Hotels that take pets without a per-night fee in San Antonio
⏳Verification pending — confirm directly with the hotel
1The situation
San Antonio is a driving city, so plenty of people arrive with the dog in the back seat. Most chains now say 'pet friendly' and then charge $25-75 per pet per night, which turns a $79 room into $129 and a three-night stay into an extra $150. In this city the brands that still take a first pet for nothing are Motel 6 and Red Roof; the two La Quintas we checked have both moved to $25 a night, and the old Motel 6 in the Medical Center has been rebranded as a Park Inn by Radisson and now charges $25 a night too. Policies change by location and by year, so confirm before you book.
2What you actually need
A policy that is no fee, or a flat fee per stay, not per night per pet
The distinction is the whole saving. 'Pet friendly, $25 fee' can mean $25 once or $25 per pet per night; ask which, and ask about weight and number limits.
Free parking, or at least a door you can reach from the car
A dog means trips outside at odd hours. Exterior-corridor motels with free parking (Motel 6, the older La Quintas) are far easier than a downtown tower with a $30 garage and an elevator.
Somewhere to walk the dog nearby
Downtown hotels back onto streets and parking lots; the airport and Medical Center hotels have grass strips and nearby parks. Ask where guests walk dogs, and whether pets can be left alone in the room.
Confirmation in writing
Policies vary by franchisee. Get the pet terms in an email or on the confirmation before you arrive, especially for a large dog or more than one pet.
3The shortlist3 hotels, cheapest first
Each hotel is here because it meets the requirements above — not because of its star rating. Prices are nightly rates before tax for the default dates; volatile facts (shuttles, parking terms) are stated as what to confirm, not as promises.
1.Red Roof Inn San Antonio - Airport
1.1 mi from San Antonio International Airport (SAT) · 333 Wolfe Road, San Antonio, Texas 78216
Red Roof Inn2-starRenovated 2012
7.8/10202
Red Roof's brand policy holds here: one pet up to 80 lb at no charge, a second at $15 a night capped at $105 a stay, dogs and cats both welcome, and pets may not be left unattended in the room. Free parking, a 24-hour desk and grass to walk a dog on, less than a mile from SAT — much easier with a dog than anywhere downtown. Confirm the current policy and size limit with the property before booking.
Parking
Free parking for registered guests. Park-and-fly packages are advertised at extra cost — confirm the terms directly.
Shuttle
Free airport shuttle Mon-Sat 6am-11pm and Sun 6am-2pm. Confirm for your date.
Front desk
24-hour reception.
Check-in
Check-in 3pm, check-out noon. Confirm early arrival directly with the hotel.
Check-out
by 11:00 AM (hotel-stated)
$49/nightbefore tax
⏳Verification pending — confirm directly with the hotel
$54on Agoda · Sep 25–Sep 26 · before taxCheck live price →checked Sep 17
2.Motel 6 San Antonio, TX - Downtown - Market Square
1.2 mi from The River Walk · 211 North Pecos Street, San Antonio, 78207
Motel 62-star
7.5/108
Listings show pets welcome at no extra charge, up to two per room — the last genuinely free downtown pet policy on this shortlist. Free parking and an outdoor pool next to Market Square, about 0.7 miles from the River Walk. Confirm the current policy and any size limit with the property before booking.
Parking
Free on-site parking.
Shuttle
No airport shuttle — per HotelPlanner (2026-09-12); not confirmed by phone.
Front desk
Property listed as open 24 hours.
Check-in
Check-in 3pm, check-out 11am. Confirm early arrival directly with the hotel.
Check-out
by 11:00 AM (hotel-stated)
$58/nightbefore tax
⏳Verification pending — confirm directly with the hotel
$63on Agoda · Sep 25–Sep 26 · before taxCheck live price →checked Sep 17
0.3 mi from The Alamo · 1011 East Houston Street, San Antonio, Texas 78205
Red Roof PLUS+2.5-starRenovated 2012
7.5/10397
One well-behaved dog or cat up to 80 lb stays free; a second pet is $15 a night capped at $105 a stay, and pets must be declared at check-in. The catch downtown is parking: $15 a day plus tax with unlimited in and out, which is the real add-on here. Confirm the current terms with the property before booking.
Parking
Self-parking $15 per vehicle per day plus tax, with unlimited in/out.
Shuttle
No airport shuttle — per HotelPlanner (2026-09-12); not confirmed by phone.
Front desk
24-hour desk is typical for the brand — confirm directly with the hotel.
Check-in
Standard mid-afternoon check-in; early arrival subject to availability. Confirm directly.
Check-out
by 11:00 AM (hotel-stated)
$90/nightbefore tax
⏳Verification pending — confirm directly with the hotel
$90on Agoda · Sep 25–Sep 26 · before taxCheck live price →checked Sep 17
Motel 6 (one pet at no charge at the Market Square property, two pets maximum) and Red Roof (first pet free, second $15 a night capped at $105 a stay, 80 lb limit) are the ones that still hold up here. La Quinta's no-fee reputation no longer applies in San Antonio: the Downtown property charges $25 a night capped at $50 a stay and the Airport property $25 a night for up to two pets capped at $75 a stay. Confirm the current policy with the specific property before booking.
Typical fees elsewhere
$25-75 per pet per night at most mid-range chains, sometimes capped per stay. For scale, in this city: Drury charges $50 a day per room, the Candlewood at the airport $75 for one to four nights and $150 for five or more, the Sonesta ES Suites $75 up to seven nights and $150 beyond (dogs only), and the Courtyard Medical Center $150 per stay. Always ask whether the figure is per night or per stay, and whether it is per pet.
Dog parks and walks
Downtown: the River Walk itself allows leashed dogs on most stretches. North: McAllister Park near the airport has a large off-leash area. West: Pearsall Park has a dog park. Check current rules before relying on any of them.
Summer heat
San Antonio pavement in summer burns paws by mid-morning; walk early and late, and never leave a pet in a parked car.
Prices and schedules change. Treat figures as ranges and check before booking.
5What to avoid
⚠️Reading 'pet friendly' as 'no fee'. It almost never means that at mid-range chains; ask for the exact fee and whether it is per night.
⚠️Assuming all La Quintas are still free. The brand's no-fee policy has eroded since the Wyndham takeover — treat each location as unknown until it confirms.
⚠️Booking downtown with a large dog. Paid garages, elevators and no grass make every walk a project; the airport and Medical Center motels are easier and cheaper.
⚠️Turning up with two pets when the policy says one. Limits on number and weight are enforced at check-in, and the alternative is a kennel at 9pm.
6Book
Use the rate links on each hotel above. If a hotel's value depends on a named package (park & cruise, shuttle), confirm the package with the hotel before you pay — packages are usually direct-booking rate codes, not OTA rooms.
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