The days of staying at home or leaving your pets with family – or at an expensive pet hotel – when you go on holiday are long gone. Discover 12 incredible pet-friendly lodgings to enjoy relaxing moments with your pet. There are options for all tastes and wallets, from luxury hotels to rural tourism units, which welcome your best friends with open arms. All About Portugal unveils an itinerary full of accommodations where your pets will feel at home.

Vidago Palace, Chaves

Vidago Palace, Chaves

This five-star hotel, located in the heart of Trás-os-Montes, welcomes four-legged friends with all the perks. It is a luxurious hotel, with an elegant and well-equipped thermal spa, which promises an unforgettable stay, with VIP treatment for dogs weighing up to 20 kilos, or cats. There is a charge of 60 euros per night per pet and reservations are only available in certain types of rooms.

Pousada Mosteiro de Amares

Pousada Mosteiro de Amares

In the Minho area there are several pet friendly accommodations. One of them is the Pousada Mosteiro de Amares, which is remarkably close to Braga and the beautiful Peneda-Gerês National Park, which admits small dogs up to 15 kilos. Upon payment of an additional fee of 25 euros per night, your faithful friends can stay overnight and even get some pampering experiences. Located in the town of Santa Maria do Bouro, this refined Pousada is the result of the restoration of a 12th century Cistercian Monastery.

Paço de Pombeiro de Ribavizela, Felgueiras

Paço de Pombeiro de Ribavizela, Felgueiras

Tranquillity is guaranteed in this guest house surrounded by vineyards and fields, in which the same mansion includes a historic building and a more recent one. Pets are welcomed, provided this information is given at the time of booking, as not all rooms are suitable for receiving them. A fee is charged per animal in this accommodation, located next to the interesting Route of the Romanesque.

The Yeatman, Vila Nova de Gaia

The Yeatman, Vila Nova de Gaia

Another five-star hotel, to which is added a distinguished restaurant with two Michelin stars. This accommodation offers VIP treatment and a comfortable and lively stay for cats or dogs up to 20 kilos, for a fee of 40 euros per night. It also offers a feeder and drinker. Be sure to give prior notice though, since not all rooms accept reservations for four-legged friends. Added bonus are the magnificent panoramic views over the city of Porto and the Douro River that can be enjoyed.

Casa das Palmeiras - Nature Houses & Pedagogic Farm, Mangualde

Casa das Palmeiras - Nature Houses & Pedagogic Farm, Mangualde

This rural tourism option, which offers accommodation and a pedagogical farm in the same space, is a “paradise” for nature and animal lovers. In addition to being able to bring their most faithful friends, guests can also interact with other “residents”, hairy or feathered. For a fee of 13 euros per night, the pet friendly kit is provided, which includes a bed, blanket and containers for water and feed. Up to two animals are accepted per accommodation.

Chão do Rio, Seia

Chão do Rio, Seia

If you don't like to part with your pets, even for a short period, you can bring them to this rural tourism accommodation created at the foothill of Serra da Estrela. Prior notice is obligatory and additional costs may apply. This is the perfect place to enjoy an environment of serenity and strong contact with the mountains and nature. The scenery is stunning, with a lake serving as the centre point for the six houses with thatched roofs distributed around it.

Quinta de Rio Alcaide, Porto de Mós

Quinta de Rio Alcaide, Porto de Mós

Another rural tourism that is synonymous with peace and intense contact with nature. Located in the Serra d’Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park area, this farm allows pets to stay, with guests being asked to give prior notice, and a fee may also be charged. There is a wide selection of different types of rooms; one of them is an old mill, suitable for a romantic getaway and offering a beautiful view over Porto de Mós and the Castle.

Lisbon Marriott Hotel, Lisboa

Lisbon Marriott Hotel, Lisboa

In this four-star hotel, which offers a good location close to Humberto Delgado Airport and the main roads in the capital of Portugal, pets are also welcome. The fee is 20 euros per night and all rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, a balcony and decor inspired by Lisbon. Enjoy the relaxing garden where you can stroll with your faithful friend, as well as the restaurant overlooking the palm garden and a fitness centre.

Quinta dos Machados, Mafra

Quinta dos Machados, Mafra

This rural hotel is dog friendly. For the value of eight euros per night, domestic animals are accepted, if they are kept on a leash and comply with the rules of this unit, that resulted from the conversion of a historic farm and is surrounded by gardens. To truly feel Nature, accept the challenge of making this sensory journey that, over 1.5 kilometres, will test your every sense in an intense experience.

Sobreiras Alentejo Country, Grândola

Sobreiras Alentejo Country, Grândola

In Alentejo, hotels and other pet friendly accommodations also abound. Sobreiras, which mixes rurality with the proximity to the much-appreciated Alentejo coast, is concerned with providing the ideal conditions for pets to have a perfect stay. The design of this country hotel, which is a guarantee of rest, is simple and elegant, with the surrounding nature serving as a source of inspiration. All rooms have a private terrace, ideal for four-legged friends to exercise.

Convento do Espinheiro, Évora

Convento do Espinheiro, Évora

Another luxury five-star hotel, the Convento do Espinheiro results from the conversion of an old convent from the 15th century and has joined the growing trend of pet friendly accommodation. Aimed at luxurious and refined pets, which do not exceed 20 kilos, the hotel offers a feeder and drinking fountain, for the cost of 30 euros per night, in rooms located on the ground floor with direct access to the garden. The Convent also has a vast area of eight hectares, great for long walks.

Real Marina Residence, Olhão

Real Marina Residence, Olhão

This complex of tourist flats, overlooking the Ria Formosa and the marina, is one of several pet friendly accommodations to be found in the Algarve. Cats and dogs are allowed, which do not exceed 15 kilos and up to a maximum of two per flat. Pets get all they need to feel pampered on holiday, having at their disposal bowls of food, water, bedding, shelters and even VIP delicacies at check-in. The fee per animal and night is 25 euros.