High Tail Hotel

This review is WAY over due. We have been boarding our dog, Lucie, at High Tail Hotel (mostly during vacations) for over six years. I don’t know what we would do without High Tail as our trusted boarding place for Lucie. Though we always miss her when we’re on vacation, we are so relieved to know that she is well-​cared for by Victoria and her excellent team of true dog lovin’ guardians. Lucie always checks out with the classic «High Tail hangover,» which is a good thing for our sweet bonkers dog. We also appreciate seeing the fun Facebook updates of all the sweet and silly dogs while we are away. Thank you, Victoria and High Tail!

A year later… LOVE them more than ever. Smart, kind, considerate, upbeat employees and a dedicated, savvy, dog-​loving owner. The Best.

This place is great. My dog Myrtle had a great time boarding here for 2.5 days. They seem to really care about the dogs and the fact that they’re not caged up makes it easy for them to play with each other and have fun. We’ll definitely be using them again.

*No services provided, review for meet & greet and temperament test only.
After visiting several boarding/​daycare facilities, HTH landed in the #2 spot.
Friendly/​knowledgable staff.
Definitely dog people.
The dogs don’t just sit around here, they PLAY.
Prices on par with everywhere else we visited.
Only two negatives in my book:
1. No outdoor facility, though I think that’s coming soon.
2. The place REEKS. No, sorry, it’s not ‘dog smell’. It’s flat out urine. The indoor play area is covered in artificial turf and I don’t think it gets cleaned well at all. I’m sure the staff tries but you would need a fire house with football field drainage to even make a dent in keeping this turf clean.
After 15 minutes of playing with a few other dogs, our dog smelled so bad it wasn’t even funny. Not sweat, not dog slobber… he smelled like urine. Turf full of pee + dogs jumping on each other, feet on each other, noses in butts and all of a sudden your dog smells like urine.
Daycare: Yes, I’d drop the monster off here.
Boarding: Yes, I’d drop the monster off here.
…BUT…In both cases, only just before bath time.

My fur child means the world to me! Thank goodness got HTH… I’m happy when he goes there cause I know he will be busy and come home tired. He is a very active beagle and I know he is a handful but the staff is very understanding that he is a playful pup.
Prices are reasonable
He does come home a bit smelly, but he is happy and tired so that is the least of my worries.

High Tail Hotel is amazing and Victoria, Olivia and the Rest of the Staff at HTH are fantastic! I’ve been taking my English Lab, Bella, there since she was a puppy — and now she’s 6. They’ve watched her during days while I work and often when I travel. I trust them more than anyone else to take care of her when I’m out of town.
When she’s been sick they’ve taken special care of her. And now, while she awaits surgery for a torn tertial muscle in her knee they still make sure she gets plenty of attention, and walks as she needs them, even if she can’t play in the yard. Victoria even took the time to talk to me about the injury and recommended the surgeon I’m using in Marin (Sam’s Clinic).
Before Bella went to HTH I had about 6 months when she was a puppy when I wasn’t working, so I spent all my time with her, but when it was time to go back to work, I visited 5 – 6 doggie daycares before I decided on sending Bella to High Tail. They had me fill out a lengthy document and had Bella do a ‘meet and greet’ for about an hour to see if she was a good fit. Because they carefully choose the dogs that go to HTH, I’ve never had any issues with my dog being bitten or hurt while in their care.
When she first started, she was a little scared when I dropped her off, not having much experience in this kind of situation. It was loud, there were a lot of dogs playing and she was a 7 month old puppy from a farm out in Nevada who’s always been on the more cautious side. I remember getting a photo of her on her 1^st day, where she was just kind of hanging against the wall in the main area looking a little scared, but within a few weeks she was jumping out of the car and running to the front door. I understand that she’s now one of the ‘greeters’ for other new dogs at HTH and even though she’s always happy when I pick her up, she loves it there!
HTH is different than than the other doggie daycare places I looked at. They have open space, even for sleeping, I don’t even bring her bed when she stays overnight. They do have kennel spaces if that’s what your dog prefers for meal time, naps, etc. They are very good about feeding special meals or giving medication and
I appreciate that they always let me know if she doesn’t seem to be feeling well, and they have worked on her bad habit of jumping when excited, and most of all, that my dog is happy and healthy and has an awesome place to go when I can’t care for her. And I feel better knowing that she’s having a great time, in a safe environment amongst caregivers who really love animals.
And while she’s always been a sweet dog and great with people, I think the time at HTH has made her an even better pet — she’s socialized with both people and dogs, great with kids, obeys commands from not just me, but anyone who’s watching her or playing with her. If you’re looking for daycare or overnight boarding, I would choose HTH over any dog walking service or other boarding options in or near the city.

High Tail Hotel has been with us through thick and thin.
When our pup Sasha needed a little extra attention during her last few weeks, High Tail was there. We seriously could not have gotten through that period of time in our lives without the help, love and care from the folks at High Tail.
Our new pup Fresca was still a puppy when we brought her home. We needed to find more ways to burn her energy, and High Tail was there. She loves it there — the people, the other dogs. We never hesitate to bring her in so she can hang out with some of her favorite friends.
Just wanted to update my review since we’re still absolutely in love with the place. High Tail Hotel definitely gives us one less thing to worry about as puppy parents!

My pup absolutely loves visiting the hotel. She gets so excited, plays hard all day, and comes home exhausted. The staff is great, and the owners too. They love dogs and are happy to see her. I am grateful that they all take great care of my sweet dog.

I gave this place about a year before I wrote this review so I could give it a chance for the long term… I got my rescue puppy about a year ago and being a working dog mom, I needed a fun and safe place to take care of her for part of the day. After scouring the internet and Unilocal for about 3 straight weeks comparing, comparing, and calling around, I decided to give Hightail Hotel a try based on their stellar reviews and initial friendly phone customer service. When I call myself a dog mom, I’m not kidding– my dog is my baby. I probably treat my dog better than most parents treat their kids… I don’t mean that in an offensive way, I’m just trying to relay how important my dog is to me. You get the idea. I went there for a mini tour of the place to get a feel for it and when the staff showed me around I was really really pleased at what I saw. I read and took in everything they described the place to be on their website and seeing it in person, it was EXACTLY how it was described. A huge indoor dog playground comprised of synthetic grass and play ramps with all kinds of like-​sized dogs running around and having a blast! No caged daycare here! It was clear the staff had nothing to hide, nothing seedy or dirty– I was looking carefully, trust me. The competent staff cleans up after each dog right away with a natural solution so everything is CLEAN. I think that’s so important! The dogs get grouped by size so there’s no issues. They have individual stalls for eating. The staff is always very friendly– they just GET IT.
My now year old 68lb. lab-​mix LOVES this place. She’s so happy when we pull up to the building. She goes for daycare about 2 – 3 times a week and I’ve boarded her a few times for the weekend while my husband and I are out of town. Trust me when I say it takes A LOT for me to leave my dog with anyone for a few hours much less a whole weekend. She comes home happy and tired! The owners are awesome! They are super responsive with any concerns I have and they even took the time to call me on off hours to follow up. They clearly care about the dogs and their business.
The prices are reasonable, (even though there is no price to put on the care of your dogbaby) and that’s a plus, the facility is awesome, the staff is competent, and the owners are involved. Oh, and they update their Facebook and Instagram with pics of the pups! I’m so happy I found Hightail! It makes me happy that my pup is happy. Thanks guys– you rock!

I had to find a safe place for my better half for a week of daycare. She absolutely hates being left alone for more than a couple of hours, and she can howl nonstop in inconsolable heartache. I couldn’t leave her at home to suffer and risk upsetting my treasured neighbors.
Having checked out several recommended facilities, my very nervous dog chose the High Tail Hotel. Smart dog. The folks at High Tail are exceptionally sensitive to each dog’s needs. The facility is carefully designed to provide an impressive variety of homey, safe spots for any pooch. Best of all: everyone working there clearly loves dogs.
I appreciate the pricing structure — really reasonable considering the top notch care provided. I am relieved to have found High Tail, and I will certainly be back again and again. Well, my dog will anyway.
p. s. A dog’s coat picks up a bit of eau de pee perfume in any indoor facility, so consider having your dog bathed before being picked up.

I wanted to update that after my review here Victoria reached out and apologized for my not receiving a call back from my message which I appreciate.

Let me preface this with the fact that I’m an unusually picky customer who has left her 5 month old Shiba Inu Puppy with High Tail Hotel for an entire week. Can you imagine how much could go wrong? But, alas, High Tail has delivered and exceeded my expectations. The owner and the staff took care of my puppy as if she were their own.
During my trip, I occasionally called in to check on my pup. The staff was always very responsive and gave me a very detailed description of her day. My pup, Tess, would wake up around 7am to have breakfast, followed by a walk, and a puppy nap. She would then have lunch, an hour of play session with small dogs, another nap and/​or hang out with the staff or other dogs until dinner time. She’s then given dinner and another walk before she goes to bed.
Tess had the time of her life and I know the staff gave Tess the attention she needs. I’ll definitely be coming back.

I always feel wary about boarding my dog, she’s like my baby! But I always feel comfortable dropping her off at High Tails. The dogs have a nice big indoor play area (complete with grass), the staff members are all very loving and knowledgable, the photos they take of my dog always show her having a great time and she always comes home sleepy but happy! I trust High tail hotel to take good care of my girl, and they have never let me down.

Love love love High Tail Hotel! Dottie Joy is my second pup to be their guest. She is nervous when away from me, but HTH takes great care of her. More than anything, I know she is in a safe environment with fun dogs and people who care about her. I love the open play environment they have, and the dogs are not in kennels all day.
I know the Dit Dot Dog has a good time at HTH because she seems so happy and content when I pick her up.
Thank You everybody at High Tail for taking great care of my girl!

When we got our puppy Gizmo 3 months ago from the SPCA, we expected a very social Australian Shepherd who would grow to about 40 pounds. What we got was a cuddly 11lb terrier/​chihuhua mix who LOVES my fiancée and I, but is afraid of her own shadow. While walking her outside, she shys away from any and all animals, paper bags, and people. But when placed in another room with another dog for a few hours at a time, warms up to them and becomes fast friends.
When we realized that we had to go out of town for a 4 day stretch, we decided to put her up at the High Tail Hotel in an effort to assist with her socialization with other dogs, a constant task for us. I chose High Tail not only because of all the positive reviews, but because they are a cage free facility that allows the dogs to play and socialize all day long. Small dogs are kept with small dogs as well, so no worries about them playing too rough with a larger dog. When Gizmo is locked up and contained within a kennel, she cries and howls all night long. I thought this was would be a great alternative and an environment I felt much more comfortable with.
The facility is clean, spacious, not scary and sterile looking, and the people that work there appear to have an outstanding love for animals. I picked up Gizmo and was given a full report, including information I was so happy to hear — she had been playing with other dogs ALL weekend long, even roughhousing with the more active of the bunch. She was letting the other caretakers handle her, and after the first night, was much much more brave then when we initially left her.
They provided me with a 10% discount (bc shes SPCA adopted) and a picture of her experience with another puppy. Gizmo was also much more social with other dogs we came across during our walk later on during the day after I had picked her up.
I am very happy with Gizmo’s experience and will glady take her back again! Thanks High Tail for making me much more comfortable with this experience than I had anticipated.

We couldn’t love High Tail anymore than we do. Our dog is so happy to go there when we drop her off for daycare or boarding. And she always returns happy and exhausted.
The staff makes you feel like you have the best dog in the world because they tell you how much they love her and how good she was! We love hearing stories about how she played and who cuddled with her while we were away. The staff is absolutely wonderful.
Since it’s cage-​free, I never feel guilty leaving her, and she even gets to sleep with a human and her favorite friends in a large room at night. Since our dog plays really hard, we also love that she can take a nap whenever she wants.
High Tail even gives a discount for rescue dogs, and they are incredibly accommodating with pick-​up and drop-​off times. They will even pick up or drop off your dog if you can’t manage it yourself.
We love High Tail!

This place is a God-​send! I can’t express how much I appreciate everything they do here. First off, let me tell you that from all the interactions I have had with each and every one of the staff are positive.
When I first called to inquire about this place, Lauren answered the phone. She was smiling through the phone and patiently answered all of my questions. In addition, she told me questions to ask other dog hotels/​boarding facilities to compare them to High Tail. She never once rushed me off the phone, and that’s a HUGE plus in my book since I am in the customer service industry. Sure enough, NO ONE can compare to High Tail at all!
I like the fact that they require a meet and greet with every dog that wants to stay there. That comforts me because other places I went to did not & had no criteria for allowing dogs to stay for the day or overnight. That worried me because you never know what could happen when you aren’t there. Kianna & Emily were wonderful at the meet & greet. I was pleased to see how well the staff interact with the dogs, they even sleep there with the dogs overnight!
My boyfriend and I were going to Hawaii for a work training and my birthday and I was having seperation anxiety leaving my little ½ Boston Terrirer, ½ Pug Ralphie. I’m sure I was more nervous than he was because he fit right in at High Tail. I was able to call in daily, sometimes even more than once and all the staff were informative & extremely friendly each time I called in. Ralphie even had my friends visit him, that was a major plus in my book. It definitely gave me piece of mind knowing that when I dropped him off with Liv the morning of our trip, that he was in good hands. They were more than accomodating & made our trip much more enjoyable.
Kudos to all the staff & owner (s) there at High Tail, keep doing what you’re doing cause it’s remarkable!
Ralphie will be back soon for his «High Tail Hangover» :)

As a teacher on Spring Break, I’m not supposed to be working on grades. But damn, I definitely had to give a report card for these folks. A bit of background:
— Dog: very high energy German Shepherd with anxiety issues
— Me: discipline-​oriented and adhere to strict dog-​whisperer type of structure, almost militant to an extent (NEVER any physical or verbal abuse, occasional «idiot» comment)
— Expectations: not been successful in finding people with enough patience to be able to not only work with the dog, but to keep up with my style as well
I waited for a second rendezvous with HTH before writing this review. First time, he stayed for 3 nights. This time, 9 nights. As I sit here on the couch, the dog is dead asleep on his bed, pun intended. Instead of the typical pros/​cons people push, I’ll give a grading system on what I think are the most important traits of dog handlers
— Facility: A+, green certified and large, considering you’re in San Francisco
— Staff: A-​, loving and caring. every person I met definitely takes pride in working with dogs. Why A-​? I would love to see strict following to the «pack leader» mentality, right down to details (no letting dogs walk in front of you, no «touch, sound, eye contact» at first meeting, etc.)
— Communication: A-​, excellent, but not a perfect score. why? although I have never had a problem speaking to someone, there’s recommended hours for calling to check in. And understandably, there’s pick up hours as well (I got in late but wanted to pick him up, no luck)
— Overall care and happiness of the dog: A++
Reminder, D– is a passing grade in America. In summary, this is definitely an establishment filled with caring people that genuinely love dogs.

I can’t think of a better place for my pup Kona to spend her days and sometimes nights. She is very active (some would say a bit crazed) and has met many friends with whom to run around or occasionally nap.
The employees are very helpful, knowledgeable and nice. I am a first time dog owner, and they have gone above and beyond in terms of listening to the various issues I bring up and offering sound advice.

Everyone is so friendly here and they even foster dogs for local rescues to get them adopted out. Our pup was actually there before we adopted him and we still take him there now.
After seeing Pet Camp (before I visited High Tail) I was seriously scared that all doggie daycares were like Nazi camps. Fool me once!
I have never seen my dog play like he does at High Tail. If he is happy there, then I am a happy mom! High Tail has no cages. All the dogs sleep together in the bedroom WITH a real live person. One thing to note, if your dog is crate trained that is fine too. I was just amazed by the freedom the pups get here all day long! When I showed up one gal was giving a massage to some of the dogs!
They get two outside walks per day and free range of the facility at all other times.
And did I mention… no smell! And did I mention… certified green?!