What makes you different?
We believe many things make us unique at our luxury pet hotel, our passion for pets, our cleanliness, our services & facilities, the love and care we give both dogs and cats are always our No 1 priority. We not only have 6 acres to walk your dogs, but we also have an off – lead secure exercise area which is fenced and safe for lots of fun play times. We want you to be able to leave your pet in total confidence that they will be safe, secure, happy and loved while you are away with dedicated staff members who have animal care level 3 qualifications to give you peace of mind so you can truly enjoy your holiday, we even post daily pictures on our Facebook page so you can keep an eye on what they are up to on their holidays.
Are you a licenced by the local authority?
Absolutely, we are fully licensed under Durham County Council, and under the new regulations that came into force on the 1st October 2018, we have been awarded 5 stars by Durham County Council, we undergo regular checks to ensure we meet the highest standards of accommodation and care by the local authority. Our facilities exceed their requirements.
Can I come and view the facilities?
Of course, in order to provide the dogs with as little disruption as possible, and that we have enough time to do these without disrupting our daily routines, we now ask if you could arrange a suitable time so we can ensure that we arrange these at our quietest times of the day. We have recently just changed this as we found too many viewers were turning up at the same time, or at our busy time for check ins, so this way we can give you a slot to view where we have the time to discuss and show you all we have to offer. We do ask that if you have to bring children that they are well behaved and quiet whilst we are in the blocks as this can upset some guests.
Do our pets need to be vaccinated?
Yes, all pets staying at the hotel need to show evidence that vaccinations are up to date. This is for the safety of your pet and all the pets staying with us. Please read our terms to see what vaccines are required for their stay with us. We do require these to be sent to our email at least 1 month prior to check in to ensure they meet our requirements so that no pets are refused entry, although we do advise these are sent sooner when possible, and also advise that you do not let vaccines lapse, as this then causes issues when there is not enough time to get them restarted as we do require 2 weeks clearance when it has to be restarted under strict new guidelines, so the sooner we receive these the less chance of informing you we can’t accept your pets. So please treat your pets vaccine record like your passport, ensure it is in date and that all documents have been sent in advance.
My dog/cat is on a special diet. Is this a problem?
Not at all. We can offer DR Johns brand of dry complete for dogs, with a meat add in for dogs if required, and for cats we offer dry complete & offer Whiskas/Felix/Gourmet Perle wet diets for cats. Please note all Veterinary/wheat free/gluten free/grain free/low fat/special diets/home cooked meals/cooked meats must be provided by the owners
Can I bring my dogs own things?
Yes, absolutely. We provide raised beds and raised bowls and Vet bedding, but something of your pets own, particularly if it has some scent of home that will help them settle down more quickly. Please note we do not allow plastic beds, duvets, foam beds, bean bags, rawhide chews, cooked or raw bones, a small blanket or throw which is easily washed is adequate for their stay particularly if it has some scent of home that will help them settle down more quickly. You may also bring any special treats/toys, although we do provide midday & bedtime snacks & enrichment toys/puzzles if allowed included in the daily rate. Please note we cannot guarantee their safe return should your pet damage them.
When do I need to book?
We will always try our best to accommodate your pet, but we do get very busy with our excellent reputation especially in holiday periods, so please book as far in advance as you can to avoid disappointment. We ask for a non- refundable deposit, please see our terms for more details of our cancellation policy.
Can our pets stay together?
Our luxury rooms are of generous sizes and can accommodate multiple pets from the same family staying together. This can be a great comfort for the pets being together. There is also a discount for pets sharing. However, we never mix pets from different families that don’t usually live together. Your pets will be allocated the correct size room for their size, occasionally they may be upgraded to a larger room at quieter times of the year.
Can you pick our pets up from home?
Sorry we no longer offer this service.
Can my dog have a bath while with you?
Yes, we think it’s a nice idea to have your dog bathed the day before ready for your return as sometimes our fields can get muddy with our lovely British weather. We can do this for a small fee please ask a member of staff for more details, please note this must be pre-booked at time of booking to avoid us being fully booked if you wait till check in.
What do I need to pack for my pets stay?
With us requiring vaccine records to be sent 1 month prior to boarding there is no need to bring this, please note we will send a confirmation to your email that vaccines are now in the system, so please ensure you have received this as we won’t be able to accept your pet without proof these are all up to date and none have been missed. Then, a small blanket and any toys/treats/ you wish them to have whilst on holiday, please bring enough food for the stay, this is to be bagged up into individual portions, so they get the required amount daily and any medication your pet requires.
Is there someone to look after my dog(s)/cat(s) in the evenings when you are closed?
We live on-site and there is always someone to care for the dog(s), cat(s) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is a higher standard required to gain 5 stars, so this is not an issue for us.
What is the procedure at check in/out times?
CHECK IN: 1PM-3PM DAILY
DEPARTURES: 9AM -11AM OR 3-5PM DAILY
We find that customers want to come to the pets room at check in/out time, and have always allowed this in the last 10 years, but do find this upsets the other guests and is also more upsetting when you leave your pet for them and you, we have always found this one of our unique selling points, although we do find this is purely for the owners comfort and does not help the guests settle quicker it can actually be more traumatic for them, especially if you are feeling upset and emotional as this can pass on to your pets who will then be anxious at this time, so we will now be changing this as we feel most new customers come to view firstly or have watched out video tour, at which time you will be shown our facilities where guests will be staying, all our rooms are the same standard, just different sizes for different sized dogs, so now all customers will be asked to press the call reception buzzer at the entrance gate and wait till someone, either speaks to you or opens the gate for you, please drive in and park in the carpark and leave the pets in the car and come into new reception where we will check you in and get a staff member to come and get your pets from the car with you, where you can say your goodbyes at this time too. For any new guests who are nervous and may need a longline attached in the room, we may ask the owner to come on these occasions to attach the longline in the room for us. When arriving to collect your pets, please also call the reception buzzer at the entrance gate which is now closed at all times , until someone arrives who will bring you in where can sit on our comfy sofa, or even browse our few goodies that will be on sale in the new reception. A staff member will then collect your pets and brings them to you at the reception, as we find this is very stressful for the other guests who are not being picked up, when owners and pets are very excited to see each other again, after being parted, which is only understandable but do feel we now have to consider the other guests in the blocks at this time. We hope all customers understand this change at check in/out times, as we are doing this for the benefit of the guests and feel that customers now know and trust us after 10 years of caring for their pets that we have nothing to hide, and feel we have a very good relationship with our loyal customers who trusts us 100% caring for their pets and that this is purely for the love of the animals in our care.
Can my dog play with other dogs?
No, this is for all dog’s safety whilst in our care, we also feel they benefit from that 121 with a staff member rather than having to share them with another 10 dogs.
How much exercise is included in the daily rate?
All dogs in each room will receive 2 x20 minute walk/play sessions per day, which is a requirement under new regulations for the welfare of dogs, we also give daily enrichments twice each day, where we will offer them some chill time/training time/cuddles/puzzle toys/treat toys/health check, which will mentally stimulate and give your dogs some extra 121 time with a member of staff, also included in the daily rate.