11 Pet-Friendly Hotel Chains in Australia

An increasing number of hotels in Australia have become pet-friendly in recent years. And not just single hotels, but sometimes entire hotel chains, or at least the majority of the hotels in a brand.

The advantage of booking with a pet-friendly hotel chain is that as well as the facilities and style being consistent from hotel to hotel, the pet policies are often identical, making it easier booking for a pet-friendly stay.

So whether you’re after a luxury hotel or an apartment-style hotel, check out these hotel chains next time you’re planning a trip away with your dog (or cat) and want to stay at a pet-friendly hotel in Australia.

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#1 QT Hotels & Resorts

QT Hotels and Resorts are luxury boutique hotels with a bold focus on art and style, offering a touch of quirk at each property. There are currently seven QT Hotels across Australia, as well as three properties in New Zealand.

Each of the QT Hotels, both in Australia and NZ, offer their Pup Yeah! package. Included in the Pup Yeah! package is an orthopaedic dog bed from CUB, along with gourmet St Argo treats, botanical pet products from smith&burton and their own in-room dining menu.

There is a limit of one dog per room. The size limit has recently increased – dogs up to 25kg are now allowed by default, but enquire directly for approval for larger dogs. There is an additional cleaning fee for the stay and your dog is required to sleep on the provided bed, not the big bed!

Locations: Canberra, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney (City & Bondi)

#2 Ovolo Hotels

Ovolo Hotels is a chain of luxury boutique hotels across Australia. After originating in Hong Kong, Ovolo now operates six properties in Australia, both under the luxurious Ovolo Hotels brand and more unique properties under the By Ovolo Collection branding. A highlight of a stay at Ovolo are the many perks included, especially if you book directly.

Most of the Ovolo Australian hotels (except for Ovolo Nishi and Nishi Apartments by Ovolo, both in Canberra) offer a V.I.Pooch package. Included in the package is a range of luxurious pet amenities, including Dog Friendly Co orthopaedic dog beds, Frank Green designed dog bowls, The Nosh Project human-grade fresh meals and treats, Petzyo premium kibble and Petz Park wellness supplements and poo bags.

There’s also pet-friendly staff on hand to provide assistance when needed. Up to two dogs are permitted per room, where a suitable room is available, although there is an additional fee for a second pet. There are no size limits and no other animals than dogs are permitted.

My Experience: Read about my stay at Ovolo Woolloomooloo

Locations: Brisbane, Melbourne (City & South Yarra), Sydney

#3 The Langham Hotels & Resorts

The Langham Hotels are the epitome of five-star luxury, with a history dating back to the first European grand hotel to open in London in 1865. And that five-star welcome is warmly extended to your pet.

All three Langham Hotels in Australia offer Pampered Pet packages, although the details vary slightly between each location. Usually a welcome amenity, the use of a Langham-branded pet bed and bowls during your stay and often breakfast in bed for you and your pet are included. You can also order off a private dining pet menu.

Generally only smaller pets are accepted, with a weight limit of 20kg at the Melbourne and Gold Coast hotels, although there is more flexible guideline of small to medium size dogs at The Langham Sydney.

My Experience: Read about my stay at The Langham, Sydney and my stay at The Langham, Melbourne

Locations: Gold Coast, Melbourne, Sydney

#4 W Hotels

W Hotels are synonymous with a different kind of luxury. Hip and glamorous, these five-star hotels are more of a lifestyle destination, complete with trendy bars and restaurants and gorgeous swimming pools.

Each of the W Hotels currently in Australia, W Brisbane, W Melbourne and W Sydney, roll out the welcome mat to pets as part of their P.A.W., or Pets Are Welcome, program. A custom dog bed is provided, along with bowls, toys, treats and local pet information.

It’s best is your pet is on the petite size, with a weight limit of 18kg applying, plus a one pet limit per room in Sydney and Brisbane, although two are permitted in Melbourne.

In both Sydney and Melbourne, pets can only stay by booking the Pets Are Welcome package, which includes an additional fee for pets. At Brisbane, there is an additional $30 per night surcharge plus one-off cleaning fee of $150 for staying with pets.

Locations: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney

#5 Spicers Retreats

If it’s a dog-friendly luxury retreat in Australia that you’re after, look no further than Spicers. Spicers Retreats have nine locations scattered around NSW and southeastern Queensland, from the Blue Mountains to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, and seven of the locations are pet-friendly, offering Pooch Packages.

Choose between the Spicers Guesthouse or Spicers Vineyards Estate in the Hunter Valley, Sangoma Retreat in the Blue Mountains, the Balfour Hotel in Brisbane, Hidden Vale west of Brisbane, or the equally luxurious Clovelly Estate and Tamarind Retreat in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Only selected rooms (or cottages) are pet-friendly, with the inclusions in the package differing by location, but including a dog bed and bowl. Only dogs up to 25kg are permitted, and while they are allowed inside they must stay off the furniture. For the full rules, see this page.

Locations: Blue Mountains, Brisbane (2 locations), Hunter Valley (2 location), Sunshine Coast (2 locations)

#6 Bannisters Hotels

Bannisters Hotel is a small boutique collection of coastal hotels in NSW, with three locations in Mollymook and Port Stephens. Two of their three locations are pet-friendly: Bannisters Pavilion in Mollymook and Bannisters Port Stephens.

Bannisters Pavilion has two Pet-friendly Classic Rooms and a pet-friendly balcony room available, while Bannisters Port Stephens allows pets in their ground-floor Pet-Friendly Luxury Suites and Pet-Friendly Ocean Deck rooms. There is a 25kg weight limit for dogs at Bannisters Pavilion, while there is no listed weight limit at Bannisters Port Stephens.

Given the focus on fine dining at Bannisters, including their Rick Stein Restaurants, there are options for dining with your pet onsite at both locations.

My Experience: Read about my stay at Bannisters Pavilion

Locations: Mollymook, Port Stephens

#7 View Hotels

Luxury hotels don’t have a monopoly on city-centre pet-friendly stays in Australia, with the four-star View Hotels chain a more affordable option. Each of their hotels offers up great city fringe views, whether from North Sydney, St Kilda Road in Melbourne or Hamilton in Brisbane.

Selected rooms at each of the three hotels are pet-friendly, with no size restrictions. Pets are generally provided with a bed, bowls, toy and treat, plus there’s a Dog Concierge service that can recommend local dog-friendly options.

There is an additional fee of $50 or $90 per night, depending on the hotel. Make sure you inform the hotel in advance of your pet’s name, size and breed. For any additional questions, send an email directly to [email protected].

Location: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney

#8 Hotel Indigo

Hotel Indigo is a premium boutique lifestyle brand of hotels, with each of their properties designed to reflect their local neighbourhood, generally inner-city locations within Australia.

Three of their five locations in Australia are pet-friendly: Hotel Indigo Brisbane City Centre, Hotel Indigo Melbourne on Flinders and Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point. Depending on the location there is a weight limit for dogs of either 30kg or 40kg.

It’s necessary to make a direct booking for a Pet Package, which includes a plush bed and blanket, bowls, treats and more to spoil your pup. The additional fee per night for the package varies depending on the location.

Hotel Indigo has held regular $1 Paws, Play and Stay promotions, with pets able to stay for just $1 per night. Keep an eye out on their Instagram for future promotions!

Locations: Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney

#9 Abode Hotels

If you’re visiting Canberra with your dog, for many years an affordable pet-friendly option has been an Abode apartment hotel. With multiple locations dotted around Canberra, plus a coastal outpost near Batemans Bay, each hotel location consists of self-contained rooms of varying sizes, each with a small kitchenette.

All but one of the Abode Hotel locations are pet-friendly – only Woden doesn’t have pet-friendly rooms. To book a pet-friendly room, select the Pet Package on their website for your preferred room size. Generally it costs about $50 extra per night compared to a room only.

Up to two pets are permitted per room, but an additional charge of $50 will apply for a second pet, to be organised directly with the hotel. You’ll need to bring your pet’s own bed.

My Experience: During one latest visit to Canberra we stayed at Abode Narrabundah in a courtyard room. These ground floor rooms have access to a shared grassy area outside of the rooms – handy for late night and early morning bathroom visits.

Locations: Canberra (8 locations), Batemans Bay

#10 Quest Apartment Hotels

Quest Apartment Hotels has around 120 apartment hotels scattered right across Australia, in a mix of CBD and suburban locations. While not all hotels or even a majority are pet-friendly, there are still a sizeable 30 or so properties that have pet-friendly rooms. All rooms are self-contained, with complete kitchens, varying from studios to multi-bedroom apartments.

To see the latest listing of pet-friendly locations, check out the Quest Apartment Hotel website. Each pet-friendly room comes with a pet bed, food and water bowls, toys and treats to help your pet settle in.

There is an additional charge to stay with your pet, that varies greatly by property and the duration of stay. A refundable deposit may also be charged per stay. To book a pet-friendly room, plus find out the full pet policy (which varies from hotel to hotel), contact the hotel you are wanting to stay at directly.

Locations: Brisbane (2 locations), Darwin, Geelong, Gold Coast, Melbourne (14 locations), Maitland, Newcastle, Perth (2 locations), Sydney (7 locations), Singleton, Tamworth, Toowoomba

#11 Punthill Apartment Hotels / Veriu Hotels & Suites

Sister brands Punthill Apartment Hotels and Veriu Hotels & Suites between them operate 25 hotels across Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and regional NSW. In particular, there are an extensive 14 locations scattered across the Melbourne CBD and suburbs.

Each hotel offers a mixture of apartment-style hotel rooms and regular hotel rooms, varying by location, along with the option of discounted long stays. Depending on the location, pets may be permitted to stay, most often for long stay guests, but also sometimes with short stay guests.

To find out the pet policy of a location, it is best to speak directly to the individual hotel. An additional pet cleaning fee of $250 per stay is charged – best suited for a longer stay.

My Experience: I stayed at Veriu Green Square for an extended period with Schnitzel in an apartment-style hotel room. The staff were always friendly and the cleaning fee is small when averaged across a longer stay.

Locations: Brisbane, Canberra, Maitland, Melbourne (14 locations), Sydney (8 locations)

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