With plenty of beautiful dog-friendly beaches, walking paths and even wineries, the South Coast of NSW is a wonderful destination for a relaxed getaway any time of year. And the perfect place to stay with your pup is the gorgeous Bannisters Pavilion, located just metres from the beach in Mollymook. Read on to find out more about our stay…
Pet Policy of Bannisters Mollymook
Bannisters Mollymook consists of multiple luxury properties: the original Bannisters by the Sea on the headland, the newer Bannisters Pavilion a few streets away, plus Rick’s Beach House and the Pavilion Beach House for larger groups.
Pets are welcome to join you at Bannisters Pavilion when you book one of their pet-friendly rooms. There are currently two Pet-Friendly Classic Rooms on the ground floor and a single Pet-Friendly Balcony Room on the first floor. Note that there is a weight limit for pets of 25kg.
Pets are also permitted to stay at Rick’s Beach House and the Pavilion Beach House, with an additional cleaning surcharge and conditions applying. Ideal for larger families or groups of friends, the former sleeps up to 12, while the latter can accommodate up to eight.
Note that pets are not permitted at Bannisters by the Sea, including the iconic Rick Stein at Bannisters Mollymook restaurant.
Pet-Friendly Rooms at Bannisters Pavilion
We stayed for two nights at Bannisters Pavilion in one of their Pet-Friendly Classic Rooms. Bannisters Pavilion is located a few blocks back from the original Bannisters by the Sea, closer to Mollymook Beach. The boutique property has just 35 rooms spread across two floors, plus two penthouse rooms.
Our Pet-Friendly Classic Room was located on the ground floor of the property and was wonderfully spacious. Decorated in muted shades of coastal chic with wooden floor boards (a necessity for damp, sandy feet and paws), as well as the king size bed there’s a pair of comfy armchairs with navy piping, a petite desk and plenty of surfaces to stash everything from dog treats to leashes.
A pair of bowls in a handy silicone stand was left in the room upon our arrival. We also appreciated the room’s small private courtyard – handy for early morning bathroom breaks without needing to venture outside of the hotel. Another pair of outdoor chairs and a small table are also provided.
Facilities at Bannisters Pavilion
Above the two floors of rooms at Bannisters Pavilion is their beautiful rooftop area, spread over two floors. Stepping out of the lift you soon spot the shimmering turquoise rooftop pool that forms the roof’s centrepiece, kept secure behind discreet glass walls.
Thanks to the chilly winter weather we skipped testing the water, although I’ve been assured that it’s heated year round. Off to one side of the pool are a row of sun loungers (with more located on the upper rooftop), but the majority of the level is home to The Rooftop Bar & Grill.
One of the standout features of staying at Bannisters Pavilion with your pet is that they are welcome to join you when dining at the Rooftop Bar & Grill, with a handful of outdoor tables reserved for guests staying at the hotel with their pets. (External visitors cannot bring along pets.) Each of the tables are under shelter, plus there are gas heaters in the outdoor area.
During our visit the restaurant and bar was open daily for dinner, with a limited menu earlier in the afternoon, including cocktails and an extensive wine list (with alcohol-free options). In contrast to the Rick Stein restaurant where the focus is on seafood, the menu at the Rooftop Bar & Grill is more varied.
On our first night, we started with the very moreish Cauliflower Bites, accompanied by the Burrata and Za’atar Spiced Pita Bread. For mains, my husband ordered the Coorong Black Angus Striploin Steak to be cooked rare, while I enjoyed the King Prawn Linguine. Studded with large succulent prawns (that weren’t a mere decoration), the pasta dish was a symphony of flavours.
While there isn’t a menu for dogs, they are looked after with a water bowl and the use of a beach towel to sit next to your table. We took along our elderly dog’s pram so that he was snuggled up underneath a blanket, with a long-lasting treat to occupy him.
The rooftop is also the location of breakfast each morning. In addition to a buffet of pastries, toasts, muesli, fruit and juices, waiters take orders for coffee and tea, plus offer an a la carte menu for ordering from a range of breakfast classics.
My favouritea a la carte option were the decadent waffles, accompanied by summer berry compote, maple syrup and chantilli cream. The Classic Eggs Benny are also a wonderful savoury option, with the choice of smoked salmon or bacon. Be prepared for a large, lazy breakfast to start your day!
Highlights of a Stay with Your Pet
- Spacious pet-friendly rooms, some with a private courtyard
- Pets can join you for fine dining upstairs at the Rooftop Bar & Grill
- Or just relax with you in the gorgeous rooftop area
- Just over a five minute walk to the dog-friendly section of Mollymook Beach
Top 3 Things to Do During Your Stay
If you’re interested in doing more than simply relaxing and dining by the pool, there’s plenty more dog-friendly activities to enjoy during your stay at Bannisters Pavilion. These are my top picks…
#1 Stroll Along Mollymook Beach
From Bannisters Pavilion it’s just over a five minute walk to the centre of Mollymook Beach, where dogs are allowed on-leash on the sand all day long. When walking along Mitchell Parade, skip the first beach access point (where dogs are not allowed) and access the beach at the stretch of road where it runs alongside the dunes.
Dogs are allowed on-leash on Mollymook Beach in between the northern end of Donlan Road and Mollymook Creek. This section of the beach is also a popular surf break, with plenty of surfers in the water during our most recent visit. Note that dogs are prohibited from the northern and southern ends of the beach.
If you’d like to let your dog off-leash, there are two options a short drive away. To the south is Collers Beach, where dogs are allowed off-leash all day long. Fairly quiet and isolated, but popular with dog owners, the beach is accessed by Riversdale Avenue or the steps down from Shipton Crescent.
To the north is Narrawallee Beach. Dogs are allowed on the sand alongside Matron Porter Drive Reserve, as far north as Bernie’s Rock. There are multiple access paths through the bush, with the shortest level with Bernie’s Rock. Dogs must remain on-leash during the middle of day, but are allowed off-leash before 8am and after 4pm from October to April, then before 10am and after 3pm the rest of the year.
Dogs are also allowed off-leash on the grassy area in Mollymook in between Bill Andriske Oval and Mitchell Parade, just around the corner from the hotel. Dogs are only allowed off-leash before 8am and after 4pm from October to April, then before 10am and after 3pm from May to September. The small area is hemmed in by trees and there are no signs about dogs, so it’s less popular than the beaches, but could be useful.
#2 Enjoy a Tour and Tasting at Cupitt’s Estate
Mollymook and Ulladulla are surrounded by some beautiful farmland, and one of the best places to enjoy this more rural side of the area is at Cupitt’s Estate. Just a few kilometres inland, this winery makes an extensive range of wines from plantings both onsite and throughout the state, plus has a highly regarded restaurant and garden bar onsite.
We enjoyed a behind the scenes tour of the winery along with Kris, the Wine Manager, sampling the latest vintage fermenting in steel tanks, learning about the new bottling plant and checking out the recently cropped vines. We also ventured to the barrel room located underneath the restaurant, where both French and unusually Hungarian oak is used for aging wines.
Afterwards we enjoyed a wine tasting and lunch in the Wine Garden. While dogs are not permitted inside the compact cellar door, there are sheltered tables with heaters just outside where guests with dogs can have a guided wine tasting. Alternatively, there’s also the option to order a self-guided wine flight in the Wine Garden.
When dining with a dog, make a booking for the alfresco Wine Garden. There’s two terraces of tables with plenty of room to relax with your on-leash dog, with water bowls supplied. Open daily for lunch plus selected evenings, there’s a casual dining menu to select from, plus an extensive selection of drinks, including their own wines by the glass or bottle.
If visiting in winter like us, make sure you order the Duck Ragu with Pappardelle if it’s on the specials menu. We also savoured a Cupitt’s Cheese Plate, enjoying the occasional sunshine flitting through the clouds onto the vines and farmland below.
#3 Go for a Coastal Walk
Molllymook and Ulladulla are also home to some great dog-friendly walks. In Mollymook itself there’s a great shared path running behind the beach, with dogs allowed along the entire length, but I also recommend heading further south to Ulladulla for some cliff-top walks.
If visiting during the winter or spring months, don’t miss heading to the lighthouse at Warden Head to spot migrating whales. After hearing reports of whales from other guests at Bannisters Pavilion we headed there the next day, and it didn’t take long to spot some whales splashing and breaching in the sea off the cliffs.
There’s a variety of walking tracks at Warden Head, starting either at the lighthouse carpark or the carpark to the west, including the Coomee Nulunga Cultural Trail. Note that some of these trails are a medium grade, with some stairs, and dogs need to stay on a leash.
On the northern side of Ulladulla Harbour at Ulladulla Head, I recommend walking along the One Track for All Aboriginal Cultural Trail with your dog. There’s two 1km-long loops to choose from, that can be walked separately or together. Along the way are beautiful carved signs with information on the local wildlife and Aboriginal history.
You can also extend this walk by following the Geological Time Walk down to Ulladulla Harbour North Beach, where dogs are allowed off-leash. Each of these walking trails are an easy grade, either gravel or paved, with dogs also required to be leashed.
Note: The author was a guest of Bannisters Pavilion and Cupitt’s Estate
You May Also Like
- Dog-Friendly Mollymook & Ulladulla Guide
- Dog-Friendly South Coast of NSW Guide
- Best Dog-Friendly Walks on the NSW South Coast
About the Author
Shandos Cleaver is the founder of Travelnuity: Dog-Friendly Travel. She has travelled extensively with her Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel, including to 33 countries across Europe, every state and territory of Australia except Tasmania, and 10 of the United States. She’s passionate about providing inspiration and information to others wanting to travel with their dogs, whether close to home or internationally.