Most Visited Villa in Bol near Zadruga Beach
Brac, Croatia
Bol
Private poolSea view
Nov 13 – 16 · $203,417 for 3 nights
The Collections
Pet-Friendly Luxury Villas
Private villas and chalets where your dog is a named guest, not a negotiated exception. Every home here says in its own house rules, amenities or description that pets are welcome.
View all 2,637 homesPet-Friendly Villas
Holidays the whole household can come on
Most luxury rentals still say no to dogs. The homes in this collection say yes, in writing, which is the only kind of yes worth packing for. They lean heavily towards Italy, the United States and Croatia, with a strong showing in the Swiss and French Alps, and they are mostly the sort of houses dogs do well in: farmhouses with land, chalets with a boot room by the door, villas with a garden rather than a balcony.
Tuscany has the deepest choice, followed by Puglia, Le Marche, the Italian Riviera and the Dolomites. Switzerland is stronger than people expect, especially in Ticino and Graubünden, and Villars and Chamonix are easy with a dog. In Croatia, look at Istria's stone houses and the seafront villas under the pines of Lošinj. In the United States, Texas, Colorado, California and the North Carolina mountains carry most of the list.
Pet-friendly rarely means every room. Most owners keep dogs off beds and sofas and out of the pool, and many add a pet fee or a larger deposit. We tell you those terms before you book, so nothing is a surprise at the door.
Homes2,637
Countries10+
Typical size4 bedrooms
Sleeps up to72 guests
Mykonos Villa Complex With Stunning Sea Views
Mykonos, Greece
Private poolSpa
May 2 – 9 · $162,360 for 7 nights
Gstaad - Great Luxurious Farmhouse
Gstaad Region, Switzerland
Saanen
Nov 13 – 16 · $68,685 for 3 nights
Ultimate Relaxation in Čikat Bay
Losinj, Croatia
Mali Losinj
Private poolSea viewSpa
Jul 1 – 4 · $63,057 for 3 nights
Immaculate Estate Villa with Amazing Furniture
Mykonos, Greece
Private poolHot tubGarden
Apr 30 – May 7 · $151,455 for 7 nights
Exclusive Hillside Villa with Indoor Pool and Tennis Court
Andalucia, Spain
Marbella
Private poolSea view
Nov 13 – 18 · $98,585 for 5 nights
Elegant Villa With Sea View Terrace
Losinj, Croatia
Mali Losinj
SaunaGardenBalcony
Nov 13 – 16 · $55,646 for 3 nights
Stunning Beach Villa With Heated Pool
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Leeward Settlement
Private poolHot tubBalcony
Nov 13 – 16 · $55,155 for 3 nights
Unmatched Luxury in Čikat Bay
Losinj, Croatia
Mali Losinj
Private poolSea viewSpa
Nov 13 – 18 · $86,540 for 5 nights
Exclusive Retreat in Lošinj’s Paradise
Losinj, Croatia
Mali Losinj
Private poolSea viewSpa
Nov 13 – 18 · $86,540 for 5 nights
Elegant Villa Near Mali Lošinj Beaches
Losinj, Croatia
Mali Losinj
SaunaGardenBalcony
Nov 13 – 20 · $103,865 for 7 nights
Luxury Hideaway in Čikat Bay
Losinj, Croatia
Mali Losinj
GardenBalconyAir conditioning
Nov 13 – 18 · $74,189 for 5 nights
How we choose
How a home gets on this list
We do not tag homes on a hunch. A house is included because its own listing says pets are allowed: an amenity such as 'pets welcome', a house rule that permits them, or a description that says so plainly. If a home states no pets anywhere, it stays out, even if it was once marked otherwise. The Smiling House team reviews the list and can add or remove a home when the owner tells us something the listing does not.
The home's amenities list pets as welcome or allowed.
Or its house rules permit pets, sometimes with a limit on number or size.
Or its description says plainly that dogs or pets are welcome.
A 'no pets' anywhere in the listing keeps it out, whatever else it says.
The team can override either way after checking with the owner.
01
Where dog-friendly villas work best
Countryside beats coastline for dogs. A Tuscan or Marche farmhouse with olive terraces and a long drive gives a dog room to settle, and Italy is relaxed about dogs on café terraces and in many restaurants. Puglia's masserie are similar, though the summer heat is hard on thick-coated breeds, so spring and autumn suit them better.
The Alps are the quiet surprise. Ticino, Graubünden, Villars and the farmhouses above Saanen near Gstaad give you walks straight from the door, and Swiss trains and many mountain lifts take dogs with a ticket. Keep them on a lead near grazing cattle; cows with calves do not tolerate dogs.
On the coast, Croatia is the friendliest of the Mediterranean options. Istria and Lošinj have beaches set aside for dogs, and pine shade does a lot of work in high summer. In the United States, ranch houses in Texas and mountain homes in Colorado and North Carolina are built for dogs in a way most island villas are not.
02
What the house rules usually say
Read the pet clause as closely as the cancellation terms. The common pattern is a welcome with conditions: one or two dogs, sometimes a weight limit, often no cats or other animals unless agreed. Dogs are usually allowed in living areas and gardens but not on beds, sofas or in the bedrooms. Pools are almost always off limits, partly for the filtration and partly for the liner.
Most owners ask that a dog is never left alone in the house, which matters if you are planning long lunches or a day on a boat. Ask whether the owner can recommend a sitter or a walker; in the bigger Alpine and Tuscan houses the housekeeper often knows someone.
Expect a pet fee, a higher security deposit or an extra cleaning charge, sometimes all three. These are set by the owner and shown on your quote. If a home says pets are considered on request, we confirm your dog with the owner by breed and size before you pay anything.
03
Fences, pools and stairs: what to check
A garden is only useful if it is closed. Many rural houses in Italy and Croatia sit on open land with no boundary fence, which is lovely for people and a problem for a dog with a strong chase instinct. Ask for the fencing in writing: all the way round, partly, or not at all.
Pools need the same question. A pool fence or a safety cover keeps a dog out of water it cannot climb out of; wide steps help if one does fall in. Infinity edges and steep drops below hillside terraces on the Italian Riviera are worth knowing about before you arrive.
Inside, think about floors and stairs. Polished stone is hard on older dogs' joints, open-tread stairs frighten some, and chalets often spread over four or five levels. A ground-floor bedroom saves a lot of carrying. Finally, ask about the neighbours. A house next to a working farm, with sheep or free-ranging hens, needs a dog that ignores them.
04
How the team handles a stay with a pet
We treat your dog as part of the booking. When you enquire, tell us the breed, size, age and how many; we check that against the owner's rules and come back with the terms in writing, including fees and anything the owner asks of you.
Before you arrive we can find a local vet, a groomer, a walker or a sitter for the evenings you want out, and restaurants near the house that welcome dogs. In ski resorts such as Courchevel and Chamonix we can point you to the winter walking paths, since dogs are not allowed on the pistes.
If something goes wrong, a scratched floor or a chewed cushion, tell the housekeeper the same day. Owners who welcome pets expect the occasional mishap, and an honest word at the time keeps it a small conversation rather than a deposit dispute.
Pet-Friendly Villas in pictures
Where to go
Where this collection is strongest
Italy · USA · Croatia · France · Switzerland · Greece · Spain · United Kingdom
Before you book
Planning a stay with your dog
Tell us the breed, size and number of pets when you first enquire, so the owner approves the right dog.
Ask for the pet fee, deposit and any extra cleaning charge in writing before you pay.
Ask whether the garden is fully fenced and whether the pool has a fence or a safety cover.
Pack your dog's own bed and a throw for the car; most houses keep pets off their furniture.
Sort the travel papers early: a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and whatever documents your route requires. Rules differ between the UK, the EU, Switzerland and the US.
In southern Italy, Greece and Texas, consider spring or autumn if your dog struggles in the heat.
Arrange a sitter or walker before you arrive, not on the morning you need one.
Can I bring my dog to a luxury villa in Italy?
Yes, and Italy is where you will find the widest choice. Tuscany has the most dog-friendly villas, followed by Puglia, Le Marche, the Italian Riviera and the Dolomites, and most are farmhouses or estates with land. Expect a limit on the number of dogs, a pet fee or deposit, and a rule keeping them off beds and out of the pool. We confirm your dog with the owner before you book.
Are cats and other pets allowed too?
Sometimes, but ask first. Most pet clauses are written with dogs in mind, and some owners accept dogs only. If you are travelling with a cat or another animal, tell us when you enquire and we will check with the owner directly. A listing that says pets are welcome does not automatically cover every species.
Is there an extra charge for bringing a pet?
Often, yes. Owners commonly add a pet fee, a higher security deposit or an extra cleaning charge, and occasionally all three. The amount is set by the owner, not by us, and it appears on your quote before you pay. Some houses charge nothing extra, which is why it is worth asking about each one.
Can my dog stay alone in the villa while we go out?
Usually not. Most owners ask that pets are never left unattended inside the house, to protect the floors, the furniture and the dog. We can arrange a local sitter or walker for the evenings or days you want to be out, and in many rural houses the housekeeper can recommend someone she trusts.
Are the gardens fenced?
Not always, and it is the question we are asked most. Rural villas in Italy and Croatia often sit on open land, and chalets may have a terrace rather than a garden. Ask us about the specific house and we will confirm with the owner whether the garden is fully fenced, partly fenced or open, and whether the pool is fenced or covered.
Can I take my dog to a ski chalet?
Yes, in a good number of chalets in Switzerland and France, including around Courchevel, Chamonix, Villars and Gstaad. Dogs are not allowed on the pistes, but most resorts keep winter walking paths open, and Swiss trains and many lifts take dogs with a ticket. A boot room or tiled entrance makes the daily towel-down much easier.
Why isn't a villa I like in the pet-friendly collection?
Because its own listing does not say pets are welcome, or it says no somewhere. We only include homes whose amenities, house rules or description welcome pets. If you have found a house you love, send it to us anyway. The team can ask the owner, and if the answer is yes, the home can be added.
Smiling House also offers a concierge for private chefs, transfers, ski instructors, yachts and cars, a VIP Club with first access to new residences and member rates, chalets for sale in the Gstaad region through its real estate division and instantly bookable homes with live availability.