I first stumbled across Home2 Suites by Hilton when we were staying in Nashville last year for the BlogPaws Conference. We arrived a few days early and wanted to stay a little closer to downtown Nashville than where the conference hotel was located, but of course we had Luna with us so we needed something affordable and pet friendly. Home2 Suites was the perfect solution!
Since we had such a great time in Nashville at the Home2 Suites, I wanted to stay at one again during our recent pet friendly road trip. Then I really lucked out when I had the opportunity to stay at the Home2 Suites location in Southaven, Mississippi (right outside of Memphis, Tennessee) for free in exchange with an honest review.
The Home2 Suites in Southaven is located about 25 minutes south of Memphis and is right smack in the middle of a massive shopping center. While the scenery wasn’t the most beautiful, it was super convenient for restaurants and any shopping. We took full advantage of it being so close to Target and my boyfriend picked up a light sweater (because he forgot to pack one) for the air conditioned car. Even though most of the surroundings were buildings and cars, the Southaven Home2 Suites did a really great job at maintaining their grounds and bringing in some beauty with greenery and flowers.
The Southaven location also featured all the same amenities and features that most (if not all) Home2 Suites locations have. My favorite, of course, is that they are pet friendly.
Why Home2 Suites are Great for Pet Friendly Travel
Large Rooms
During both of our stays at Home2 Suites, I’ve been impressed with the size of the room. When I travel with pets, I’m used to staying in tiny (and not so clean) rooms, but my experience with Home2 Suites has been completely different! In fact, there was even enough room for a small (and well controlled) game of fetch. I know the dogs really enjoyed having some space to move around after being crammed in a car for most of the day.
Lots of Shelving
Okay this might seem like a kind of odd benefit, but it’s one of my absolute favorite things about the rooms in Home2 Suites. It’s pretty common knowledge that I do not travel light, especially on a two week road trip. During our stay we had a ton of bags containing things like clothes, electronics, and a whole lot of dog treats. None of those things would be particularly good for the dogs to get their paws on and the only way of stopping a curious Beagle from nosing her way through your bags is to keep them out of reach. And all the shelving and table space in our hotel room allowed me to do just that.
A Curtain for Privacy
This may not be as much of a benefit when traveling with pets as it is when you are traveling with another person, but it’s definitely handy. The first time we stayed at a Home2 Suites, I unfortunately got a migraine and the room made sleeping through it a lot easier than most hotel rooms would have. I was able to lay in bed and pull the privacy curtain closed while my boyfriend was able to sit on the couch and watch TV. Having a separate sleeping and relaxing space without having to pay for an expensive 1 or 2 bedroom suite is definitely a nice perk!
Kitchenette with Full Sized Fridge
I’m known to get hangry, so I’m also known to always travel with food. On our two week road trip, we had a whole cooler full of fruit, cheese, drinks, and more. Most hotels only offer a tiny mini fridge (if that) which can be difficult to fit everything inside. Home2 Suites rooms include a full sized refrigerator plus a freezer, which was handy for refreezing our cooler’s ice packs. We were also able to refreeze the dogs’ Sleepypod Yummy Bowls, so they had cold water in the car the next day.
The dishwasher was handy for cleaning the few utensils we brought with us and the dog bowls. The kitchen utensils and supplies provided made it easy for me to cut up some fruit I had brought with us. And although there isn’t a oven in the room, you can ask for an electric cook top free from the front desk.
Designated Dog Walking Areas
Since Home2 Suites is pet friendly they have designated areas for dog walking that are complete with doggy poop stations. The Southaven location even has a walking trail and multiple patches of grass that were actually maintained. It definitely makes it easier for pet parents to clean up after their pets and to dispose of any poop properly. No more hunting for a spot or having to use the same square foot of brown grass that every other dog uses!
Breakfast is Included
Do I have to say anything more? Breakfast is the best and it is even better when it’s free (or at least included). Some hotels offer free breakfast that most people would rather just pass up, but Home2 Suites actually has some solid options that made Luna super jealous. My favorite is the hot oatmeal bar, where you can dress up your oatmeal however you’d like with dried fruit, nuts, and even chocolate chips. You can’t go wrong with a freshly made waffle either.
“Pet Inside” Door Hang Tag
If I ever have to leave the pups alone inside a hotel room, I’m always paranoid that housekeeping might enter without realizing they are there and either spook them or accidentally let them out. Home2 removes this worry by providing a custom door tag that lets their employees know there is a pet inside.
Free WiFi
Can anyone survive without WiFi anymore? Being without it definitely makes my life challenging, but I also do not want to have to pay for the luxury of using it. Thank goodness Home2 includes it with your room! And, the internet has actually WORKED during both my hotel stays. I can’t say that about many other hotel chains.
Clean and New Rooms
Home2 Suites by Hilton is one of the newer Hilton brands. In fact, the first hotel wasn’t opened until 2011, so that means most of the locations are relatively new or recently updated. That certainly sounds sweet to me because the hotels are more modern and cleaner than some of their competitors.
Bonus Amenities – Gym, Laundry, Groceries, and a Pool
As with any luxury or extended stay hotel, there are some extra amenities. Home2 Suites has Spin2Cycle where you can do your laundry and work out AT THE SAME TIME. They also have a 24 hour grocery store, so you won’t go hungry when you get a craving for a midnight snack. Plus many locations even have a pool and BBQ grills like the location in Southaven did!
The only disadvantage to Home2 Suites…
The only disadvantage to Home2 Suites is the pet fee and weight limit. It varies from location to location ranging from $25-125, so make sure to check the specifics at the location you are considering booking first.
Typically the pet fee is good for your entire stay, so if you are staying a few days it may not be too bad. In comparison to the other major hotel chains that have no or cheaper pet fees, I believe Home2 Suites offers a much nicer experience. I would much rather spend an extra 50 bucks or so over the course of my stay for a nicer and cleaner room. Conversely, many other chains that provide the same amenities have pet fees per night rather than per stay and those can really stack up!
This, however, is the big reason why I can’t completely recommend Home2 Suites for pet friendly road trips. Since road trips involve bouncing around to a new city each night, staying at a Home2 Suite could rack up an additional $50+/night and that would get pretty pricey.
So overall Home2 Suites by Hilton is my top recommendation if you are traveling with a pet and needing a place to stay for a few nights or more. My experience at the Southaven location was spectacular and I hope to visit again soon!
Have you ever stayed at one of Home2 Suites by Hilton locations?
Disclaimer: I received a free night at the Home2 Suites by Hilton Memphis – Southaven, MS in exchange for an honest review. I received no additional compensation or benefits for mentioning the business in this post. The opinions and ideas in this post are my own and are uninfluenced by any other person or business.
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