Pooch Hotel

Our dog, Cody, has been staying and playing here for years. He is always excited and very comfortable with the staff here. Charles was always great with our dog from Cody’s very first visit and understood his breed well. We love picking him up after a trip with him smelling nice from his aromatherapy bath. They are reasonably priced compared to Petsmart but we have peace of mind knowing that they are open ²⁴⁄₇ for easy access for early and late drop offs.
We had purchased a discounted set of playtimes a few years ago. We didn’t have a chance to use them all up before we moved away. When I reached out to their customer service to inquire about what we could do with that credit, Mike, the GM, was really helpful. He actually reimbursed us for Cody’s last stay, which was slightly more than the value of our credit, and let us bring him to doggy day camp one more time for free when we had movers coming over to the house. It was an unexpected surprise that Mike would extend all of those courtesies to us. We definitely appreciated it and are so sad that Cody will no longer be able to stay there.

Amanda is Amazing!!!
Expert, caring groomer!!!
Thank you for taking care of my fur-​baby! She looked so cute and smells amazing!
We will keep coming back!

The Pooch Hotel was great at first after awhile the staff seemed annoyed to see you when they have a lot of dogs in that day. They look like tired and unhappy employees. Not sure if it’s because they’re young or what. Anyway, the other big issue is their cameras don’t work well, so you get these freeze frames and it’s hard to see your dogs. They should use better technology, which is not only doable, but affordable. Lastly, because the cameras don’t work well, I’d expect a better report than I get from them. I’d love to see this staff get proper training in customer service — only to make this place great.
Other than that, the reason for the 3 stars is that I love the idea of having a place for my dog to play with other dogs, and especially during rainy days.
Maybe they should make it an indoor park for rainy days and allow the owners come with their dogs to play, charge a «park play,» and leave the staff to care for the boarding. I’d like to be able to take my dogs somewhere on cold, rainy days instead of watching them stare out the window.

Pretty nice staff, but they seem disorganized. I often didn’t get much feedback on how the care was and they «forgot» where they put our dog. They also often seemed more interested in talking to each other behind the desk than interacting with customers, which I understand but it still feels pretty rude.
Eventually, since my dog had a problem with another dog in their day care they told me they could no longer put him in the play group and offered me a refund for the day care pack (which is nice) but they didn’t want to work with me to maybe shift in and out the dog he was having issues with. I understand my dog is still a puppy and intact so he can be a bit more work, but he’s a good dog and I was disappointed they didn’t try more to work with him and this other dog.

I love Pooch Hotel. I cannot say enough about how amazing the staff is. My dog has been going to Pooch for daycare daily for over a year and we have boarded her here when we go out of town. She is very anxious and cannot stay at home alone. My dog is not always the most well behaved. She often finds herself in timeout at Pooch and has been described to me on a number of occasions as one of their more rambunctious dogs. The staff there has worked really hard to do what they can to help build her confidence and improve her behavioral issues like jumping on people. I appreciate that the staff is honest with me about her behavior and overall demeanor. They get to know each dog’s personality and are perceptive enough to notice if something with the dog is off. I am always told when she has been acting up. They also have called me during the day if they notice she is not feeling well or is lethargic so that I can come pick her up if I am able.
When we go out of town we always board her at Pooch. They typically will email me pictures and status updates to let me know she is doing well. I feel comfortable going on vacations and leaving her because I know she is being well taken care of.
My dog is like my child. I recognize that everyone who works at Pooch does so because they love dogs and I can see it in how they treat and care for my dog. I feel like they love my dog almost as much as I do which is why I highly recommend Pooch hotel for daycare and boarding. In fact I have recommended Pooch hotel to 3 other dog parents and all 3 have been very happy with their experience with Pooch hotel.

The staff here is very friendly! The options they have for pets is great. It is a bit on the pricey side, but I guess you are getting a nice, clean, fancy looking area, rather than your run-​of-​the-​mill boarding location. We’ve left our pup, a 5 yr old pit, here 3 times and he has always seemed healthy and happy when we pick him up!
Check in to get your free stuffed Kong!

Management should be improved and phone calls need to be picked up more frequently.
Few words can have the most impact, but Unilocal is expecting me to write more in order for this review to fully post.

If you search up «disappointment» in the dictionary you’ll find Pooch Hotel right under it.
Example scenario using word:
You: How was your experience at Pooch Hotel? Me: It was a disappointment. Understaffed and the staff they do have is entirely incompetent. Management could use a few improvements.
Bonus:
You: Lol! Did you call to complain?
Me: Haha, they don’t pick up the phone!

I have too long of a story (experience) to put in a Google or Unilocal review, so I’ll give my story to Corporate Petco. My review now is solely on my experience with the Manager Mike of Sunnyvale, Pooch Hotel who has little to no urgency to follow up with people, clients/​customers, or his own staff.
I would love to give my business to our neighborhood businesses, but when and where it’s genuinely wanted. The prices at the Pooch Hotel are absurd anyway, I would think they would pay their people, and take good care of them, and their clients (customers and dogs).
Good leaders wear many different «hats» to lead their businesses in the right direction of growth, but Mike has been the worst form of leadership I’ve had to deal with, in this service-​oriented culture. I have spoken with him on two occasions regarding us coming back there for the dog to have social/​play visits, disregarding the not-​so-​successful first stay, and he continued to foster an inconsiderate and non-​understanding demeanor.

My puppy Atlas loves it. If he could review the place he would give it four paws up. He loves his friends there and the staff are amazing. If you check in on Unilocal they usually give a treat and toy as well!

— Huge facility
— Very detail tour for the facility
— Staff is not quite friendly
— Free daycare for first time trial
— Big separate play areas
— Staff in the play area supervising the dogs
— Webcams for the play areas
— Very strong dog smell inside the play areas
— Dogs smell bad when picked up
— 3 different room types for boarding, cheap ones with no webcams
— Boarding is not including the play time, you have to pay addition for it

I have been using the Pooch hotel for the past year and although it is convenient, there are several aspects I do not like about it. One, they do not check your ID when you go to pick up your pup and I know that not all of the employees that work there remember exactly who’s dog goes to which owner. Two, my pups feet and fur always come back smelling like stale urine and we have to bathe him completely to get rid of the pungent smell. Three, there are a couple of front desk employees that are very cold and unfriendly whenever I come in to pick up my pup which is a major customer service turn off.
My recommendation for this place would be to make sure your front line staff are ultra– friendly, people are leaving their fluff babies with you and want to feel comfortable doing so. Power wash/​mop floors every day, you wouldn’t want to be walking around with YOUR feet smelling like pee, would you? And lastly, please check parent’s ID before handing over their pups, it would be a tragedy to find out someone else picked up/​stole my pup when it could have very well been prevented.

We bring our 6-​month– and 6-​year-​old Boston Terriers, Piper and Cooper, here for doggy daycare and boarding. We all love this place. Piper comes here at least 3 days a week, and has made many a human and dog friend. She comes home exercised, socialized, and exhausted every time. Cooper has been labeled a «pink dog», which means he’s not good to play in groups with other dogs. Fortunately, Pooch has it all figured out. Cooper stays in his own room and gets periodic walks and play times with the humans, and when the day is over, he and Piper get to share a room overnight.
The once thing we really love and appreciate about Pooch is how they’re available ²⁴⁄₇ at no extra charge. It’s the sole reason we chose Pooch, as our jobs are demanding and the schedules unpredictable, so we never know what time we’ll be heading home. Knowing our dogs will be there safe and taken care of is one less thing to think about, never mind worry about.
The other thing that’s been amazing is how flexible and understanding the staff is. Outside of required paperwork, we just drop them off and they figure it all out. No stressful evaluation, no hounding us for payments, no upselling. They’re easy going.
And the last praise for Pooch is how great the staff is. They’re always familiar faces, and they remember us and our dogs every time we walk up. They know our dogs personalities and report in person at the end of the day — not because they have to, but because they love our pups.
I highly recommend this place! Check for a corporate discount. They support a lot of businesses in the area.

Past experience:
I had been taking my dog to pooch for over a year, and was very happy with the service.
Current experience:
Pooch Hotel Sunnyvale is a FAIL and not recommendable. At least until they have their employees officially trained to handle a pack of dogs and mix of breeds.
They have lost some very senior handlers in the last 12 – 16 months to either other locations or just moved on. Those present are mostly very inexperienced. Along with that Pooch groups way too many dogs of various sizes to one handler at a time. Theres no way to lead a pack of over 15 dogs for a newbie inexperienced handler.
Chase isn’t aggressive and not only is he socialized but professionally trained and can follow commands. I pulled my dog out of pooch when they started to say that due to him being aggressive they were leaving him in a room all day. He had already been going to Pooch for a year by this point. When I ask why I hadn’t heard anything from anyone previously they didn’t have an answer for me. The «manager» never said anything to me directly when I would drop him off every morning either.
The other employees however were saying that The «manager» told them to put Chase in a room all day.
By the end of this back and forth I pulled my dog out completely. They blame your dog first in all discussions I tried to have. They said that he bit another handler while he and another dog were playing. This just shows the inexperienced of most the handlers currently there.
I have not been recommending anyone to come here since and have seen those that I had recommend be treated with the same tale of there dog bitting a handler/​other dog. So they then use that excuse for leaving the dog in a room by itself all day. I didn’t pay their prices to have my dog sit in a room all day. Nor should anyone else.

I’ve had my share of bad experiences at restaurants, hotels, parks, etc etc and have written bad Unilocal reviews. But never have I been so mad about something that I wished I could give them –ve stars. I’ve been writing Unilocal reviews for 4 years now and this is the first time I really wish Unilocal would somehow allow –ve stars to REALLY call out BAD places.
I’ve been using their daycare services for my little one for over a year, and quite frequently. Everytime I pick him up in the evening, I always inquire how he did. Everytime it is the same answer «He did great». And at times when my dog had diarrhea problems, I was never even informed. They’d just say the same thing. Still didn’t bother me too much, until recently after I got a call from them saying that my dog got into a fight with another dog and almost bit the other dog. I gasped and said «whaaaattttt» and said i’ll pick him up soon in the evening.
I was shocked, utterly shocked. Because of a number of reasons, including the fact that I’ve been leaving my dog with SEVERAL sitters and let him socialize a LOT with other dogs. And I’ve NEVER EVER EVER EVER received ANY sort of complaint from ANYBODY.
Well anyway, I go there to pick him up and started inquiring what really happened. And they said that he just randomly, without any reason tried to attack another dog. My immediate question was «What were you doing when two dogs got into a fight». And then some mumbling and jumbling «Well, he has been aggressive». And I was like «Really? How? And I was never informed until this day and this moment» And how come nobody has EVER complained about my little boy, but you.
Maybe the truth is, my dog was provoked by another dog, and you didn’t do your job to pull them apart, until my dog tried to defend himself?
I am not one of those mamas that overly defends her dog. I correct my dog when he makes a mistake. But I can’t blame him when you have not done your job.
I’m not bringing my dog anywhere even close to your place EVER AGAIN.

Pooch Hotel had changed ownership a few years ago. So, we decided to give them another chance. After all, the facilities are top-​notch. It was the staff that was the issue.
I’m glad we did. They have increased their staff size quite a bit. And, everybody there is quite attentive to the dogs’ needs.
We have used them a few times now, under the new management, and are quite happy with the condition of our dogs when we pick them up.
Be forewarned, though. It is a bit pricey. And, it looks like they raised their prices for a 2^nd dog in the same suite. So, a long trip can really add up.
But, if you can afford it, it’s an excellent option for your dogs, while you are away.

I don’t even know where to begin. I think I would give this place zero stars if I could. My boyfriend & I were planning a vacation so we were trying to find a place that can take care of our baby girl.
This was our first time boarding our dog at a hotel. We did some research before deciding on this place. We came in & asked for a tour around the hotel. It looked really nice & clean.
The price ranges pretty high. We paid $ 300 for a standard room, 1 week of stay. There’s no webcams in the standard rooms so we were not able to see our baby.
When we picked up our baby, she was so dirty! We asked the employee how everything was with our dog & he told us everything was fine. We didn’t know what to expect so we believed what he told us. But she looked so sick & her butt was literally covered in poo. Her bedding was covered in vomit & poo.
When we got home, she started to vomit & had a marathon of diarrhea attacks. We thought that was bad. then we noticed she came home covered in fleas!!! We had already applied flea drop for our baby before dropping her off to the hotel. She’s never had any flea problem until after her stay at Pooch. It was the most scariest thing to deal with.
She was vomiting & had diarrhea attacks for almost 2 weeks. We were so worried so we had to take her to the vet. We had to spend so much at the vet to get her feeling better again. It was literally hell! The worst experience ever for our first time boarding our dog. We are now traumatized. We would never come back here ever again. Nor would we recommend this place to anyone.

I LOVE Pooch Hotel. I have a 10 month old beagle who has been going to these wonderful people since she was old enough to go to daycare. I cannot leave her at home. She has separation anxiety and will tear up my house, but she goes to Pooch Hotel M-​F while I’m at work and I know that not only is she well taken care of, but that she loves it. We walk in and every time she is greeted by name and not only is she happy to be there, but she literally pulls me towards the door they go through to go to group and she scratches at the door as she simply cannot wait to go see her little 4-​legged friends (and her other 2-​legged friends as well!).
I truly do not understand some of the negative reviews. I have never once smelled any urine in the lobby. EVER. In the summer months there can be a bit of a smell outside, but that’s because all the dogs pee either on their way in or on their way out, or both, and when it’s warm, it makes the smell worse. That’s really nothing they can control. My dog has been going to Pooch Hotel since mid-​January (7 months now) and has never once come out smelling like urine. But here’s the thing, they’re in a room playing with dogs, they’re gonna smell sometimes!
I don’t have kids, my dog is my «child.» I did a lot of research before I decided on a daycare for her and literally from the moment we walked in to tour the place to now, not only have I felt welcome there, buy my puppy has felt welcome there. There have been many times I’ve had to pick her up to bring her out as she’ll lie on her back in protest because she doesn’t want to leave!
Granted everyone has different experiences everywhere you go. But in regards to Pooch Hotel, I’ve had nothing but a wonderful experience there. I’ve also run into some former coworkers who have been going there much longer than I have and they love it as well.
The staff is wonderful. The place is clean. My dog loves it. I would highly recommend Pooch Hotel to anyone looking for daycare.

We have been bringing our dogs to the Pooch Hotel in Sunnyvale for about 2 months but I will never go back. One of my dogs refused to go back with one of the attendants. When I asked them if anything had happened that last time she was there I was told no and that she is always happy after I drop her off. Both of my dogs come home smelling of urine and the lobby reeks of urine when you enter the building. The staff could care less when you walk in and take their sweet time getting your dog in the back. They have had a lot of staff turnover and I think there needs to be an older adult onsite to supervise. Seems like the prisoners are running the prison and turning off clientele who have good paying jobs and money to burn on their dogs.

Love you pooch hotel! You guys spoil Drago to death! Everytime pulling around the lot he gets so excited and can’t wait to go play with you and the other pups.
Groups are super well run and they have a very responsible staff overseeing them. I wish this place had more locations around the bay area with the same kind of awesome staff!
By far the best of the bunch are
Sara P
Becca
Zoe
Thank you guys!