Exorbitant pet fees

This was our second time staying at The Charlie, so we thought we knew what to expect. The grounds are lovely, the secure parking is very convenient, and the rooms are spacious and comfortable, so it really pains me to write this review.

We travel with our dog; she has a heart condition and cannot be boarded. We stayed at The Charlie with her back in August 2022, had a lovely time and decided to return again last weekend (October 2022). Although the hotel checks with you weeks before you arrive to ask your arrival time, as well as the day before to confirm, we were never told that we would be charged a “non-refundable deposit” of $250 for bringing our dog to stay with us until the moment of check-in. After leaving I discovered that a series of taxes were also added on top of that “non-refundable deposit”, making the cost of bringing our dog with us for a single night nearly $300.

We made the reservation directly through the hotel website and included information about our dog both times we made a reservation (so they were aware ahead of time that we would be arriving with a dog). Our dog caused no disturbance or issue during our stay. And we were not charged this exorbitant fee last time we stayed, so it really blindsided us.

We’ve traveled extensively with our dog, and are used to paying a pet fee or (refundable) pet deposit. But I have never encountered a situation (until now) where such a high fee is charged, and also NOT DISCLOSED until after you arrive. Please don’t make the same mistake we did. What we experienced is truly the opposite of hospitality — it was deceitful, predatory, and unreasonable.

Oct. 12, 2022