How to choose a pet hotel in Turkey: checklist and what sets the 2026 price

A good pet hotel in Turkey holds a work permit from the provincial directorate of the Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry), has a contracted vet, asks for up to date vaccine and parasite records for every guest, and invites you to tour the premises beforehand. Always visit in person before you book and see with your own eyes where the animals sleep and where they are walked. The price depends on the city, the species and size of your pet, the type of room, the length of stay and any extras.

Below you will find a checklist for your visit, the questions to ask and the factors that set the price.

The legal framework: permit and vet

In Turkey, places where pets are kept temporarily, such as guesthouses, boarding kennels and pet hotels, count as "barınma yeri" (boarding premises). They fall under the Regulation on Pet Breeding, Sale, Boarding and Training Premises (Ev Hayvanlarının Üretim, Satış, Barınma ve Eğitim Yerleri Hakkında Yönetmelik), first published in the Resmî Gazete (Official Gazette) on 8 October 2011 and updated in 2022, when the word "süs" (ornamental) was removed from its title. Under the regulation:

These businesses must obtain a çalışma izin belgesi (work permit) from the provincial directorate before opening.
The permit application requires a contract of at least one year with a vet working in a practice, clinic, polyclinic or animal hospital, approved by the regional chamber of veterinarians (article 6, as amended in 2020). This workplace vet is responsible for hygiene, health, preventive care and vaccination of the animals on site.
Animals on the premises must be identified and registered, and a handover record (teslim tutanağı) is kept for every animal left there (articles 14 and 15).
Boarding and training premises require vaccinations and parasite treatment on admission and do not accept puppies or kittens younger than two months (article 13).

These provisions appear in the current text after the amendments of 18 February 2020 and 6 April 2022.

In practice, you can ask the hotel for its work permit and the name of its responsible vet. If a place avoids showing them, think twice.

Visit checklist

Book a visit, but if you can, go at a busy time of day. Compare what you see with this list.

Topic	What you should see
Smell and cleanliness	A light animal smell is normal; a sharp smell of urine or faeces is not
Living space	A dry, clean room or pen big enough for your pet to stand, turn around and lie down
Ventilation and temperature	Cool in summer, warm in winter; not in direct sun or a draught
Water	A clean, full water bowl in every space
Walks and play	Clear answers on how often, for how long and with whom pets go out
Cat area	Separate from dogs, quiet, with hiding places and high shelves
Isolation	A separate area for sick or newly arrived animals
Security	Double door system, solid fencing, measures against escape
Staff	Whether someone stays on site overnight, and how many staff look after how many animals
Records	An admission form for each animal and a log of feeding and medication

Questions to ask

Which vaccines do you require? A good hotel wants rabies and combination vaccines to be current; for dogs, kennel cough vaccination is often asked about too. The Merck Veterinary Manual says kennel cough spreads quickly in enclosed, crowded settings such as boarding kennels and doggy day care. A hotel that asks for no vaccine records at all is a risk.
Who is your responsible vet, and what happens in an emergency? Find out which clinic your pet would go to at night or at the weekend, and how you would be told.
Do the animals stay together? A shared play area suits some dogs and stresses others. You can ask for separate walks depending on your dog's character.
Can I bring my pet's own food? A sudden change of food can cause diarrhoea. Hand over the food together with written mealtimes.
Can you give medication? If your pet takes regular medicine, agree who gives it and how.
Will you send me daily updates? You can ask for a photo or short video and news about appetite and toilet habits. If you don't speak Turkish, check at this point that someone at the hotel can reply in a language you share.
Can we do a trial stay? For a pet boarding for the first time, a one night trial before a long holiday reduces stress.

Warning signs

Reluctance to show you round, or meeting you at the door with "let's not disturb the animals"
No questions about vaccine and parasite records
Crowded, cramped and dirty pens
Cats and dogs kept in the same area, able to see and hear each other
Nobody on site at night
A price far below the market, with no clarity on what is included

What sets the price

There is no official national tariff for pet hotels in Turkey, so we don't give a price range here. Ask several hotels in your province for a quote for the same dates and the same services, then compare them side by side. Prices are in Turkish lira (TL). The main factors:

City and district: The same service can cost different amounts in different provinces and neighbourhoods; compare several hotels in your area.
Species and size: Prices differ between cats and dogs, and between small and large breeds.
Room type: A shared area, an individual pen or a private room with a camera are priced differently.
Length of stay: The nightly rate can drop for longer stays.
Season: Turkish public holidays (bayram) and summer are the busiest periods; you may need to book early.
Extras: Individual walks, training, grooming, pick up and drop off, and special food can be charged separately.
Medication and special care: There may be a surcharge for older or sick pets or those on regular medication.

When you ask for a price, get the total and what it includes in writing. Also ask how the nightly rate counts the arrival and departure days.

Before the stay

Take the vaccination card or pet passport, the microchip number and your vet's contact details.
Make sure internal and external parasite treatments are up to date.
Leave your pet's own bed, or a T shirt that smells of you.
Write a short note about feeding, toilet habits and fears.
Give the phone number of a second person who can be reached in an emergency.

If you can't decide between a hotel and a sitter at home, see our comparison: pet hotel or pet sitter for your holiday.

Frequently asked questions

Which vaccines does a pet hotel need?

Hotels usually ask for current rabies and combination vaccines; for dogs, kennel cough vaccination is often required too. Get the hotel's list in advance and plan the timing with your vet.

How can I tell whether a pet hotel is licensed?

The regulation requires these businesses to hold a work permit from the provincial directorate. You can ask the hotel for its work permit and the name of its responsible vet.

Do cats get stressed in a pet hotel?

Some cats are sensitive to a change of surroundings. A quiet cat area away from dogs, with places to hide, reduces stress; for some cats a sitter at home works better.

Why do pet hotel prices vary so much?

City, room type, your pet's size, the season and extras all set the price. When comparing, ask in writing what is included.