I worked with Visit Bend for some suggestions on fun family things to do in Central Oregon, and they connected me with the Riverhouse on the Deschutes. This dog friendly hotel in Bend, Oregon was just what we needed, and they were gracious enough to provide a room for us for two nights.

As always, all opinions are my own. But truly, I wanted to share this pet friendly hotel in Bend with y’all because I know how hard it can be to find dog friendly lodging. I was beyond pleased with the Riverhouse—and much more importantly, so was Finn!

For a full review of the Riverhouse on the Deschutes, a pet friendly hotel in Bend, Oregon, read on. I’ll share info on accommodations, the property, dog friendly details plus a few tips on visiting Bend with dogs! The best part? Riverhouse on the Deschutes is offering a 15% discount on all bookings exclusive to To and Fro Fam readers using this link!

My favorite pet friendly hotel in Bend, Oregon

All you readers who travel with pets, raise your hand! (Your furry friends can raise a paw, too.) This Bend, Oregon hotel review is for you.

Pet friendly lodging in Bend

Some people stay in the Old Mill District when they visit Bend, but to be 100% honest, I often prefer to stay just a little outside of the main downtown areas of a town. Why? Because it’s quieter, which is a better environment for me, my kids and my dog, who gets anxious with weird outside noises.

So we wanted a Bend hotel outside of the core commercial district. Riverhouse on the Deschutes is a 5-minute drive or a 15-minute bus ride from downtown Bend, making it super convenient to the town’s restaurants and fun things to do, but far enough for peace and quiet.

Finn and my girls were so excited when we arrived! They both got to work exploring our ground-level, river-facing room. I was thrilled that this pet friendly hotel room had enough space for me, my two kids and our medium sized dog. (All you parents out there totally understand a more spacious hotel room totally helps when you’re sharing it with kids.)

The pet friendly room had all the amenities we needed:

• mini fridge – crucial for us, since we travel with perishable snacks for my kids and wet dog food for my pup, who’s allergic to just about everything
• TV – the girls felt so spoiled that I allowed them to watch Nick Jr! (We don’t have a TV at home)
• a sink outside the main bathroom – having a place where someone can brush their teeth or get water while another person is showering or using the toilet is so handy for families

One of my dog’s favorite parts of this pet friendly hotel in Bend: The enormous glass sliding door! He loved sitting on his dog bed and watching everything outside. Ok, he maybe didn’t love seeing the squirrels skitter by—so close yet so impossible to catch them!

Walking your dog at the Riverhouse

Since we were on the ground floor with a huge sliding glass door, it was beyond easy for my girls and I to take Finn on walks. All we had to do was step outside and we were on a well maintained trail directly next to the Deschutes River.

Finn practically dragged me along, sniffing from one spot to the next. He and my girls scrambled down a little side trail that led to huge rocks right on the edge of the river. With its wildflowers and rushing water, I felt as if we were in our own little patch of the great outdoors, not mere feet away from a hotel.

When we walked Finn here at night, we watched for bats swooping overhead. They were eating bugs that like to hang out around the river. I have to say thank you, bats, because I didn’t get a single mosquito bite!

Throughout the Riverhouse on the Deschutes property, dog waste bag stations were never far away. That way, if I didn’t bring enough bags from my room, I could still clean up after Finn. Also, side note: Everyone must have followed the same courtesy, because during our weekend at the Riverhouse I never saw a single pile of dog waste.

Bonuses for this dog friendly hotel in Bend, Oregon

When we checked in at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes, one of the front desk staff slipped away and came back with a whole goodie package for Finn! It included a dog food bowl, treats and even a brand-new toy. Finn is about 11 years old (roughly, since we don’t know exactly how old he was when we adopted him), but I swear that toy brought out his inner puppy. The girls took turns throwing the toy for him and he zipped back and forth, all over the room!

I was also grateful that this pet friendly hotel in Bend provided a door hanger to show a dog was inside our room. I’d hate for someone in housekeeping to go in the room not knowing a dog was inside.

I also learned that dogs are allowed on the restaurant deck. We didn’t have a chance to eat at Currents, the Riverhouse restaurant, but it has a ton of outdoor seating overlooking the Deschutes River. Dogs are totally allowed to join your meal—just one more perk of staying at a pet friendly hotel in Bend, Oregon.

Logistics for staying at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes

Pets are welcome at many of the Riverhouse rooms. (For those of you without pets, or who are allergic to animal hair, request to stay in one of the wings that doesn’t allow animals.) You’ll pay an extra $25 per night if you bring your pet and remember to book your stay using the To and Fro Fam link to qualify for a 15% discount!

Next time I’ll totally splurge for the Riverhouse’s one-bedroom suites. These rooms have a separate bedroom with a door that closes from the rest of the living space. That would have been nice, but I ended up hanging out in the bathroom when my kids were sleeping and I was awake. (Parents, how many of you have done that, too?)

My bottom line: I would 100% recommend this pet friendly hotel in Bend, Oregon to anyone traveling with a dog (or cat, or bunny, or ferret… ?). We’ll definitely book our lodging here the next time we stay in Central Oregon.

Hotel bed flip from Catherine Ryan Gregory on Vimeo.

Tips to visit Bend, Oregon with dogs

Bend, Oregon loves dogs—in fact, it was named DogTown USA as the most dog friendly city in America by Dog Fancy back in 2012. It’s full of off-leash dog parks, but my favorite is the Riverbend Dog Park. There, your pup can jump into the Deschutes River to cool off or chase a stick.

Here’s a full list of off-leash dog parks in Bend, Oregon.

Whenever you’re outside with your pup—especially in hot weather—make sure to bring water for him or her, too. Dogs can get dehydrated and overheated just like humans, so make sure to offer water often. That’s what we did when we hiked in Tumalo State Park, thanks to a Bend Pet Express collapsible bowl my friends at Visit Bend left us. (Maxine actually used it more than Finn, since my dog just drank out of the river!)

If you visit Bend in the summer, walk your dog in the morning and evening. During the heat of the day, pavements can get super hot. Think of it: Your dog doesn’t wear shoes, and the sidewalk could be uncomfortable under his paws! If the street feels hot to your hand, it’s definitely hot to his paws.

And most of Bend’s restaurants with patios or outdoor areas—including many of the breweries on the Bend Ale Trail—welcome on-leash pooches.

I’m curious: Do you travel with your dog? What do you look for in pet friendly hotels or destinations to bring your dog?

The post Pet friendly hotel in Bend, Oregon: Riverhouse on the Deschutes appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

Once an overlooked stopover city in South America travelers just passed through on their way to something more interesting, Lima is now a destination in its own right. Yet Peru’s capital of nearly 10 million people is big, spread out and a bit confusing to navigate—so we were left wondering, where to stay in Lima? The consensus was to either stay in Miraflores or Barranco. For the first part of my trip to Lima, our group opted for Miraflores—a quiet and safe residential neighborhood in Lima.

My group—11 of us in all—stayed at The Hotel Dazzler in Miraflores for four nights. It was a beautiful, convenient and comfortable hotel within walking distance of most things to do in Miraflores.

When you’re searching for where to stay in Lima, you probably want a more detailed review than the few sentences you’ll find on a travel review site. That’s why I put together a full, comprehensive and honest Hotel Dazzler Lima review. Read on for everything you need to know about this Miraflores hotel.

Hotel Dazzler Lima review: Upscale hotel in Miraflores

I recently traveled to Peru with my sister, brother, sister-in-law and 7 other friends for my sister Beth’s birthday. We gathered in South America from all across the US to celebrate what an amazing human she is, so naturally we wanted an upscale hotel in Miraflores. We needed a hotel that could accommodate all of us, with our varying arrival and departure times, room needs and dietary requirements.

The Hotel Dazzler Lima fit the bill.

Plus, we all got to make jazz hands whenever we said “DAZZLER!”

If you’re looking for hotels in Miraflores and elsewhere in Lima, I know this Dazzler Hotel Lima review will help. Read on for the details you need on rooms, food, drinks and of course the rooftop pool!

Comfortable and spacious rooms

Often when you travel abroad, one of the first things you notice is that hotel rooms in foreign countries tend to be much smaller than you’re used to in the US. Not so with the Hotel Dazzler: Rooms were spacious and comfortable, even for those of us sharing rooms.

In fact, the Hotel Dazzler even had triple rooms, with three double beds. This setup was perfect for our group, as my sister, my friend Paulina and I shared a room. The triple room made our hotel stay—and the whole trip to Peru—much more affordable.

Even with three of us in one room, we had plenty of space: I never felt like I was tripping over anyone or their stuff.

I have zero complaints about the rooms: Beds were comfortable. Blackout curtains kept out any unwanted light, helping us sleep off jet lag and adjust to the different time zone (since Peru is 2 hours ahead of the West Coast of the US). The bathroom was spacious and had a minimalist style; the shower was strong and hot, and the toiletries were high quality.

Accommodating customer service

I have nothing but good things to say about the customer service and front desk at the Hotel Dazzler Lima. At one point, we had to change a reservation, and we just sent an email. Technically, we missed the cancellation deadline, but they were more than happy to help us—no fees attached.

The hotel was also helpful when my sister needed to add me to the room reservation. You see, she booked the room—and her name was on the reservation—but I arrived before her and would need to be the one checking in. One email later and my name was added to the reservation, and I was able to check us in without any hiccups.

Level 10 travel tip: Some of our group had trouble booking the Hotel Dazzler Lima on travel web sites, so I recommend booking directly through the Hotel Dazzler web site.

I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t exchange any money at the front desk, but the concierge pointed me in the direction of several banks within a few blocks and explained that I could also find money-changers on the street—which is apparently a legit (if kind of odd) practice in Lima.

What’s more, the front desk was always happy to hold my bags for me. I arrived in Lima around 7am, much earlier than my room was ready and available to me. So the front desk held my suitcase while I wandered around Miraflores and Barranco. They even held my suitcase when I wasn’t staying there: When I checked out and left for Cusco, I left my large suitcase with the Hotel Dazzler so I could travel light when I went to hike the Inca Trail.

Hotel Dazzler food and drink

When I travel, my MO is to load up on breakfast—after all, I have a really fast metabolism and tend to get hangry if my blood sugar drops. It should come as no surprise, then, that a teeny-weeny continental breakfast isn’t my jam.

Breakfast at the Hotel Dazzler Lima definitely hit the spot, though. Each morning, a central buffet table held dozens of choices, from toast and sliced deli meat to scrambled eggs and traditional Peruvian rice-and-sausage dishes. There were new foods every morning, so I never got bored with the breakfast options. There were hot choices as well as cold choices, plus juices, coffee and tea. I don’t drink coffee, but the rest of my group said the coffee at the Hotel Dazzler was fine—not great, but definitely drinkable.

The breakfasts had plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options (several mornings even had homemade lentil burgers). The kids I saw at the Hotel Dazzler breakfasts loaded up on cereal, granola with yogurt, fruit, eggs and bacon, so their buffet is definitely kid-friendly.

Level 10 travel tip: If you travel with a group, it’s likely you’ll eat lunch later than you may be used to, since it takes longer for lots of people to decide on a place to stop and eat. Make sure to eat a hearty breakfast, then, before you head out for your day’s adventure.

You’ll also get free drink tickets when you check in to the Hotel Dazzler. We used ours for Pisco Sours, Peru’s signature cocktail, at the rooftop bar. Each drink was handmade—no pre-made mixer here—and quite delicious. We drank them before dinner and watched the sun set over the Pacific from the rooftop bar.

Central to Miraflores

When I travel, I avoid taking taxis—partly because I am cheap (ha!) but mostly because I love wandering. So I was happy when I discovered that I could walk all over Miraflores and other parts of Lima from the Hotel Dazzler.

Miraflores is perhaps Lima’s safest tourist neighborhood, and I never felt uncomfortable walking in the area.

From the hotel, I walked to the Malecon, Parque Kennedy, the Huaca Pucllana pre-Incan ruins, the Amano Museum of Textiles, the Parque del Amor and Barranco. (To read about these must-see destinations in Miraflores, click over for a full post on what to do, see, eat and drink in Miraflores.)

We were also an easy taxi ride to Lima Central. The hotel front desk was helpful in telling us how much to estimate for paying for the taxi ride (which you always need to negotiate before getting into the car).

Hotel Dazzler amenities

I usually keep my distance from hotel gyms, but while I was traveling I really wanted to keep up with my weight-lifting routine. So I got up early a few mornings to work out at the Hotel Dazzler gym, and it was actually pretty nice. There were a few elliptical machines and treadmills, plus two benches and free weights. It was nothing fancy, but it got the job done.

Just be aware that the gym was open air: The plus is that it doesn’t get sweaty and stinky (yuck!) but the down side is that it’s humid.

Next to the gym is the Hotel Dazzler rooftop pool. I didn’t end up swimming, but it is heated and has a gorgeous view of the Lima skyline. The hotel also has a sauna next to the swimming pool.

Bottom line: Hotel Dazzler Lima review

If you’re looking for where to stay in Miraflores, I absolutely recommend the Hotel Dazzler Lima.

I had peace of mind and confidence in my safety and comfort staying at the hotel here. What’s more, I knew we wouldn’t have the problems faced by my friends who booked another hotel in Miraflores—which mysteriously closed without ever notifying them or refunding their money. (No bueno.)

As a reminder, this Hotel Dazzler Lima review is completely unsponsored and unsolicited. I hope it helps as you figure out where to stay in Miraflores!

Let me know if you’ve stayed at the Dazzler, and if this Hotel Dazzler Lima review is helpful.

The post Complete + honest Hotel Dazzler Lima review: Where to stay in Miraflores appeared first on To & Fro Fam.