5 Great Pet Hotel Perks for Your Four-Legged Friend

Sending your pet to the kennel is never a fun proposition. Just because you have to travel for work or you want to go on vacation doesn’t mean your furry friend should have to suffer by getting dispatched to pet prison while you’re away. And yet, the thought of allowing a stranger into your home to pet-sit probably isn’t too thrilling, either. Luckily, there is an alternative to choosing one extreme or the other thanks to the advent of pet hotels. These luxurious accommodations will cost you, for sure, but there’s no better way to ensure that your pooch enjoys all the comforts of home while you’re away. And here are just a few of the many perks you may find when you opt to board your four-legged family member at a high-end pet hotel instead of a kennel.

1. Private rooms. Whereas a private room at a kennel consists of a cage in a room full of other cages filled with plaintive pets, a private room at a pet hotel is just that: private. These facilities offer each pet a room with a door, not to mention extras like comfy beds, pillows, and blankets for nesting, a slew of new toys to play with, and even television monitors and soothing music to distract your pet and help him to sleep. Your pet may end up having a nicer room than you when you travel!
2. Personal attention. Because pet hotels are designed to ensure that your dog gets everything he needs when you’re away, personal attention is a big selling point. Most places offer not only group settings (indoors and out) for dogs to play and blow off some energy, generally with supervision and people to play with, but they also provide personal dog-walkers that take your pooch on “exercise” outings several times each day. In addition, many such facilities provide training, both in groups and one-on-one, so that problem behaviors can be addressed before you return from your trip.
3. Grooming. Most dog hotels include a spa where pets can be bathed, trimmed, and paw-dicured during their stay. Whether you want your pooch to get an oatmeal bath for his flaky skin or you prefer to have his nails trimmed and polished pink, you can likely find such services at the best pet hotels.
4. High-end feed. One of the many perks associated with pet hotels is better-than-average food. While some pet owners may prefer to bring the brand their dog eats at home, you might just want to let your pooch sample the organic fare on the menu while he’s on stay-cation.
5. Live streaming webcam. No, you dog can’t watch Hulu or Netflix during his stay at a pet hotel (probably). This service is more for you than your pooch. Some pet hotels, in an effort to assure owners that their four-legged friends are getting the best care possible, offer access to webcams posted in private rooms and play areas so that concerned pet parents can check in at any time. Not every pet hotel has every amenity listed here, so you’ll want to check in with your local pet hotel, be it The Barkley in Westlake Village, CA or LV Dog Resort in Las Vegas, NV. But you’re sure to find the services you seek when you opt to board your pal at a dedicated pet hotel.