The most useful way to compare dog hotels is to give each business the same information about the same dog, stay dates and expected service, then ask the same questions. This replaces broad marketing language with answers you can compare about current acceptance rules, daily care, handover and the full quote.
Petkonak does not take bookings or payments. Profiles help you build a shortlist, but current prices, availability, acceptance rules and final service terms must be confirmed directly with each business.
Who is this checklist for, how was it prepared, and why?
Who? Dog owners using a hotel for the first time or considering a new business, and anyone who wants to compare options with the same facts rather than by name or location alone.
How? It combines Petkonak's dog-hotel discovery path with recurring pre-stay questions. Medical interpretation, quality rankings and fixed-price claims are deliberately excluded.
Why? A profile may not show every current operating condition. These questions make unknowns visible during the conversation and turn the answers into a consistent comparison.
Start with acceptance and the accommodation
1. Can you accept my dog on these dates? Share the arrival and departure dates together with your dog's age, size and any current information the business needs to know. Ask for its own acceptance limits and whether it requires a meeting or assessment. A dog-hotel profile does not mean every dog will be accepted on every date.
2. Which records and documents do you require before arrival? Ask for the business's current list, when and how documents should be sent, and whether they are checked again at handover. Do not assume another hotel's policy applies; record only the current answer from the business you are considering.
3. Where will my dog stay, and can I see the area beforehand? Ask separately about the sleeping area, shared spaces and rest arrangements. Confirm whether current photos, a video call or a visit are available. Focus on the area your dog would actually use rather than the label given to it.
Put the care handover in writing
4. What does a normal day look like? Ask how meals, toilet breaks, walks or play, and uninterrupted rest are scheduled. Then share your dog's existing routine and record which parts can be followed and which fall outside the service.
5. How should I hand over food and personal belongings? Confirm whether you may bring your dog's usual food, how it should be packed and who receives the written note. If bedding, toys, a lead or transport equipment are accepted, also ask how they are labelled and returned.
6. Can you accept an existing medication or special-care note? Share only current written instructions without changing them. Ask whether the business can take on the task, who receives the note, how completion is recorded and who contacts you if a step cannot be completed. This question checks whether existing information can be handed over accurately; it does not seek new medical instructions.
7. How do you manage shared spaces and time with other dogs? Ask whether group use is required, whether separate space is available and how the business decides if dogs spend time together. Include what happens if the arrangement changes and whether you will be informed.
8. How often will you update me, and through which channel? Confirm whether the business uses photos, messages or calls and the approximate frequency of routine updates. Provide a backup contact and establish who answers non-urgent questions.
Discuss handover, unusual events and commercial terms
9. How do drop-off, collection and any transfer service work? Confirm the full address, arrival and departure times, the process for delays and who must be present. If transfer is offered, separately verify the service area, timing, transport equipment and charging method. A profile reference is not a guarantee that transfer is available for your dates.
10. What is your communication process for an unusual event or a move to veterinary support? Ask who contacts you first, what happens if you cannot be reached, how the business moves to veterinary support and how actions are recorded. The purpose is to understand the communication and record-keeping process, not to make a medical decision.
11. What is currently available for my dates, and what does the full quote include? Put the stay dates and requested services in one message, then ask for the current total price, included items and separately charged services. Do not treat an old listing or a quote for another dog as binding.
12. How do we confirm booking, payment, cancellation and changes? Ask the business to state in writing how it confirms the booking, who receives payment and when, and any deposit, cancellation or date-change terms. These transactions take place directly with the business, not through Petkonak.
Compare every answer in one decision note
Create one page for each business covering your dog's details, dates, acceptance, accommodation, daily routine, communication, handover, current quote and unanswered questions. Mark anything the business has not yet confirmed as “awaiting confirmation.” This keeps a nearby option from being confused with one that actually matches the requested service.
Build a shortlist on the dog hotels search page, review accommodation types and confirmation points in the dog boarding guide, and use the pet hotel selection guide for facility comparison criteria. Once you open a relevant profile, confirm current conditions directly with the business.
Related decision pages
Compare business profiles first, then confirm price, availability, vaccination rules, food, medication, transfer and acceptance conditions directly with the business.
