"WE'LL LEAVE THE LIGHT ON." That phrase declared by celebrity and dog lover Tom Bodett, has provided comfort for road-weary travelers since 1962 when Motel 6 opened its first hotel in Santa Barbara, CA. Today, the number of Motel 6 locations has expanded to 870 in 49 states plus Canada. Together with its sister affiliate, Red Roof (with 375 locations primarily in the Midwest, East and South), Motel 6 remains enthusiastically pet welcoming.

"Travelers can rely on Motel 6 and Red Roof to reserve a room with no pet deposit required," says Eric Studer, senior vice president for marketing services for Accor North America. "At Motel 6 and Red Roof, you will not be told that our pet rooms are full or that there has been a last-minute corporate change in pet policy, or shoved in a smoking room or a room needing repair because you brought your dog. And the news gets even better: we also don't place a weight limit on the size of dog allowed."

Spoken like a true canine advocate—which he is. Studer quickly mentions how much he personally enjoys traveling with his dogs, Indy and Scotty.

"I stay at our properties a lot," notes Studer. "Before I check in, I drive the parking lot and I talk to guests. A lot of dog show groups stay at our hotels."

Accor North America's family also includes Studio 6, fully furnished studios with 45 units in the southwest. Studio 6, designed for the traveler

looking for a temporary place until being relocated, does require a pet deposit that is fully refundable if no doggy misdeeds are committed.

Studer estimates that nearly 20 percent of guests staying at the three chains bring their dogs (and occasional cats). In exchange for opening the door for well—behaved dogs, Accor hotels limit one pet per room. The hotels request that guests do not leave their pets alone in rooms—unless crated—and that their dogs don't annoy other guests with loud, persistent barking. Dogs must be on leashes when outside their rooms.

"We leave the enforcement of these pet rules to our general managers, but I am happy to report that about 95 percent of people who travel with their pets and stay with us do take very good care of their pets," says Studer.

In addition to Bodett, Motel 6 features animal expert and author Jack Hanna, host of Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures. He appears regularly on The Late Show with David Letterman with wild and exotic critters. Hanna writes special features on the Motel 6 website (www.motel6.com).

"We have window stickers with Jack's face to indicate we're pet-friendly," says Studer "Our goal this year is to continue to market to pet owners and possibly, to do some national promotions that involve Jack Hanna."

YOU MAY NOT RECOGNIZE the name Choice Hotels International, but you probably are quite familiar with its brands, especially Quality Inn, Comfort Suites and Econo Lodge. Choice Hotels represents more than 5,300 hotels and 10 brands worldwide.

Some brands are Fido-friendly. Some are not. The best way to determine which ones do permit pets is to look for a paw print on the home page of the desired hotel's website.

"The pet policy is left to each individual hotel owner in our chain," explains Heather Sonic, media spokesperson for Choice Hotels International. "To clarify which of our hotels do accept pets, we will be adding a pet page to our website (www.choicehotels.com) this year."

In the meantime, if you plan any travels that include stops in Boulder, Colorado, consider booking a reservation at the Quality Inn & Suites of Boulder. This hotel unleashes plenty of amenities for its canine guests, including a bowl and mat in each room, a bandana filled with treats given at

check-in, and a fenced-in safe outdoor area to romp.

This 46-room hotel evenly divides its rooms between non-pet and pet-accepting rooms.

In addition, the hotel staff alerts you to all the Fido-friendly places in and around Boulder, including doggy bakeries, hiking trails, groomers, and day care. Their website (qualityinnboulder.com) offers a pet page that lists rules and pet services offered in the area. Credit Samantha, a soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, for making this Quality Inn so doggone welcoming.

Samantha belongs to Andria Lewis, the hotel's owner, who also operates two other Fido-friendly hotels in Colorado and one in Chicago. Samantha offers a pet-welcoming gift that includes a letter, her photo, and some high-quality beef snacks.

"We've been marketing with Samantha for about eight years and now people come back here to stay because of her," says Lewis. "Samantha loves people and thinks everyone is there to see her. She grew up in this hotel."

When you book a reservation here, expect to see your dog's name appearing on a dog bone-shaped chalkboard in the lobby. You will also be alerted about the leash laws in Boulder that result in minimum fines of $50 per violation. Expect a $15 per-night pet fee and a $100 pet deposit that is refundable if your dog behaves.

NO NEED TO SNEAK your dog in at Hotel Indigo in Atlanta, one of the newest members of the International Hotels Group. In fact, if you arrive on a Tuesday, expect to bring out the parry animal in your pooch.

That's because Hotel Indigo adores dogs and sponsors canine cocktail hour each Tuesday between 5 and 8 p.m. during the summer. The event includes a doggie menu as well as specialty cocktails and casual fare for people. Every dollar from the sale of Indigo martinis (made for people, not dogs) goes toward supporting the Piedmont Park Dog Park.

"We don't just welcome pets; we invite our guests to bring them," says Hotel Indigo innkeeper Gabrielle Webster. During our canine cocktail hour, we show a video of our resident dog, Indie, a Jack Russell terrier. It depicts a day in the life of Indie with him 'performing' different jobs. He is in a chef uniform in the kitchen, wears a tool belt to help the engineering staff with the air conditioning and wears pajamas as he jumps from bed to bed."

There's no weight restriction for dogs staying here and look for bowls of fresh water available around the hotel's exterior.

Hotel Indigo belongs to InterContinental Hotels Group, which includes more than 3,650 hotels in 100 countries and boasts of having more hotel rooms than any other chain at 543,775. These hotels vary in price, accommodations and pet policies, reports Monica Smith, corporate spokesperson.

All of our Staybridge Suites (about 100 hotels) and Candlewood Suites (127 hotels) welcome pets," says Smith. Both are perfect choices for those taking long business trips away from home who don't want to leave their pets behind. They are also perfect for families traveling on vacation with their pets."

In addition, some of the following brands under the InterContinental Hotel Groups umbrella also accept pets: Holiday Inn Hotels, Holiday Inn Express hotels, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, and Hotel Indigo properties.

Permitting pets has been a long-standing policy for some of these brands. The Staybridge Suites in Alpharerra, GA, for example, was the brand's first hotel built in 1998. It has welcomed pets from day one.

BEST BET: contact hotels belonging to this brand in advance to ensure your dog is allowed before booking a reservation. We can tell you that Candlewood Suites will be expanding into Canada and the New York City market this year.

THE WELCOME MAT is definitely out for canine travelers at Marriott's TownePlace Suites and Resident Inns coast to coast. The good news is that pet fees at these places vary, but are always one-time, non-refundable and guaranteed not to exceed $100 per stay. If you're traveling with a service dog, the fee is waived.

As for the precise type of pooch pampering available at these Marriott sites, it varies by location, but many sites do enjoy catering to canines.

Here's a rundown of some ways TownePlace Suites and Residence Inns make dogs feel at home, according to Betsy Higgison, spokeswoman for Marriott International, Inc.:

• Pet-sitting and dog-walking services are available for guests staying at the TownePlace Suites in Burlington, VT and the TownePlace Suites in Portland, ME.

• Special doggie bags filled with treats plus comfy canine beds await dogs staying at The Residence Inn in Houston, TX. Another "bone-fide" bonus: many associates pet sit while guests are away from their rooms and help with walking dogs.

• Special treats are given to dogs staying at the

TownePlace Suites in Portland, OR. The staff there will also assist guests with walking their pets while their suites are being cleaned.

• Traveling dogs and cats receive treats and toys when they stay at the Residence Inn in Frederick, MD.

• Dogs being treated for cancer at a nearby animal hospital in Fort Collins, CO are given get-well gifts from the staff at the Residence Inn there. Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University considered the premier cancer-fighting veterinary hospital in North America.

• Going an extra s-t-r-e-t-c-h for pets is not uncommon for the staff at TownePlace Suites in Redwood City, CA. General Manager Bridgette Burns recalls the story of a couple staying there for two months while their home was being remodeled. Their dog needed surgery and had to wear an Elizabethan collar to keep him from reaching his sutures. The staff bought some doggie treats, wrapped in a ribbon and presented a get-well card signed by the entire staff.

SMALL BUT MIGHTY... fond of dogs. That's the motto embraced by the 17 Woodfin Suites and Chase Suites belonging to Wodfin Suite Hotels chain.

"Absolutely every one of our 17 hotels is pet-friendly and we have always been since we separated from Marriott and re-branded ourselves in 1999," says Macye Purpura, director of national sales. "About three years ago, we decided to make accepting pets a selling point for our hotels and are now actively pursuing pet marketing."

Look for Woodfin hotels in 11 states: Ohio, Maryland, Florida, Missouri, Kansas, Utah, Iowa, Nebraska, California, Texas and Louisiana. All rooms in the 17 hotels accept pets and expect to pay, on average, $150 or less per night's stay. The chain charges $10 per night for pets and a $250 refundable per deposit if the room is not soiled or damaged.

"Our suites feature full living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms," says Purpura. "We're three-star, but many four and five-star hotels

do not offer suites — especially ones that accept pets.

Technically, the hotels in this group do not accept dogs weighing more than 25 pounds. However, Purpura pointed our that its El Paso, TX hotel has filled half of its 200 rooms at times with German shepherds and other large dogs who work with border patrol offcials. Two years ago, the hotel's Tampa location welcomed some dogs competing in a regional show sponsored by the American Kennel Club. If you have a well-behaved big dog, see if the weight rules can be waived.

For an extra fee of $20, you can treat your dog to a special per package that includes use of a comfy canine bed and pillow bearing the Woodfin logo. A treat will be handed over at check-in and designer water and food bowls will await your traveling four-legger in your room. Check out the 'Woodfin Preferred Pet" page on their website (woodfinsuitehotels.com) for more pet amenities available.

This year, Woodfin intends to expand in San Diego and Emeryville, CA as well as Rockford, MD.