ITC Grand Chola, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Chennai (Chennai)

ITC Grand Chola, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, is one of the few five-star properties in South India that formally accommodates pets with a written undertaking process and a published nightly pet charge. Located on Mount Road in Guindy, Chennai, the hotel operates a structured pet policy backed by a Pet Undertaking Form that guests must complete at check-in. If you are travelling with a dog and want the reassurance of a hotel that has actually thought through the logistics , rather than one that simply says yes at the front desk , this is a genuinely useful option in Chennai.

The Pet Policy in Detail

ITC Grand Chola charges INR 1,750 plus 18% GST per night for a pet staying in your room, which works out to INR 2,065 per night inclusive of tax. This is a fixed nightly charge, not a refundable deposit, so factor it into your trip budget from the start. The hotel uses a formal Pet Undertaking Form, which means the policy is documented rather than handled on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of whichever manager is on duty. That consistency is worth something when you are travelling with an animal.

Pets must be kept on a leash or in a carrier at all times in all public areas of the hotel. This is a firm rule, not a suggestion. The policy explicitly lists the areas where pets are not permitted: food and beverage outlets, the swimming pool, the gymnasium, the spa, banquet rooms, and other public spaces. In practical terms, this means your dog stays in the room or on a leash in corridors and lobbies , they are not joining you for breakfast at the restaurant or a swim in the pool. knowing exactly where your dog is and is not welcome before you arrive makes a real difference to how smoothly a hotel stay goes.

Housekeeping works on a coordinated schedule for pet rooms. You must arrange room cleaning in advance, and hotel staff will enter only when the pet is not in the room or when you are present. This is a sensible rule that protects both hotel staff and your animal, and it puts the scheduling responsibility clearly on the guest. If you are the kind of traveller who leaves the room early and comes back late, plan accordingly , spontaneous mid-day housekeeping is not going to work here.

On noise and disturbance: the policy states that if your pet causes complaints from other guests, the Hotel Manager may require you to arrange alternative accommodation for the pet outside the hotel. This is not a hypothetical clause. If your dog is prone to separation anxiety and tends to vocalise when left alone, a five-star hotel with other guests in adjoining rooms is a situation worth thinking through carefully before booking.

Responsibility and Charges You Should Know About

The undertaking form places full financial and legal responsibility on the guest for any damage or injury caused by their pet. This includes additional cleaning costs, repairs to the room or hotel property, and any charges that the hotel discovers after checkout , the hotel may charge these to the credit card on file after you have left. This is standard practice at hotels with formal pet policies, but it is worth reading the undertaking form carefully before you sign it, not after.

Guests are also required to provide an emergency contact , someone who can assume responsibility for the pet if the owner cannot be reached. This is an unusual but practical requirement. If something happens to you during the stay and you are unreachable, the hotel needs a named person who can take charge of your animal. Have that contact's details ready before check-in.

a hotel that asks for an emergency contact for your pet is one that has genuinely considered what happens when things go sideways. That level of procedural thinking is rarer than it should be in Indian hospitality.

What the Policy Does Not Tell You

The published Pet Undertaking Form is specific about responsibilities and restrictions, but it does not specify several details that matter a great deal to pet parents planning a trip. The maximum pet weight is not stated. The number of pets permitted per room is not stated. There is no list of eligible room categories , it is not clear whether the pet policy applies to all room types or only to specific categories. Breed restrictions are not listed, but the absence of a restriction list does not confirm that all breeds are accepted.

All four of these details must be confirmed directly with the hotel before booking. The front desk number is 044 2220 0000. Do not assume that a formal pet policy means all of these questions have obvious answers , call and get them in writing if possible.

The Hotel Itself

ITC Grand Chola holds a 4.7-star Google rating across 42,954 reviews, with the most frequently cited themes being luxury (493 mentions), courteous staff (284 mentions), architecture (80 mentions), and five-star hotel quality (33 mentions). The hotel is categorised as a 5-star Luxury Collection property, part of the Marriott portfolio. Reviewers consistently describe spacious and luxurious rooms and a well-regarded swimming pool area, though the pool is not accessible to pets.

The property sits on Mount Road in the Guindy neighbourhood of Chennai, at 63 Mount Road, Little Mount, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600032. Mount Road is one of Chennai's principal arterial roads, which means the hotel is centrally located and accessible from both Chennai Central railway station and Chennai Airport. arriving in a city you do not know, with a dog in the car, and pulling into a hotel where the paperwork is already sorted is a particular kind of relief that experienced pet travellers will recognise.

The architectural scale of ITC Grand Chola is well documented in guest photographs , the property is large, with palm-lined outdoor areas and a substantial pool zone visible in review images. The scale of the building and grounds is relevant to travelling with a dog: larger hotels typically mean more corridor space, more distance between rooms, and a greater likelihood that your pet's presence does not immediately affect every other guest on the floor.

Practical Notes for Pet Parents

The pet charge of INR 2,065 per night is a confirmed, taxed amount derived from the hotel's own undertaking form. It is not refundable and is in addition to your room rate. Budget for this across the full length of your stay.

Pets are allowed in rooms but are restricted from all food and beverage outlets, the swimming pool, gym, spa, and banquet spaces. Plan your day around this: if you want to eat at the hotel restaurant, either arrange for someone to be with your dog in the room or use room service. Room service at a five-star property is a reasonable workaround, and likely a comfortable one.

Coordinate housekeeping proactively. Do not leave this until the morning of , tell the front desk your preferred housekeeping window at check-in, and confirm whether you need to be present or whether your pet simply needs to be absent from the room. The policy allows for either arrangement.

Keep your pet on leash in all public areas without exception. The hotel has clearly communicated this as a non-negotiable requirement, and in a five-star property with a large number of guests, this is the correct and considerate approach regardless of how well-trained your dog is.

Bring your own pet supplies. The hotel's pet policy mentions no in-room pet amenities such as bowls, beds, or waste bags. Assume you need to bring everything your pet requires for the stay. This includes food, water bowls, a portable mat or bed if your dog has one, and any medication.

Confirm the nearest veterinary clinic before you travel. The hotel's pet policy includes an emergency contact requirement, but there is no mention of veterinary tie-ups or emergency vet support. Chennai has several veterinary practices, but knowing the address and phone number of the nearest clinic before you check in is basic preparation when travelling with an animal.

Is This the Right Stay for Your Dog?

ITC Grand Chola is not the kind of property where your dog will run around a garden or splash in a stream. This is a city-centre five-star hotel with formal policies, restricted access areas, and a per-night charge. It is the right choice if you need a high-quality, reliable overnight base in Chennai and you want a property that has a documented, consistent approach to pet accommodation rather than an informal yes that can be reversed at the front desk.

For pet parents who are in Chennai for work, for a transit night before or after a flight, or for a city visit that requires a genuinely comfortable base, this hotel offers something valuable: predictability. The pet charge is fixed, the rules are written down, and the process for managing housekeeping and public areas is clear. That matters more than it sounds when you are managing a dog in an unfamiliar city.

What this hotel cannot offer is outdoor roaming space, water access for your pet, or unrestricted movement through the property. If those are priorities for your trip, this listing is honest about the fact that they are not available here. For a city hotel stay with a dog in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, ITC Grand Chola is one of the more transparently managed options available.

Address: 63, Mount Rd, Little Mount, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600032 | Phone: 044 2220 0000 | Website: marriott.com