St Francis is our first call anytime we plan travel to the Williamsburg area to visit family, when our little buddy Rudy needs accommodations. The folks at St Francis are friendly and well-organized, and they've always been open flexible when travel plans changed. Highly recommend. read more

NEGLECTFUL!!- PLEASE KEEP YOUR ANIMALS SAFE AND AVOID HERE- Our 2 dogs stayed for 1 week here, one of them coming back to us with a large and very obvious hardened black poop cap. His feces were being trapped every-time he pooped and now he is left with a huge abscess on his butt and is in pain. There is no way that staff didn't notice this. I can't imagine how many days he was suffering there. You even have to pay extra for them to have outside time, but don't expect basic care included. If this was being blatantly ignored, what else do they neglect? Do our dogs actually get fed when they should? Do they actually get taken out for the bathroom when they should? Completely unacceptable. I will warn everybody I know about this place. read more

I have boarded my two dogs here for years. When I come to pick them up they are happy to see me but then turn around to go back with the keeper! They love boarding here and are super excited when we pull into the parking lot. I cannot say enough good things about the care and love they provide my dogs. read more

First time we stayed there they kept our rabbits inside the cat room... which was fine at first and all but cats can kill rabbits with just a small scratch cuz of the diseases and infection they carry now this time they wanted to mix ferrets in as well with rabbits- if you know anything about ferrets they are carnivores and upon further research their prey is literally rabbits and anything small including rats and even fish not to mention the first time they gave us the wrong bowl and when we went back they gave us the wrong bowl AGAIN completely disorganized we decided whatever and got a new bowl for our two bunnies. I do not recommend this place for cats, rabbits, or ferrets simply because of their lack of care, and as well as the lack of play time they have out- 20 mins? Cmon you guys can do better. Cats are kept in cramp but clean boxes or "kennels" on the walls and a small lil room to play in. For animals smaller such as again rabbits and ferrets they are kept ON THE FLOOR in cages which is as you know for any prey animal is extremely dangerous. If all that wasn't enough I left a list of what they liked and disliked the first time and nice as the staff were there was this one lady who was in the small room and I went to say good bye to my babies but instead I clearly see my female in the ladies hands when my note specifically said MULTIPLE TIMES not to pick up and hold the female! It's not that hard to listen to written instructions that simple right? Either way the only good thing that came out of it is that my rabbits came back nicely groomed and smelled sweet- my main concern is my rabbits came back really desperate for attention and love and I feel like they felt neglected in their stay at that place, honestly change ur name from resort to kennel at this point cuz that's how it feels like when you go in. I can't say anything for the dog area tho cuz it seems ethical and decent but I'll never know considering we're going to be looking for some place else. Please... if you have rabbits.... don't let them stay here. read more

Exceptional facility.had to board 10 month old viewer terrier(4 lbs.).was very concerned since he's small and young and never stayed in kennel.i was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness,but most of all the staff.the young ladies that we met and spoke with were very professional and immediately put our concerns at rest.we left Brady for 7 days and he looked happy when we picked him up.this facility has someone there 24/7 ..would highly recommend . read more

I'm not sure who the other Yelp user spoke to on the phone, but St. Francis Pet Resort has always been good to me and my Bullmastiff. I've boarded my pet at St. Francis several times, and they are always very polite and professional. The receptionists are very friendly and are always helpful. Also if anything happens to my Bullmastiff while in their care, they will pay for the vet charges. I've never seen any other pet resort do that for their customers. Lastly, my dog is always treated with care and even stays in a room bigger than my bedroom at home. I would highly recommend this place if you ever need to board your pet--even if it's for a couple of hours. I ALWAYS feel safe leaving my best friend at St. Francis! read more

The best in town for pet daycare and boarding! The staff have wonderful customer service and they truly love animals.

On a recent trip, we boarded our dog for 5 hours for one afternoon. This is the first time we've ever boarded a pet before. 4 days later now, she has kennel cough. She is a "home" dog and doesn't come in contact with other dogs. We've never had experience with kennel cough before (we've had dogs for 35 years), and feel like sending St. Francis Dog Daycare the $100 vet bill from our local vet to have her seen and for the antibiotics and cough medicine!! I'm understanding kennel cough takes a VERY long time to get rid of! Great! :( Ugh!! Also I paid $9 to have a play time for the dog. I asked the vet tech, when we picked her up, if our dog played and had a good time. The vet tech told me she slept and I have to wonder if she was played with at all or if it was a waste of $9? I have no way to know, one way or the other. In fairness, I did like how they asked for detailed shot records before admitting the dog. read more

I wish I could give this place zero stars I am so unhappy. I picked my dog up today after a two week stay and I can see all his ribs he is so skinny. I thought maybe he was just stressed out and not eating while we were gone, until he started coughing. We were nickeled and dimmed over everything at this place for what? They make is seem like the dogs will be staying in a resort with around the clock vet care but clearly this is not the case. He came back sick and starving. I will never ever ever send my dog back or recommend to anyone. read more

Nice but very pricey. I took my dog here and after just one night there she seemed happy when I picked her up. When I got the final bill however, I was not. The price I had been quoted for one night to board my dog was $32. This was more than I have paid at other kennels (usually no more than $15-25 per night max) but I wanted her to be well taken care of so I agreed. When I got the final bill I saw that they had added in a whole bunch of additional fees I had not been made aware of beforehand and quite frankly I was mad that I had been charged. The final bill was $47! How many people want to pay almost $50 per night to board their dog???? Too much for my blood. I probably wont be back. read more

Great place. The staff is very responsible, and the facility is very modern and professional. You can go for day boarding in an individual suite, or you can get play care which is supervised dog day care in a group. Our dog stayed here four days, not overnight, and was very interested in returning each day. I thought the price was very reasonable, between 20 and 30 depending on the type of care. The communal play area for play care is not huge, but acceptably sized. The staff did a careful intake for play care to insure that our dog would mix well with others, which I thought was very responsible. read more

Tried calling to get info on boarding our dog there during our vacation in the area. The receptionist was so rude and seemed like it was a hassle to answer the phone and my questions. She also kept getting phone calls and seemed way overwhelmed that she had to answer another call and had me on the phone at the same time. Isn't this a common occurance as a receptionist??! Won't ever call there again or consider using this establishment. Management: Front line people and their customer service skills make a HUGE difference in your business and reputation!!!! read more

I live in Hampton, and drive up to Williamsburg to board my dog here whenever I'm out of town. I looked for many places in Hampton Roads but couldn't help but fall in love with this St. Francis pet resort! The staff is always so friendly and I love that they have somebody here 24/7! It's also convenient that there is a Vet right next door. The prices are reasonable and my pup has so much fun!! She gets play care and if the weather is bad, the staff still takes them on nature walks! I highly recommend this place:) read more

I've taken my dog here for daycare several times and he is always happy. The staff is very friendly and I feel safe taking my dog here. The only "cons" I can think of are that the outside area is not very big and they are VERY strict about what heartworm medications your dog has to be on (which is good and bad, I guess). Overall, definitely recommended though. read more

I very rarely write a review--especially not a bad one--but since our cat is a part of our family, I feel compelled to give St. Francis Pet Resort, Williamsburg, VA a one star. Lucy was supposed to be at St. Francis for 9 days, but we managed to make it only five. Day 1--I took her in the late afternoon and told them she was picky, so feed her only the food I left. Day 2--we were traveling. Day 3--we were in a mall in Denver when we received a call from St. Francis around noon EST. Lucy wasn't eating so the staff decided to "tempt" her with wet food. (She hates wet food). When that didn't work they segued to the food they normally use--completely disregarding what I told them. The staff member also said that Lucy had lost almost a pound. Considering she weighs 9 pounds that would mean she lost 11% of her body weight in less than 2 days (highly unlikely). I told them to put her back on her own food and we would talk later. Day 4--another call, same story, except this time they wanted to put her on an appetite stimulant. Day 5--yep, we received a call before breakfast. They were terribly concerned because she was losing so much weight and they wanted to send her to the vet. I asked about her bowel movements and yes, she'd had one. Hmm, without eating? It was time to help Lucy escape from St. Francis. A good friend said she would pick Lucy up and do the feeding and litter box duty. It took me about ten minutes to set that up and call St. Francis. In that length of time, Lucy had already had her vet visit, to the tune of $50, and had been pronounced healthy. As the icing on this cup cake, they lost her collar and Home Away tag. Lucy's happy and healthy at home, and we enjoyed the last 4 days of our vacation. read more

My boyfriend and I recently boarded our 5 month old puppy here while staying at a nearby resort. We were super nervous parents since Georgi had never been boarded before. Thankfully, the employees were super reassuring and genuinely seem to care about each pet in their care. The prices are a bit more expensive than other places I checked out, but since he shared a suite with my boyfriend's parents' dogs it wasn't too bad split between the three of them. Plus, the many extra benefits also make up for the extra cost (on call vet, 3 guaranteed outside potty breaks, automatic water refillers, etc). I really respect and appreciate how open they were about their facility. We were able to observe his assessment (for play care) through a window, though it seems many places do not allow this. When we asked to see where he was staying they immediately lead us to the back to see him. They even gave us a little tour when we expressed interest in seeing their Presidential suites. On one of the days there, a Saturday I believe, we took Georgi out to some dog friendly places. When we brought him back he willingly went back with one of the employees. Definitely a good sign. If anything, I was a little hurt at how easily he left us :( Altogether, the total was a little under $120 from dropping him off on Thursday and picking him up Sunday. This included 2 half-day play care sessions and a $15 1 on 1 bundle (a cuddle session and "fetch" session). It should be mentioned that Georgi came down with kennel cough a day or two after returning home. But these situations aren't 100% avoidable and it doesn't seem as though this is a recurring problem at their facility. His parent's dogs are fine so Georgi likely contacted it from play care. (Edit: both of his parent's dogs came down with kennel cough, it just took a little longer to show) Overall, the experience was good enough that we would use their services again for our annual Williamsburg vacation. read more

I have taken my dog to St. Francis for boarding since she was a baby (4 years now) and they always treat her right. Not the cheapest place around but, let's be honest, you get what you pay for. They're professional, friendly, my dog leaves happy and tired, and there's a vet right next door if there are ever any problems. read more

Recently I needed a place to board my dog for the day. After reading the reviews and calling the resort for further information I chose St Francis. Over the phone I learned the cost of day board would include a minimum of three opportunities to go outside. The cost of an 8x10 room for the day was expensive at $35. However, I thought three trips outside would be a nice way to break up the day for my dog. I had only seen the resort in pictures and was pleased to see it was just as nice in reality. Although it is a large building on a very small parcel of land, which means the outside facilities are quite crowded. It's clean and well organized and the employees I interacted with seemed pleasant. My dog was resigned to going, can't say he was happy about it but he seemed accepting of the situation. I expressed my concerns to the employees since this is the first time my dog has ever been boarded as he normally stays with my pet sitter. I asked if it was possible to send me a quick text to tell me how my dog was faring after my departure. They said they would text and let me know how it was going. However, instead of texting they left a voicemail which I had a great deal of trouble hearing as I was in an extremely noisy enjoinment for the entire day. But from what I could make out my dog was extremely nervous. I received further clarification when I went to pick him up. What they meant was my poor dog was so unsettled by the other dogs that he did not want to go outside during his "outside time" which I understand is supposed to last twenty minutes. Being in an unfamiliar place with lots of barking dogs my dog was to stressed to go out. At $35. a day I think a staff member should have taken ten minutes to walk him to another area of the resort that was not so congested with other dogs, at least to give him the opportunity to go to the bathroom. No other option was given to my dog other than go out into the stock yard type environment. The enclosures are small rock areas linked together by chain link fencing. There may be multiple dogs out with only a metal fence separating them. The second day was a repeat of the first with my dog left in his room for eight hours without a potty break. Plus, even though I again asked for a text I did not get a text or a phone call. So. while the resort is fine, although the play areas are quite small, I was not impressed with the service. I felt like I paid a high price for services I did not get and more importantly I felt the comfort of my dog was compromised. When I am back in the area again I will look for another place that will take more of a personal interest in the well being of my dog. read more

Packaging is everything. You don't get what is advertised. You have the impression that your dog will be in a special place. But as a practical matter unless you are in a Suite, your dog is in a dimly lit 6x6 concrete pen with a door to a 30x10 concrete exercise area which is opened for their use 4-5x a day. A tiny TV is set high up on a wall in a corner and the dog can not see or even hear the programs. The only thing that comes with the cell is water. Everything else is charged. In effect you can easily double your daily charge if you ask for a meal with a cookie. St Francis is the Delta airlines of the boarding community. As for the quality of the care we'll have to see what happens at week's end. read more

This was a fantastic boarding kennel. The area was very clean and the employees very nice. You could tell the dogs were having a good time. We will definitely take our dog there next time in Williamsburg. read more

This place is amazing for boarding! The front desk staff members are so friendly, PROFESSIONAL and loving towards pets. When we went on vacation from 02/11/2011-02/14/2011 we felt at ease leaving our dog with St. Francis for the first time. We added "Yappie Hour" and "cuddle time" to our boarding package, which our dog loved! When we picked her up the front desk manager read us her daily report (without us having to ask for one). The invoice also had our dog's picture on it. Overall, in my opinion, this is the BEST pet resort in Williamsburg, and I'm only upset that I didn't board our dog here sooner! Thank you, St. Francis, and we will be back! read more

I recently took my dog to St. Francis Pet Resort for boarding and playcare. With the price they charge, you would think they would have the staff take good care of your pet. Not the case!! When my dog was picked up from St. Francis he was injured, and covered with feces. His eyes were caked with goop. Granted he did not receive a bath before he left, but this just indicates the condition he had to endure for his week stay. Two days later his nose is warm and he is still sleeping all day trying to recover. If you love your pet do not take him to St. Francis. read more

My wife and I came to Williamsburg for a 2-day holiday, and brought our dog here for doggie day care on an extremely busy holiday weekend. Our dog is a doggie day care regular, and we've used various franchised and non-franchised services on our trips up and down the East Coast. We had very friendly, informative, and professional staff over the phone, and we were able to get our dog in an hour earlier than the appointment for his evaluation. St. Francis was booked solid, so they could have easily have turned us away, which a different doggie day care facility in Williamsburg did, in fact. I did not notice any difference in the level of service between their local/regular customers and out-of-town customers. Reviews that say otherwise sound like they may have a personal problem. I would rate St. Francis as superior to other doggie day care facilities we've used, and I would definitely recommend coming back here again. read more