I was very bummed upon checking into my hotel that dogs are not allowed to be left in the room unattended. Scrambling to figure something on Yelp, Joel and his awesome energy came to the rescue. I was lucky enough that there was space available for my pup the same day we called. You can tell Joel & team genuinely love puppers and really put me at ease trusting them with our dog. They are about a mile from Fishermans Wharf, easy to find, and there is street parking in front. Things to know: * Forms can be printed & completed online in advance * Have vaccination records ready (rabies super important) * Create a profile online to make an appt and they can accept the morning of * Advance booking preferred for holidays read more

Very friendly staff. Joel is very dedicated in taking care of the fur babies. Our pet was well taken care of. Will be using their service in future without hesitation! Thank you Joel and team. read more

We went to Monterey last minute with our dog and needed a place for her during the day while we went to the spa. They were incredibly friendly, accommodating, and made the whole process so easy! Most importantly, our dog came back so happy and well cared for. It gave us so much peace of mind knowing she was in good hands. Highly recommend!!! And they accommodate last minute :) read more

So lucky to have found this boarding business for my dog! I was able to get in same day for a very long stay. I thought pricing was very reasonable, and I love that my small dog was able to play with others and sleep in a comfortable environment. I really had nightmares on boarding him but I think this situation was great and he was happy! It felt like he was on vacation too! I set up a bath for my dog the day of big up and he was clean and dry when I came to pick up! Will return without a doubt. read more

Absolutely wonderful and kind staff. First time for our new rescue pup to have a professional grooming. They took extra care to allow our fur baby to become comfortable to their people for her appointment. Superior quality of professionalism and compassion to owners and their pets. I would recommend highly to any one who appreciates a business based on kindness and makes customers and their pets feel like family! Our pup was so calm and happy upon picking her up! Very grateful and looking forward to her future regular grooming appointments read more

We booked our dog here for a monterey trip and they treated him very well. He was scared but the staff were incredibly kind. Cute facility too read more

My Dalmatian is so happy here! Drop off and pick ups are low stress and staff is friendly. My dog runs into the owners arms at every greeting ! (dogs sense the love right)? Don't forget they offer grooming, etc ! 10 stars happy fur-mom ! read more

I've been bringing my cat, Luna, to Home Away From Home for grooming for about a year or two now, and I'm especially grateful for the care and patience Michelle shows her. Luna is a medium-haired, three-year-old cat who is the definition of a diva when it comes to baths and nail trims--particularly if there are dogs anywhere nearby (she's an only-cat household kind of girl). Michelle handles her with so much calm and professionalism, even when Luna's swiping, yowling, or generally making it very clear she's not thrilled to be there. It's never felt like Luna was rushed through or turned away, and that means a lot--cat grooming isn't easy, and I appreciate that Michelle sticks with her, month after month. Also, small but meaningful detail: Luna has a habit of peeing in her carrier when stressed, and Michelle and the team are always kind and understanding about it, never making me feel bad or embarrassed. The staff overall has improved a lot recently too. I used to feel a bit judged or confused about policies during check-in/check-out with a previous front desk person, but the current crew is much more welcoming, communicative, and clear. If you have a cat--especially one with feelings about dogs--and are looking for a place that's patient, skilled, and won't turn you away when things get a little feisty, I really recommend this place. I cannot speak to dog services or boarding at all. read more

Home Away From Home has been fantastic with our tiny min pin. We have done daily care as well as overnights. I can recommend the team here 100% read more

I've been taking my little diva teacup Chihuahua to Home Away From Home now for almost a year and I have to tell you the care there is excellent. My little diva can be a handful and they know how to handle her and give her the special attention that she needs the staff is excellent. The owner is excellent and I feel comfortable with bringing her there. I'm really picky. They make sure she's safe and only mingles with small dogs, she only weighs about 4 pounds so they give her the extra care she needs and not getting trampled on by other dogs thank you to Alexis, Amanda, Rob and Joel, the owner, for taking care of my sweet little diva. Joette read more

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As a Yelper, I prefer to review food and drink businesses. However, after my experience at Home Away From Home, I felt compelled to write a review so others would know it. This review is strictly for their boarding services. Going to Monterey for the weekend, we needed to find a place that could board my pup. After reading reviews and looking at their website, I realized Home Away From Home seemed perfect! I appreciated how fast they communicated with me through text and how quickly we could make a reservation after showing proof of her vaccinations. The one caveat is that they have limited staff for the weekend and only allowed us to drop her off between 10-10:30 and pick her up between 4-4:30. Coming over 2 hours away; we were pretty pressed to make it to drop off with such a small window. It would've been ideal to be able to drop her off and pick her up whenever, but what can you do about short staffing and business rules? When we entered, everything felt rushed, and the interactions with staff weren't too friendly. I filled out the required form in detail, provided staff instructions for her feeding specific toys she should have, and noted information in our form. For having such a long form, you'd expect them to read it before boarding, right? NOPE. They whisked my pup away and told me to leave her carrier on the couch and return promptly at 4 pm. When I picked her up, this is where questions and concerns were raised. None of the front of the house staff were there--only the back of the house. Miscommunication arose because the staff present weren't sure if my requests were received. First, during drop-off, they told me we'd pay once we picked her up. Yet they charged me right at 11 am. We are a teacher family (which I put in the form), and the discount wasn't honored until I called them. They said they'd make the exception since it was their mistake--thank you! What angered me the most was when I got her carrier; I saw her food and toy still there. They did not feed my puppy or give her a toy (she went over 10 hours without food). When I conversed with the back-of-house staff, they said they were never told to feed her. When I called the next day, they only brought up their mistake once I did, and that's when they confessed they were busy and forgot. Frustrating, to say the least. There was also a minor miscommunication about where she was boarded and had to relieve herself, which was cleared up during our phone conversation. I'm still upset by the quality of care and service provided at Home Away From Home, as it didn't feel like a home for my pup. I appreciate how fast they texted me, called me back the following day to clear the air, and honored my discount. Things could have been more accurate, and confusion arose, so if you board your dog here, be sure both parties are well aware of requests. read more

We are from out of town and needed someone to watch our guy for a half day. After submitting a request for reservation on their website, they sent a quick text to confirm vaccines/documents and by the next day we were able to drop him off and pick up with no issues. Talk about easy peasy! Thank you Home away from home for taking care of our big guy. read more

Home Away From Home - Teddie the Rottie enjoying the facility - Pet Groomers Near Me - Monterey, California

Stars Still bringing my new pups there and it's just a perfect place where I know my furry babies are very safe. My dogs are so happy to be there and when they come back home they are tired from playing with the other doggies so I get a break:) Thank you so much to all of the great people that work there! You are amazing!! read more

staff poorly trained hard to get ahold of they just want your money and will tell you anything that sounds good they switch the story up about what the day/ night entails for the dog not flexible too nonchalant and the guy at night is only watching tv my dog was soaking in her pee staff doesn't approach dogs like they properly should they don't bother to ask what the dog does/doesn't like and don't take into consideration every dog is different they just don't care it's not just black and white thinking they have u fill out a bunch of paperwork when u get there so ur crammed in this tiny office with a bunch of other ppl and a bunch of dogs and they have their child running around waving food in the air they told me my dog was fine but I picked her up and she was soaking in her urine and smelled like urine i would never drop my dog off here again ! in 2015 I found an article that says they killed 15 dogs by leaving a dryer on. DONT LET THEM FOOL YOU! read more

Found them for overnight boarding for our impromptu trip to Monterey. Check in and out was a breeze, staff very friendly. So glad we chose them! read more

I am sitting here watching the National Dog Show on Thanksgiving, and I was reminded of Home Away From Home pet spa. Why? Because every time I take my American Eskimo to be groomed, he comes out looking like he's ready for a dog show! He gets a full bath (shampoo, condition, brush, dry, ears, and nail clipping) and his snow white fur is once again fluffy and gorgeous. Best of all, he doesn't come out smelling like a dog afterwards. The staff is very friendly and accommodating, offering many different options for appointments if they don't have the one you want. I highly recommend! read more

Home Away From Home - Pet Groomers Near Me - Monterey, California

Staff was very friendly and seemed to really care about our dogs. My daughter and I took a trip up to Monterey and needed a place for a few hours for our dogs. We found Home Away From Home and we're pleased with the facility, price and the staff. Definitely would leave my dog here again. Thank you!! read more

Joel and his staff are the best! i hosted my first dinner party in years after sending Marty (an emotional and challenging Golden Retriever) to an overnight at HAFH. I was free to prepare and host without worrying about having things snatched from the table or counters, and Marty had a great sleepover. The staff love and understand our dog. it was nice to get a break. A win-win for all. Marty has boarded here for years when we travel. After this experience, he will be getting more "Staycations" soon. We LOVE HAFH. read more

In November 2022, my cousin passed away unexpectedly. The year before she had adopted a shih tzu-poodle mix from the shelter. It was clear he was the product of a backyard breeder and that he had been abused. As a result he has fear aggression making him almost impossible for outsiders to interact with him, much less groom him. We tried to groom him ourselves- he nips and sometimes bites. His veterinarian recommended giving him a sedative whenever he needs doctor visits or grooming appts. Even with sedation, he is STILL a challenge. We won't give up on him. Monterey Pet Spa understands this. They won't give up on him either- when most groomers would likely turn him away they continue to give him the level of care that I know most wouldn't. AMANDA HAS BEEN AMAZING! She has been so patient and kind to him. He couldn't be in better hands. THANK YOU SO MUCH! read more

we are from out of town and used home away from home for doggie daycare last year. This year we returned to the area for 2 months and Jasper is thrilled to be back. all the staff know his name as soon as I walk in. they are kind and clearly love animals. when my dog runs to the door when I mention doggie daycare I know it's a wonderful place. efficient drop off and pick up. Thank you to all the staff. I know it starts from the top down. read more

A safe spot for your fur babies! This was my first time doing pet boarding. I have *different* pets lol not a cat or dog, but two female guinea pigs! I was having trouble finding pet boarding for them near Oakland where I live. So we ended up bringing them on our weekend getaway to Monterey. I thought I could just sneak them into our hotel, but they make noise sometimes and make it harder to sleep and relax at night when they're in the same small hotel room as us. So, after night 1, I searched for pet boarding in the area. I was so lucky to find HAFH! We were staying along Munras Ave near downtown Monterey and HAFH was only a 5 min drive from our hotel. I texted them in the morning and got a reply several hours later. I was able to check them in soon after. I really appreciate that HAFH was able to take us in on short notice. When I got there, I handed over the blankets, food bowls, towels, food, and playpen we had on us. Just remember all the things you give them and make sure you get it all back at the end! When we came to pick the girls up, we didn't get our bowls back so we had to come back for those. Due to COVID, you have to stay outside, but they have a split door where they open up the top half and you can interact that way. There is paperwork to fill in before checking them in. I felt good knowing my guinea pigs were in a different room than the dogs. And they were only sharing a room with one cat, and I was told there were locked enclosures so there wouldn't be a chance of interaction. Guinea pigs are so small that I would be worried about bigger animals accidentally hurting them. Texting is the best way to check-in with them. They're happy to provide updates and even a photo of your fur babies! We even got a little bonus - our girls got a bath! And they checked out their nails and got little trims here and there! Our girls were happy and healthy when we got them back. I believe they washed our blanket and bowls as well before returning them. So kind and above and beyond. I'll be back to HAFH next time I'm in Monterey! read more

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Our 7 mobile puppy's first experience at a day care while we visited the aquarium. Staff are very friendly and professional. Prices are very reasonable. read more

I've got an anxious 3.5 year old pup whose been that way since we rescued him as a puppy. He's a dog's dog, but introducing him to new things can be nerve wracking for him. But to our delight he immediately jumped into playing with the other dogs, and had a great time. He returned home so happy and so sleepy. read more

I've had to leave my fur baby with them about a handful of times and I'd say on my second visit they remembered him by name. The location is super convenient and the staff very friendly. They also offer grooming services as well as drop-off/pick-up of your pet for additional fees. Also, veteran owned. read more

I have a new puppy and brought him in for daycare for the first time. The staff was so wonderful and they sent me pictures of him playing with the other dogs. I feel so happy either our new experience. This certainly will now be his ne home away from home! I would highly recommend this place, thank you all. read more

I've been taking my dog, a 6# chihuahua, here for over a year now to get his nails trimmed and teeth brushed. They are always so good with him. Their groomer is kind, fast and efficient . read more

Monterey Pet Spa is absolutely wonderful! They took care of all 4 of my cats! First, I took my 3 cats in person on 01/05/24 and waited for about 2 1/2 hours since they did the bathing service (shampoo, conditioner, ear cleaning, and nail trimming). I was going to do the ear plunking services as well but the groomer said it wasn't necessary so they took off the service! Overall, at that time, they did a fantastic job! For my last cat today at 01/09/24 (this was the only available/soonest date they have cause their groomer(s) come in specific dates/times so be sure to ask them about their availability), I had my cat picked up and dropped off with their shuttle services (also ask due to availability). They came at a timely matter (around 10:38am) and the driver was super gentle and kind with my cat during the whole process! During this time, Monterey Pet Spa was really good with replying to me whenever I was checking in on my cat. They replied in less than 5 minutes! They gave me peace of mind that my cat was taken cared of! Overall, the experience was really nice! I recommend them for sure! I'm going to bring all 4 of my cats back in the reoccurring months! I plan to do this every 3-4 months! read more

I am absolutely so disappointed that I brought my beautiful little rabbit Bambi to this establishment.The front desk was very rude and told me that our rabbit was stressed out and started biting her fur because we were late picking her up. She has never done that ever. When they brought her out she was missing a chunk of hair and stress shedding her hair was falling out please see picture. The front desk person also charged my card without asking. She was also very unprofessional saying that she will sue me because we told her that we were going to give them a bad review. Absolutely a horrible person. I can't tell you how distressing this experience was. read more

Home Away From Home - Pet Groomers Near Me - Monterey, California

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Horrible experience and I highly recommend you do not take your dog here to be boarded. My 5 year old German Shepherd Cooper stayed here for two nights and three days. On the second day, I received a phone call asking if Cooper was allergic to anything because his snout was very swollen. I told them no, and that it was very odd this was happening. They told me they would monitor him and would have the "nurse" check him out. I received another call a couple hours later saying they had the "nurse" check him out, and that it was probably just a bee sting and asked if they could give him Benadryl. They also mentioned that the swelling had gone down a bit and that Cooper was acting fine and playing with the other dogs. I trusted their judgement and told them they could administer the Benadryl to him but to let me know if he gets worse. The following day (Friday), our friends who also boarded their dog here was picking up their dog. Home Away From Home allowed them to pick Cooper up without even asking us first. When we saw Cooper, we noticed that he was acting strange and that he was still a bit swollen. We tried to look for the "bee sting" and checked the inside of his mouth...to find he had an extremely swollen K9 tooth and two infected looking ulcers. This would have easily been seen if the so called nurse actually had taken a look at him and we would have picked him up immediately. He also had very cracked and dry skin on his snout and had a bit of dried blood, making me think he got bit by another dog. Additionally, he had extremely bad watery diarrhea and was very lethargic. Thankfully Cooper was able to be seen by our vet the same day he was picked up from Home Away From Home. The vet said that there was no way this was just a bee sting and recommended a blood test, two shots (antihistamine and a steroid to help with pain and inflammation), and also prescribed him antibiotics and a pain and inflammation medication. Our vet said it looked like bite wounds from another dog and a potential allergic reaction to a chemical. We are hoping he gets better after he finishes his medication, but won't know forsure until his next checkup in a week. It's clear that this establishment does NOT look after the dogs here. The fact that they tried to say this was just a bee sting is beyond me. This was our first time boarding Cooper and because of the experience we had, we will never board him at any kennel again. Please do yourself a favor and don't board your dog here. read more

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They have been and are fantastic with our high-energy dog Blitzy. The care Blitzy had received has been outstanding and he loves going to boarding. Thank you guys for everything, all the best :) read more

Home Away From Home - Pet Groomers Near Me - Monterey, California

My Wife and I took a mini vacation to monterey and our cat needed somewhere good to stay. What caught my eye was it is veteran owned and how well put together the site was. I sent in a stay request and the staff was so quick to reply. Everyone here is super friendly, plus it's close to where we were staying. We will definitely be back again :) Thank you! read more

Rosie comes here for her pawdicure and baths. She's had surgeries on both her acls so I'm always paranoid who I leave her with. I feel safe and secure leaving her there and she always comes out happy and clean. They do a great job with her nail maintenance as well. I am very happy we found this place. read more

Home Away From Home - Rosie lounging after spa day - Pet Groomers Near Me - Monterey, California

Take such good care of Tinkerbell She came home healthy this time. Had previously had issues when she ate another dogs food. This time they kept her away from that. Came home looking good. Trust them with our girl. Thankyou Joel and staff read more

My dog Spike is very nervous and practically afraid of his own Chihuahua shadow, huge thanks to everyone at Home away from Home for treating him with such love and compassion. We come in to get his nails trimmed and he leaves feeling much better, his nails are neat and he smells great too ( the topical spray they use is delightful) We have been coming here for over a year and will continue to do so. Thank you, we appreciate you immensely! -Spike Norman and his human Mom read more

WE LOVE THIS PLACE!! My pug Maci loves getting her bath here! She always comes home smelling so good and her nails are cut nicely! They are very accommodating and we really appreciate how much you guys care about maci gurl read more

Home Away From Home - Pug - Pet Groomers Near Me - Monterey, California

This recommendation is long overdue. First off, I am so grateful to Gabby there for being so kind and compassionate! Our petsitter cancelled on us the last second. In 10 years the dog or our kitty was never boarded! They were perfectly okay but I was so traumatized!!! Gabby took the time to assure me it was gonna be fine. It was terrific for them and they loved the experience of getting lots of love!!! Truly I knew they were so well taken care of in the week we were gone! A friend made me aware in the distant past there was bad management! Rest assured this is a great place to bring your fur babies and know they will be well taken care of and get lots of TLC read more

We are in town on vacation. Going to the aquarium for the day and didn't want to leave our fur baby in the motorhome all day. Called here to see if she could join for the day. Supplied shot record and application and she was in. She was exhausted when we picked her up at 3:30. Thanks so much. read more

My dog had an express bath and deshedding and he came back still little wet, and was shedding a lot after. I dropped him off 9:15 and I got a phone call @10:00 said it's done. 45 min and got everything done? Hard to believe. Not sure if I want to come back. The young lady at front desk is nice though:) read more

She did a wonderful job!!! We will be returning!! The service was very quick and the price was competitive!

Joel and his Staff are caring and friendly. They pride themselves in taking care of pets like they are their own. You can trust your Fur Baby with them! read more