Bone Voyage Villas gives dogs a vacation of their own

Rich Palzewic

Staff

April 6, 2026

HOBART – Pet owners in Northeast Wisconsin will soon have a new place to turn when traveling.

Bone Voyage Villas, a pet care facility led by Jenny Basten, is set to open this July in Hobart.

Opening at 5076 Founders Terrace in the Village of Hobart’s Centennial Boulevard area, Basten said Bone Voyage Villas is designed to give pet owners peace of mind while they’re away.

“I also own The Suite Life on Green Bay’s east side, which is another dog-boarding facility,” Basten, who co-owns Bone Voyage with two other individuals – including her daughter, said. “We have quite the wait list at The Suite Life, and a lot of our clients come from Suamico, Howard and Hobart – people who work on that side of town. I think the opening of Bone Voyage will help with some of the overflow from one to the other. Bone Voyage will basically be the same [as The Suite Life], but it will be a little fancier version.”

Basten said she initially wasn’t looking at Hobart as a possible location, but after Bayland Buildings – the general contractor of the project – reached out, she thought it was the “perfect location.”

“The Centennial Boulevard area of Hobart is growing, with a lot of activity,” she said. “I was originally looking at the Howard-Suamico area, but it’s really hard to find land there. When Tom [Ambrosius from Bayland] called me out of the blue, I knew I had to look into it. I knew I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.”

Hobart Village Administrator Aaron Kramer said Bone Voyage is a unique and exciting addition to Centennial Centre’s business community.

“I am looking forward to seeing all of the amenities they are bringing to Hobart for our canine residents and their owners,” he said. “It will definitely fill a niche for the village and the surrounding area. Bone Voyage is one of several new additions coming in 2026, and we have only reached April, with more to come.”

A dog-friendly area

The location is a natural fit, Basten said, pointing to its dog-friendly surroundings.

In addition to the 266-unit, dog-friendly complex Ambrosius said was being constructed in the village, Basten said “there are several other complexes that are dog-friendly there as well.”

“It’s also right on and off the highway, so it’s in a convenient location as well,” she said.

Basten said The Suite Life – located at 1950 Donbea St. in Bellevue – draws many customers from west of Hobart.

“We have people who come to The Suite Life from as far away as Bonduel and Pulaski,” she said. “Obviously, this new location will be much more convenient for them.”

Basten said the site’s location along Highway 29 near Maplewood Meats provides easy access and visibility, with nearby walking trails adding to its appeal for dog owners.

“After doing my research, I thought Hobart would be a good fit,” she said. 

Basten said the mid-March winter storm caused a slight construction delay, but she’s taking it in stride.

“Mother Nature is ultimately the boss when dealing with construction during Wisconsin winters,” she laughed. “That’s something Bayland has no control over, so it’s not something I’m worried about either – it happens.”

When she opened The Suite Life three years ago, Basten it was a similar situation.

“We started construction for The Suite Life in December, and we didn’t open until August,” she said. “In my mind, I’m saying August, but maybe I’ll be wrong.”

Ambrosius, a sales rep with Bayland, said as with any project, time is a priority.

“This time of the year isn’t ideal with the frost and snow,” he said. “When the frost and snow finally melt, then we deal with the mud. Our goal is to finish as quickly as we can so the owners can start generating income.”

What’s offered

When completed, Basten said Bone Voyage will offer a splash pad for pups to play in, a big indoor play area with garage doors and several indoor/outdoor suites.

“We’ll have a minimum of three fenced-in outdoor areas, maybe four,” she said. “It depends on what we want and what will work as we get closer to completion. We’ll also have doggy daycare and overnight boarding options as well.”

Basten said there will be 36 suites available for dog owners to choose from.

“There are several different size options,” she said. “Twelve of them will include TVs and furniture, with couches and love seats to make it homey. There will also be six indoor/outdoor suites that will lead to their own terrace. On top of that, there will be an extra 16 kennels for overflow.”

In all, Basten said Bone Voyage will have 13,182 square feet of available space, which will also include Eli’s Top Dog Bakery – her dog bakery.

The bakery, she said, produces treats, food toppers, custom cakes, dog bandanas and more.

“Right now, we operate the bakery out of our home,” she said. “We also have a doggy food truck where we go to brewpubs and events around the community. With the opening of Bone Voyage, we’ll have our own kitchen and a boutique shop in the space, too.”

A doggy vision

Basten said owning a dog business had been a dream of hers since she was 14.

She said she started considering a second location about a year after opening The Suite Life.

“I have worked at some other doggy daycares, doing bookwork and then helping if they needed help,” she said. “I have also volunteered for nonprofits like animal shelters. Back in the day, I also walked dogs for the humane society.”

Basten said her love of dogs has fueled her work, and is excited that The Suite Life’s success led to Bone Voyage. 

“I have four dogs myself,” she said. “It’s a really cool job to be in.”

With the upcoming opening of Bone Voyage, Basten said she and her business partners will “obviously” have to hire more staff.

“We’re in the process of hiring more employees right now,” she said. “We have one manager who’s hired, and we will obviously be hiring more as it gets closer to opening. The two girls who are part owners are going to be between both The Suite Life and Bone Voyage. They pretty much run the show and have the best, upbeat attitudes. I legit couldn’t do it without them.”