Which business has more review volume to judge consistency?

K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex, with 994 reviews at 4.9 stars compared to The Pet Wagon Hotel's 190 reviews at 4.8 stars.

Which is better for an anxious or reactive dog?

The Pet Wagon Hotel, whose owners are specifically praised for matching dogs into play groups by temperament and handling anxious or reactive dogs with care.

Has either business had complaints about crowding?

K9 Resorts Apex had one review citing 80+ dogs in a play area with staff appearing overworked, though this was an outlier among otherwise strong feedback.

The Pet Wagon Hotel vs K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex: which fits daycare & boarding?

Updated 2026-07-20 · 1,089 reviewed · 117 listed · How we rank ›

Both of these Durham-area operators score well above 90 in our composite ranking, so this comes down to fit rather than quality gap. The real question for daycare and boarding is how each place handles group sizes and matching, which we break down below using our methodology.

Verdict

The Pet Wagon Hotel fits best if your dog needs individual attention or has anxiety or reactivity issues, since the owners personally match dogs into compatible groups at a smaller scale. K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex fits best if you want the reassurance of a much larger review base and don't mind a bigger, busier facility, though the single overcrowding complaint is worth weighing if your dog struggles in high-volume settings.

Which should you pick?

Pick The Pet Wagon Hotel if

Your dog is anxious, reactive, or otherwise needs careful temperament matching
You want an owner-operated facility with consistent daily photo updates, including weekends
You'd rather have a smaller, more personal operation over a high-volume one

Pick K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex if

You want the deepest review track record (994 reviews at 4.9 stars) to reduce guesswork
Your dog does well in larger group settings and you're comfortable with a bigger facility
You want report cards with photos and a named GM overseeing behavior and grouping

Side by side

Criterion	The Pet Wagon Hotel	K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex
Google rating	4.8 (190 reviews)	4.9 (994 reviews)
Services	daycare boarding, grooming, dog training, puppy daycare	daycare boarding, grooming, dog training, puppy daycare
Best for anxious/reactive dogs	Strong fit, owners specifically praised for this	Not a stated specialty
Best for high-volume/social dogs	Good, but smaller-scale operation	Strong fit if crowding isn't a concern
Boarding track record	Consistent long-term repeat clients	Praised for week-long boarding with size-based grouping
Verification	Google-verified	Google-verified
Composite score	91	90

Google rating: The Pet Wagon Hotel: 4.8 (190 reviews); K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex: 4.9 (994 reviews)
Services: The Pet Wagon Hotel: daycare boarding, grooming, dog training, puppy daycare; K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex: daycare boarding, grooming, dog training, puppy daycare
Best for anxious/reactive dogs: The Pet Wagon Hotel: Strong fit, owners specifically praised for this; K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex: Not a stated specialty
Best for high-volume/social dogs: The Pet Wagon Hotel: Good, but smaller-scale operation; K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex: Strong fit if crowding isn't a concern
Boarding track record: The Pet Wagon Hotel: Consistent long-term repeat clients; K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex: Praised for week-long boarding with size-based grouping
Verification: The Pet Wagon Hotel: Google-verified; K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex: Google-verified
Composite score: The Pet Wagon Hotel: 91; K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex: 90

Within 3 points of each other, so treat them as effectively tied on overall quality. The choice below is about fit, not the score.

What reviewers say

The Pet Wagon Hotel

Long-term clients return year after year, praising staff attentiveness and the daily photo updates. The business matches dogs into play groups by energy level and temperament, earning trust from owners with difficult, anxious, or high-energy dogs who thrive here.

K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex

Dogs repeatedly come home exhausted and eager to return. Staff-especially General Manager Dean and owner Larkin-treat pets as family and communicate through report cards with photos. The facility impresses on first visit with cleanliness and professionalism, and reviewers trust the supervision and size-based grouping for both daycare and week-long boarding.

One reviewer raised serious concerns about overcrowding, reporting 80+ dogs in a large play area with overworked-looking staff. However, only one negative review appears in the set, and the business maintains 4.9 stars across 994 reviews. Long-term clients report consistent quality over years of visits.

Still deciding which works best?

Tell us what you need once and hear from suitable dog day care center in Durham, NC.

Enquiries submitted through our forms may be passed to partner providers who can do the work, and we may receive a referral fee. Our rankings and scores are based on our published method only, independent of any referral fees.

FAQ

Which business has more review volume to judge consistency?: K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel Apex, with 994 reviews at 4.9 stars compared to The Pet Wagon Hotel's 190 reviews at 4.8 stars.
Which is better for an anxious or reactive dog?: The Pet Wagon Hotel, whose owners are specifically praised for matching dogs into play groups by temperament and handling anxious or reactive dogs with care.
Has either business had complaints about crowding?: K9 Resorts Apex had one review citing 80+ dogs in a play area with staff appearing overworked, though this was an outlier among otherwise strong feedback.