Settling In / Trial Stays for Hotel Guests

Where a dog has not used our hotel services before we need to assess their suitability for an overnight stay.

There must be a documented trial session for dogs to familiarise with each other before they home board

Required higher standards for providing a suitable environment for dogs

For a boarding premises that keeps multiple dogs at once, there must be an overnight trial stay for all stays longer than 3 nights. Only one dog can be trialled at a time unless the dogs are from the same household

Here's why we do it... 1st - To ensure the main stay is not a stressful situation for them

• One night in our hotel rooms will help them get used to their new bedroom prior to the stay meaning they will settle much quicker when they come for their main hotel booking.

• Even if they attend daycare, staying over night is different, and whilst we still have staff present 24 hours a day when dogs board they do get time alone without a Pet Whisperer, sometimes in their own room and sometimes with a friend roaming around. This stay will help them get used to that and help us judge what sleeping arrangements are best for them.

​2nd - For OPW to ensure your dog is suitable for our hotel

• Some dogs behaviour changes at night, for example if they usually sleep in your bedroom at home they might not settle in a hotel room at OPW and may bark/howl to express their displeasure at this.

• Where dogs have severe separation anxiety sometimes they can't be left alone even overnight due to their distress.

• Our staff do sleep when the dogs sleep and we have other dogs who stay overnight. Our staff and other dogs must get their sleep meaning where dogs are vocal or distressed due to their anxiety our environment may not be suited for them.