Treat your pet to a five-star hotel experience.
By Lauren Jones, Photos by @fansofgio
Queen-size beds, flat-screen televisions and professional pet photography adorn the suites. A polished toy Bentley sits near the entrance, and multicolored pet treats line the window of one of the playrooms. For Austin pet lovers, no other dog day care compares.
Owner Liza De La Chapa opened D Pet Hotels Austin earlier this year after being a client at the original D Pet Hotels location in Hollywood, Calif.
“I was a client in Hollywood for eight years,” De La Chapa says. “My dogs were grooming clients, day-care clients and boarding clients. I’m from El Paso, Texas, and didn’t know there was such as thing as a dog hotel...but when I went to Los Angeles, I was like, ‘My tribe is here.’ ”
For the furry occupants of the South Austin location, it’s become a home away from home. Dogs spend time chasing one another in the playrooms, with staff always nearby, and lounge in front of their televisions, just as they would at home.
“We put on Planet Earth for them,” De La Chapa says. “With the animals and the scenery, it’s very relaxing for them.”
With three suite options to choose from, dogs can experience a true vacation while Mom and Dad enjoy theirs. The Capital Suite, which is the largest of the three, has modern touches, red and steel-gray accents and a large picture of the Austin skyline.
“[The Capital Suite] is ideal for multiple dogs, like a couple of Danes. We’ve even had some parents ask if they can stay too,” De La Chapa says with a laugh.
When it comes to unleashing their energy, the dogs have plenty of space to run. Spanning 8,000 square feet, D Pet Hotels Austin hasn’t reached its capacity yet and continues to welcome new clients daily.
“We had 40 dogs over Thanksgiving,” De La Chapa recalls.
With many dogs coming in and out, De La Chapa and her staff are always dedicated to keeping each of the dogs happy and comfortable.
“We keep the rooms cool for them because we can put on a sweatshirt but they can’t take off their fur coat,” De La Chapa explains.
Before even becoming a D Pet Hotels client, dogs must be evaluated by a trainer, and are then separated by size and temperament.
“We have a couple of dog trainers,” De La Chapa says. “Veronica Reyes is our top dog trainer and is extremely knowledgeable about dog behavior. She does a lot of our temperament tests to make sure we are looking for the right things and putting the right dogs together.”
After passing the temperament test, dogs are officially welcomed and the real fun begins.
At the end of each day, De La Chapa and her staff wipe the playrooms clean with veterinary-hospital-grade disinfectant.
While De La Chapa has owned the Austin location for only four months, she is excited for what the future holds.
“In the end, it’s all about [the dogs],” she says.
For more information on D Pet Hotels Austin, visit austin.dpethotels.com. Follow Gio the poodle on Instagram at @fansofgio.
