Gaithersburg facilities
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Best Friends Pet Hotel

395 Muddy Branch Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878

4.6
429 Google reviews
Live webcamOutdoor yardAccepts puppiesMedication adminGroomingTrainingClimate controlledOvernight potty breaksOnline booking

Overview

Best Friends Pet Hotel in Gaithersburg, MD is a comprehensive pet care facility offering boarding, doggy day camp (Canine Crew membership program), Puppy Play Group for puppies 8 weeks to 12 months, grooming, and monthly vet clinics through VIP Petcare. The facility requires interviews for new daycare campers, has petcams available, and offers add-on services like walks, bedtime stories, and ice cream for boarding pets. Staff are certified in pet handling and medications are administered by trained team leads.

Amenities & Policies

Cage-free
WebcamLive stream
Staff overnight
Outdoor yard
Pool / water play
Small dog area
Accepts puppies2+ months
Reactive breeds
Medication admin
Grooming
Training
Climate controlled
Overnight potty breaks
Online booking
Spay/neuter required
Temperament test

Required vaccinations: Rabies, DHPP, Bordetella

Policies & Details

Care & Play

Group play
Solo play
Daily updates โ€” Free
Feeding policy:Owner provides food

Requirements

Spay/neuter policy:Required for Puppy Play Group participants 6 months or older with vet letter

Safety & Emergency

Emergency vet protocol:On call
Emergency vet cost:Owner

Extras

What Reviews Say

414 reviews analyzed

Best Friends Pet Hotel in Gaithersburg enjoys overwhelmingly positive reviews with a strong reputation for exceptional grooming (particularly Anja/Anya and Lori), friendly staff, and dogs that genuinely love attending. The facility scores highly on staff friendliness (4.8) and dog happiness (4.6). However, there are significant red flags including approximately 15-20 negative reviews detailing serious issues: dogs returning injured or sick, weight loss, poor communication about health problems, and billing disputes. These negative experiences, while representing a small minority (~5%), raise safety concerns. The owner responds to nearly all reviews professionally within 1 day. Most concerning are repeat allegations of dogs being injured by other dogs, contracting kennel cough, and insufficient exercise during stays - issues that suggest inconsistent supervision standards despite the majority positive experience.

Staff
4.8
Dog happiness
4.6
Cleanliness
4.2
Drop-off / pickup
4.2
Facility
4.0
Value
4.0
Communication
3.8
Safety
3.5

People love

Exceptional grooming services (Anja/Anya)(45)Friendly and caring staff(60)Dogs love coming here - high happiness(35)Report cards and webcam features(15)Long-term loyal customers(25)

Staff shoutouts

Anja(38 mentions)Anya(28 mentions)Lori(18 mentions)Samantha(12 mentions)Laurie(10 mentions)Mike(6 mentions)Vanessa(5 mentions)Noelle(5 mentions)Julia(4 mentions)

Worth noting

Dog returned with injuries, wounds, or puncture marks from other dogs

โ€œMy friends dog came back to her with several open wounds on his body. Some of them were puncture wounds.โ€

Dogs contracting kennel cough or other illnesses at facility

โ€œAfter about a month of doggy day care my dog contracted kennel cough and two types of worms confirmed by a fecal test.โ€

Significant weight loss during boarding

โ€œWhen we picked him up he was significantly skinnier... he has several scabs and wounds all over his legs and paws.โ€

Poor communication about pet health issues

โ€œHe was placed on the 'no play list' for the majority of his visit, yet there were no chart notes or detailed explanations provided when I inquired.โ€

Suspected neglect - dogs not walked/fed properly

โ€œHe has a GPS collar, and he must stay in the kennel most of time and don't have any exercise... they only gave him food the first day, but no food the second whole day.โ€

Phone/communication responsiveness(8 mentions)

โ€œTry as I may - several phone calls, messages and emails, I can't get anyone to call me back to discuss it.โ€

Scheduling issues and poor customer service(6 mentions)

โ€œI have gone 2-3+ days with no response multiple times. I have had to call them (they only pick up about 50% of the time now).โ€

Facility odor/cleanliness(4 mentions)

โ€œUpon entering the facility, a horrible stench assaults your senses.โ€

Billing discrepancies(3 mentions)

โ€œThey charged additional $30 and didn't even say for what. No invoice or nothing.โ€

Owner replies to 98% of reviewsAvg response: 1dprofessional tone85 repeat customers

Top Rated

4.6 stars from 429+ reviews

This facility has earned a Top Rated badge for maintaining a 4.6-star rating across 429 reviews.

At a Glance

Google rating
4.6/ 5
Review score
4.1/ 5
Amenities9 of 14
Reviews429
Repeat customersNumber of reviews that mention returning or being a regular customer.85

Min puppy age

2 months

Pricing

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