Please share, in detail if possible.  What did you like, what did you dislike, do your animals have special needs, how much did it cost, where are you located, etc.?  What would make you become/stay a loyal customer?

Wow, don't everybody reply at once, you might crash the server.

have boarded my dogs twice
1st time was with my brother's mother in law (she actualy runs a dog kennel) was around 25 a day and she took excelent care of "fido"
2nd time was at one of those pet spa things (got a 1 yr old lab and they have a pool for the dogs to swim in so I figured what the heck this was december in WI)
Dropped of both dogs on fri night, the owner was out there and took possesion of my dogs and seemd very friendly and knowledable. When we picked up the dogs on sun night both dogs had to go pee so bad that the lab couldnt hold it till we got outside and piddled on the floor. One week later my lab is acting really weird and not drinking at all. I make a call to the vet they say get him in right now (actualy it was "how fast can you get here).
So I take the dog in and they run all kinds of tests, it turns out he got kennel cough (he has gotten the vacine). Cost for the weekend not including vet bills was over 200 bucks for two dogs.

Bottom line do some research and use word of mouth advertising. If at all possible let your dog/s stay with someone you know or someone you trust knows.

We board 3 of our dogs several times a year.  Cost is $9 per dog per day.  We drive about 40 minutes out into the country because my wife feels that country vets and their help are better people and do a better job.  Never have had any trouble with them picking up any diseases.  Country vets are cheaper on shots and such too.  Been going to him about 10 years.

I always tell them they are going to doggie camp.    

I believe that pet boarding is illegal and immoral.  It's far worse than water boarding.

We board our 3 1/2 y/o yellow lab about once a year or so.  We had no problems until she went home with the wrong family for 3 days while our family went on a cruise a few summers ago.  Apparently, there were about 7 yellows at the kennel at the same time and she got put back in the wrong run after her daily exercise with "the general population".  The husband came to pick up their dog and obviously wasn't paying attention.  The wife came home 3 days later from her business trip (they had no kids) and promptly said, "That's not Molly!".

The kennel owners knew when my wife was going to pick our dog up and had the couple and Molly meet her at the facility.  Before they explained it all to my wife she saw them and remarked, "That's looks EXACTLY like my dog".  They replied, "We know!" and proceeded to tell my wife what happened.  The two dogs were almost identical down to the 2" scar on their inside left, back leg from tumors that had been removed when they were puppies.  It's a good thing for them that my wife is pretty easy going.  If it had been me, I would have been apoplectic.

In the 30 years this kennel was in business, they said, it had never happened before.  Needless to say, we don't board our dog there anymore.

ETA:  They usually charge by the pound - We pay $14.00/day.  Our dog weighs 85 lbs.

I board dogs as part of my training facility.  I would check into the ABKA for recommendations.  The more exclusive they are about accepting animals [i.e. demanding vet certification on animals etc.] the better your chances.  I would recommend not boarding your dog with more than 20 dogs in a facility as the noise is hard on their hearing.   http://www.abka.com/abka/

Patty

I've tried boarding my cats before, and it was both expensive, and the cats really hated it.  My oldest Calico refused to eat the whole time, and I boarded the 2 cats in a large "2 bedroom" suite cage for the 10 days I was away, and they started picking on each other and had to be separated.  My bill after 10 days was almost 700.00 for 2 cats, special food for the finicky one, and some minor first aid.  

The next time I went away, I had someone come into my home once a day and clean the litter box and feed them.  It cost me 125.00 and the cats were very happy.

Sorry, but that's the road I'm travelling from now on when I go on vacation.

I board my Lab when we go on vacation.

Ask for a tour of the place before you commit. Ask if they require all the dogs to have their shots up to date (including kennel cough).

I have boarded with small town vets in the past.  Not real happy.  Dog was underfed and filthy when I went to get him.

B.I.L. boarded his 2 year old Lab at one of the posh doggy spas on the north side of Atlanta.  He picked the dog up 5 days later, and the dog was acting meek as he was put in his run at home (unusual for a 2 tear old lab).

The dog was dead the next morning.  Had a necropsy done and found out the SOB's at the kennel had beat the dog so badly, they ruptured several internal organs.  The dog died a very painful death.

I might leave a dog with my brother in the future, but NEVER one of those dog warehouses.

I am DVM. Do not board animals here, but can give details of who does in the area. IM attempted to you, but not accepted by you.