Roch was founded by dog owners who were tired of hotels that advertise themselves as pet-friendly. We learned the hard way that the 'pet friendly' label on hotels and booking sites often means nothing in practice. Like many dog owners, we have been turned away from hotels because our Labrador was too big, or because only a couple of rooms allowed dogs, or because restrictive policies made stays impossible rather than welcoming.
We were frequently hit with steep cleaning fees, banned from bars, lounges, or restaurants, and told we couldn’t leave our dog alone in the room, making it impossible to enjoy the hotel at all. Over time, we grew tired of the pet friendly noise and how hard it was to find hotels that genuinely welcome dogs, rather than treating them as an inconvenience. That shared frustration is what led us to create Roch. We wanted a clear, honest way for dog owners to know what to expect before they arrive, one based on rules, access, and real treatment, not marketing terms and labels.
Rather than trying to fix pet friendly, we chose to define something clearer and more honest about what it means to be dog-friendly. We work to restore dignity and integrity to pet friendly travel, for every dog, every journey. When you walk with Roch you are always in good company.
Roch is a certification body. Our mission is to certify hotels against a clear, published standard, and to give dog owners honest, independently verified information when they travel. We assess hotels against the Roch Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-02), the only formally defined and publicly available standard for what dog friendly means in hospitality. Hotels that meet the standard are assessed, graded, and listed. Hotels that don't are removed. Because true hospitality means everyone is welcome, including our dogs.
Meet our founders dog Kali, the resident canine affairs expert her at Roch. We set her up on WhatsApp so that you can talk to her, and we taught her about millions of dog friendly bars, restaurants, hotels, parks, trails, activities, events, and 24hr vets in 50+ countries, so you always know where to go no matter where you are.
Talk to Kali, she knows dog friendly everything!
Our partners play a vital role in helping hotels improve their dog‑friendly position, and helping dog owners travel across borders with their dogs. We work closely with dog friendly hospitality consultancies and canine travel planning experts to better serve dogs, their owners, our customer hotels, and the wider industry.
