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Hilton Service Dog Policy

Sometimes you have to take some time away from home, whether it’s for business or pleasure. If you have a service dog, you can bring your dog with you while you travel. Because Hilton offers so many hotel options, there’s a good chance that you and your service dog may stay at one of their establishments. If so, understanding the Hilton Service Dog Policy can make your stay even more comfortable.

Hilton Hotels Welcomes Service Dogs

Hilton Hotels boast 575 hotels over six continents worldwide. As a leader in the hotel industry, Hilton Hotels and Resorts sets the benchmark for customer service. With 90 years in the hotel business, Hilton uses its extensive knowledge to provide for all the needs of its clientele — including people with disabilities.

Americans with Disabilities Act Protects Your Rights

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the rights of individuals with disabilities and defines service dogs as animals specifically trained to perform a task for a person with a disability. Under the ADA, a service dog may accompany their handler anywhere the public has access to — including hotels where no pets are allowed. In most circumstances, hotels can legally charge a pet fee or refuse to allow pets into their establishment. Service animals, however, are not pets and are exempt from limitations and additional fees.

Staying at the Hilton with a Service Dog

Many of Hilton’s hotels and inns have very pet-friendly policies. However, depending on the individual hotel, they have limitations for where pets can go. Pet fees are mandatory for pets to stay. Service dogs, however, do not fall under the hotel’s pet policies and are not subject to the same fees.

Where a Service Dog Can Go

According to the ADA, service dogs have public access and may accompany their handler wherever the public is allowed. For example, in a hotel, the public is welcome into their dining room, but the kitchen is only open to employees. Therefore, a service dog may accompany their handler into the dining area, but not the hotel’s kitchen.

Service dog in Hilton hotel room - ServiceDogCertifications — Hilton Hotels’ service animal policy will have every service dog feel at home.

Alternative Goods and Services

In some cases, it’s not reasonable or possible for a service dog to accompany its handler to a specific area. If the service dog’s presence affects the handler’s ability to use the hotel’s goods and services, the hotel may make accommodations. The hotel may offer to secure the animal in a safe location and offer the assistance of an employee or provide an alternative service.

However, segregating a person with a service dog from other patrons because of the presence of their service dog is not allowed.

Fees and Charges for a Service Dog at Hilton

Although pet fees don’t apply to service dogs, the hotel may charge a handler for any destruction of property. The charges would not be classified as a pet cleaning fee. Instead, charges would be priced as per a cleaning or damage fee incurred by any other guest.

Recognizing a Service Dog

Hilton workers understand the importance of customer privacy. However, a Hilton employee is allowed to ask the following questions to verify a service dog:

Is the service dog necessary because of a disability?
What task has the dog been trained to assist with?

Hilton workers — or any other employee — may not ask a service dog owner to provide proof or have the dog demonstrate the task they perform.

Keep in mind, however, service dog’s laws and regulations may vary from country to country. In Canada, for example, Hilton employees may ask for documentation because Canadian laws allow for that practice. Conversely, in the United States, the ADA prevents people from asking for documentation or proof that a dog is a service dog.

Care and Control of a Service Dog at a Hilton

The Hilton is not responsible for the care, feeding, grooming, or toileting of a service dog. The handler must look after the service dog, including have the dog relieve itself in appropriate areas only.

The service dog must be under the control of its handler at all times. A Hilton employee may ask the handler to remove the animal from an area if the service dog becomes aggressive, growls, barks excessively, attacks, or jumps at other customers or employees. If other patrons are severely allergic to dogs, reasonable efforts are made to meet the needs of all parties.

Staying at a Hilton Hotel with Your Service Dog

Although it’s not mandatory, it’s best to let Hilton’s hotel services know that a service dog will accompany you when making a reservation. By doing so, it allows Hilton to make reasonable accommodations and ensure a stress-free stay. All Hilton staff receive training on addressing the needs of people with disabilities, enabling you to enjoy your stay with your service dog at any Hilton Hotel.

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By: Service Dog Certifications | Travel

About the Author: The writing team at Service Dog Certifications is made up of folks who really know their stuff when it comes to disability laws and assistance animals. Many of our writers and editors have service dogs themselves and share insights from their own experiences. All of us have a passion for disability rights and animals.

20 comments

Serena Rymal says: May 29, 2023
I was just asked to leave the dining area with my service dog at the hampton Inn Douglasville/Atlanta. I will be taking steps to correct this for the next person with disabilities.
Reply
Victoria McWilliams says: April 19, 2023
Staying at the Hilton garden view in Gatlinburg TN, with service dog was denied entrance into the restaurant . Trying to find out what actually the policy is, offered to show the Asst. Gm his paperwork but she did not want to see it just kept saying that it was Hilton Policy not to allow dogs in the resturant..
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- SDC says: April 19, 2023
  You do not have to show any type of paperwork in order to be accommodated for a service dog. The manager should have asked you two questions: 1. Is the dog a service dog required for a disability? and 2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
  Reply
J$$$$75 says: November 23, 2022
@Joan-
As a Hilton Employee, I can assure you we have multiple trainings and individual courses we each must complete on both Pet policy -Service Animals and ADA Guest Assistance. It is required that we complete these trainings within 30 days of their release. This is an ongoing requirement and when each state law changes we are given another to course to complete. These are Mandatory not optional. And they are completed by a 100% Scored Test. Every state has different laws and each hotel (Hilton Brand and it’s subsidiaries) have policies in place to protect themselves and their guests. Service Animals have specific characteristics and qualifications. In all cases only specific dog breeds and miniature horses are certified (per the Ada) They are individually trained by professional trainers (acknowledged by the ADA) to perform a very specific task that is determined by their owners disability. An emotional support animal requires no training nor accredited ADA qualifications to ensure the safety and longevity of its persons health. It can be a mild mannered lap dog . Or even a Parrot. A service dog also has very particular behaviors that other animals do not. Such as; they never seek attention from another human that isn’t their owner. They do not bark or pace or go after other animals.
No one typically “carries” their Service dog . Nor do they push them in a pet stroller. They are larger dog breeds and 99% of the time required to have specific colored gear and leashes that help other (ADA trained) people identify their owners disability.
Hopefully that shed a little light on whether or not a trained hotel personal can identify a Service animal or not.
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- SDC says: November 26, 2022
  Thank you for your input. A few clarifications: 1. Under the ADA service animals can only be dogs 2. You do not need a professional trainer “acknowledged by the ADA”. While professional trainers can be incredibly helpful, owners are allowed to self-train their service dogs. 3. There is no size minimum or maximum for service dogs, dogs of many different breeds serve successfully as service dogs. 4. While service dog paraphernalia such as the items we sell are helpful for service dog owners, these items are not mandatory.
  Reply
Eugene Everitt says: June 11, 2022
I have a s Boston terrier isnd is registered as a emotional support dog I feel they should not have charged me 50 to stay
We are Hilton members an have tied up a lot of money in your system
This 12 pound dog is more trained an acts better than most humans I’ve seen
Reply
- SDC says: June 13, 2022
  Unfortunately ESAs do not have legal rights for free hotel accommodation. Some hotels however will still accommodate them as a courtesy.
  Reply
- Nathan James says: September 24, 2022
  Firstly, there is NO REGISTRATION for ESAs or service dogs. Having your dog “registered” means someone scammed you out of the money you paid for that fancy paperwork to say your dog is part of a registry that does not even exist. The only true paperwork for an ESA is the letter your doctor wrote for you and even then that does not give you the rights a service dog has.
  Secondly, ESAs are considered pets. Service dogs are not. It is against the law to charge fees for a service dog. ESAs are covered under the Fair Housing Act but hotels do not fall under that as they are considered temporary housing.
  Sorry you feel like you were unfairly charged. Yes, it sucks having to pay a fee for your pet to stay in a hotel with you but at least they are letting your dog stay with you.
  Reply
  - Kristina Reynolds says: January 13, 2023
    There is a voluntary registration with your state, all paperwork has to be turned in and even a doctors “prescription” for a service dog. Just FYI
    Reply
    - SDC says: January 14, 2023
      That is incorrect – there is no mandatory registration for service dogs and emotional support animals. You generally do not need any specific paperwork for service dogs, other than the DOT’s Service Animal Air Transportation Form. ESAs however do require paperwork – a signed ESA letter from a licensed health care professional.
      Reply
Joan Eisenstodt says: May 1, 2022
Please explain how Hilton-branded properties’ staff are trained on the protocols for those who arrive with service dogs, and further, how they are trained in other aspects of the ADA.
Reply
- SDC says: May 2, 2022
  That is not something we’re familiar with but we recommend reaching out to them directly if you have specific questions about their service dog policies.
  Reply
  - Dot says: December 19, 2022
    How about disabled veteran emotional support dogs? Those also wil be charged a service fee?
    Reply
    - SDC says: December 20, 2022
      Emotional support animals unfortunately do not have special rights when it comes to hotels.
      Reply

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