet quantity) limits based on room size/city code. (It's at the hotel's discretion based on market rules.) I'd suggest calling the hotel ahead of time to see what policies are in place.

As for the overall experience, here are a few things we loved:

1. The Room. For a New York City hotel, it was a pretty good size for two people and a 35lb short dog. New York City hotel rooms are some of the smallest rooms in the country, so having a semi-open-spaced layout was incredibly helpful for my little family to roam around in for the night. However, if we were staying here for more than three nights, I might've considered other options as I could see things becoming cumbersome between me, my husband, and our teenage dog.

While there was carpet directly under the bed to prevent us from touching a cold, hard floor right when we woke up, I appreciated that the room was mostly covered in hardwood flooring for easy cleanups when it came to my pup (he's a messy eater).

Raven Ishak

Talking about no human interactions, the one major benefit of staying at an Aloft is how technology-forward the property is.

While many of these non-technology amenities might sound like no-brainers for most hotel rooms, some of these options might not be available in certain areas of the country for a myriad of reasons unless it's a luxury hotel. So, if this hotel option can provide some comfort without breaking the bank, that's always a plus in my book.

2. The “pet amenities." I'm not going to lie: It was pretty helpful having these pet accessories available to us when we stayed at the hotel. When my husband and I took a road trip with our new pup a little while ago, one of the biggest headaches we came across was scrambling for things when we accidentally left something of Loki's back home (we're not perfect). We also had to purchase dish soap so we could clean his dish bowls before packing them away. These temporary items can save pet parents from taking extra steps while they're trying to create a routine with their pup in a new environment.

Raven Ishak

3. The customer service. To be transparent, Loki had an accident inside the hotel’s hallway because he got a little too excited about being in a new environment. However, the hotel staff was very kind and understanding about the whole situation. We informed them where the mess was made (of course, after we cleaned it up first), and they said they were going to send a cleaning crew to sanitize the area right away.

4. My dog was allowed everywhere in the hotel. According to Aloft, while this is contingent on local codes/laws, several states allow pets in the pool area (but not in water). Also, dogs are allowed in Aloft's WXYZ bars (but other food and beverage outlets may be limited). Some hotels even have designated areas for dogs to play. For instance, the Aloft Asheville Downtown has a fenced-in dog run on the roof, and the Aloft Savannah Downtown Historic District has a small fenced-in area with Astroturf.

Now onto the things I didn't love:

5. Lack of dog-cleaning supplies. While it was nice to have a lint roller or a Frisbee, I would've preferred receiving cleaning or healthcare supplies for my little pup because — as we all know for us humans — traveling with shampoo or body wash can be a headache. And there's no such thing as travel-size dog shampoos that you can just pick up at Target (unless there is, then please let me know!).

Basically, it would be cool to receive city-specific pet supplies based on the hotel's location (i.e., I can't throw a Frisbee in a small hotel room or at a Manhattan dog park). Plus, as a pet parent, I’ve learned to just accept that my clothes are always going to have some sort of fur on them (unless I'm going to an important meeting or event, then I understand the lint roller!). Either way, it's the contract I signed with the devil when I got a corgi.

6. Another con of the items is receiving only one dog bowl. I'm sure I could've asked the front desk agent to give me another bowl so I could feed Loki — and that wouldn't be a big deal — but I think it would be helpful just to have everything readily available when guests enter the room, especially if a guest may not have brought a personal bowl with them. For breakfast, we just used one of his bowls we brought from home.

7. A sign that indicates a dog is inside the room. While this seems to be included in most Aloft hotels, I personally didn't receive one during my stay. For the safety of other guests, housekeepers — and the dog — I think it’s important to make sure this feature is included to indicate whether a dog is inside a room or not for all pet-friendly hotels. This will make guests, who may be allergic to or afraid of dogs, visibly aware of where one is located, especially if this was the only hotel a guest could stay at for whatever reason. Everyone should feel comfortable and have the option to move rooms if they prefer not to room next to a dog.

8. Fees and policies are pretty inconsistent across properties. While one pet fee might be $50 at one property, another might be $100. While one dog breed or weight might be accepted, it won't work for another hotel. A couple of reasons why a lot of people select a hotel over another are the price and familiarity. I'll stick with a hotel brand if I know what I'm getting.

The overall vibe of the hotel feels business (extra) casual, where business professionals and young adults go to stay. (It definitely doesn't have a family vibe — which isn't a bad thing; it's just good to know if you have kids, too.) I love that you can freely roam around with your dog, whether it's at the bar or the pool (which is perfect for my dog, who loves to meet strangers).

For me and my little family, the overall package of the hotel and program is a good fit because we're young adults with no kids who need a lot of wiggle room with a high-energy dog, who loves to make noise and bark. However, if you have a quiet breed or a mature dog who needs a more zen experience, you may want to pick another hotel, depending on the location.

Have any tips when it comes to traveling with a pet? Tell us what they are (and the best hotels you stayed at) in the comments below.