A suitable pet hotel should do more than provide food and a place to sleep. It should have reliable safety procedures, clean and comfortable accommodation, appropriate supervision and a care plan adapted to your pet. Before booking, visit the facility, ask how staff manage routines and emergencies, and confirm that they understand your pet’s health, temperament and daily needs.

The right choice is not necessarily the pet hotel with the longest activity list or the most attractive photographs. What matters is whether its environment and operating practices are appropriate for your individual animal. A sociable young dog, an older pet taking medication and a nervous first-time guest may all need very different arrangements.

Start with Your Pet’s Needs, Not the Facility’s Sales Pitch

Before comparing accommodation, create a clear profile of your pet. This gives the pet hotel the information needed to assess suitability and helps you recognise when a provider is asking the right questions.

• Health: age, mobility, allergies, medical conditions, medication and dietary restrictions.
• Temperament: confidence around unfamiliar people, sensitivity to noise and response to handling.
• Social behaviour: comfort around other animals, preferred play style and any history of conflict or resource guarding.
• Routine: feeding times, exercise habits, sleeping preferences and toilet schedule.
• Stress triggers: separation anxiety, storms, loud environments, enclosed spaces or changes in routine.

Be honest about behavioural or medical concerns. Withholding information does not protect a booking; it can make it harder for staff to provide safe care. A professional facility should use this information to decide whether it can meet the animal’s needs and what precautions may be required.

Use a Three-Stage Check Before You Book

A practical assessment should cover three stages: the initial conversation, an in-person visit and the final care agreement. Each stage reveals different information that glossy images alone cannot provide.

1. Assess the Initial Conversation

Pay attention to what the pet hotel asks before discussing availability. Staff should want to know about vaccinations or other health requirements, behaviour, feeding, medication, emergency contacts and previous boarding experience. Requirements can vary, so confirm the current admission policy directly with the facility and check any veterinary documentation well before the stay.

Ask specific operational questions:

• How are pets assessed before joining shared activities?
• How are play groups selected and supervised?
• Can animals rest away from group activity?
• Who is responsible for pets during the day and overnight?
• How often are sleeping and exercise areas checked?
• What happens if a pet refuses food, becomes unwell or shows signs of distress?
• How are medicines recorded and administered?
• Which veterinary practice is contacted in an emergency, and how are owners informed?

Clear, consistent answers are more valuable than broad promises such as “someone is always around” or “all dogs have fun together.” Ask what those statements mean in practice.

2. Inspect the Environment in Person

If possible, arrange a visit before the first stay. A clean appearance matters, but safety depends on details that may not be obvious online.

Check entrances, gates, fences and transitions between areas. Secure facilities should reduce opportunities for escape when animals are being moved or visitors enter. Look for well-maintained surfaces, suitable shade, ventilation, fresh water and sleeping spaces protected from excessive heat, cold and noise.

Odour alone is not a complete measure of hygiene, but persistent strong smells, dirty water containers or waste left in activity areas should prompt further questions. Ask how accommodation, bedding, bowls and shared equipment are cleaned, and what happens when an animal may have an infectious condition.

Observe the animals already present without assuming that energetic play is always a positive sign. Healthy group management includes pauses, calm periods and staff who notice subtle body language. Repeated hiding, relentless chasing, excessive barking or animals unable to move away from interaction may indicate that the environment is too stimulating or that groups need closer management.

3. Confirm the Individual Care Plan

Before arrival, instructions should be recorded rather than left to memory. Confirm the food provided or supplied, portion sizes, medication details, permitted activities, rest requirements, collection arrangements and authorised emergency contacts.

For medication, provide the original labelled packaging whenever requested and give precise written instructions. Ask how each dose is logged and what procedure is followed if a pet refuses it or vomits. Some medical needs may require veterinary boarding or another specialist arrangement, so suitability should be discussed in advance.

A dependable care plan should explain not only what your pet needs, but also how staff will notice and respond if the animal’s normal behaviour changes.

What Individual Attention Actually Looks Like

Individual attention does not necessarily mean constant one-to-one supervision. It means staff recognise each pet as an individual and adjust care when necessary.

For example, a confident dog may enjoy carefully managed group play, while a quieter dog may benefit from shorter interactions, solo exercise and more uninterrupted rest. An older dog might need non-slip surfaces and gentle walks rather than prolonged activity. A pet that eats slowly may need a calm, separate feeding space so staff can monitor its intake accurately.

Ask how the hotel records eating, drinking, toileting, medication, activity and unusual behaviour. These observations can reveal early changes in wellbeing. Also establish how and when updates are provided. Photographs can be reassuring, but meaningful communication should not interfere with animal care and should never replace proper monitoring.

Red Flags That Deserve Attention

• No meaningful intake questions: accepting every pet without discussing health or behaviour can expose animals and staff to avoidable risks.
• Unrestricted group mixing: size alone is not enough to create compatible groups; temperament, play style and energy also matter.
• Vague emergency procedures: staff should be able to explain who makes decisions, how transport is handled and when owners are contacted.
• No opportunity to see relevant areas: some access restrictions may be reasonable for security or animal welfare, but the provider should explain them and offer a suitable way to assess the accommodation.
• Pressure to book immediately: owners should have time to review policies, requirements and the proposed care arrangements.
• Little emphasis on rest: continuous stimulation can be stressful. Comfortable downtime is an essential part of a good stay.
• Unclear staffing arrangements: confirm what supervision is actually present at different times, particularly overnight.

Consider a Trial Before a Longer Stay

A short familiarisation visit, day-care session or overnight trial can be useful when a pet has never boarded, is sensitive to change or will soon have an extended stay. It allows the animal to experience the environment and gives staff an opportunity to observe behaviour away from the owner.

Imagine a dog that appears sociable during a tour but becomes overwhelmed after several hours of group activity. A trial may show that the dog settles better with smaller groups and scheduled rest. That information allows the longer booking to be adjusted rather than relying on assumptions.

A trial is not a guarantee that every future stay will be identical. Health, weather, occupancy and changes in the animal’s behaviour can affect the experience. Ask for candid feedback, including whether the pet ate, rested, interacted comfortably and showed signs of stress.

Prepare for Drop-Off Without Creating Extra Stress

Follow the hotel’s instructions about food, bedding, toys, leads and medication. Label permitted belongings clearly and avoid sending valuable or unsafe items. Keep your contact details and those of an authorised local representative up to date, especially if you will be travelling or difficult to reach.

A calm, efficient handover is usually preferable to a prolonged emotional goodbye. Tell staff about any recent changes, such as digestive problems, an injury, unusual tiredness or altered behaviour. Even a minor change may affect whether group exercise, grooming or another planned activity remains appropriate.

Make the Decision Based on Fit and Transparency

The best pet hotel is the one that can explain its procedures clearly and provide care suited to your animal—not simply the one offering the most services. Compare safety controls, staff awareness, hygiene, rest arrangements, social management and emergency planning. Then consider how confidently the provider responds to your pet’s specific needs.

Dirty and Happy provides pet hotel, dog day care, dog training and grooming services in Los Montesinos, Alicante. When discussing a stay, the useful starting point is a complete and honest conversation about the pet’s routine, wellbeing and behaviour so that owners can determine whether the proposed arrangements are a suitable fit.

Before confirming any booking, make sure expectations are documented, current admission requirements have been checked and you know how concerns will be communicated. That preparation gives both the care team and your pet the best foundation for a safe, comfortable stay.