More Canberra dog-friendly holiday accommodation

Posted on 25 July, 2018

Where can you stay in Canberra if you are travelling with your dog?

We identified four personally inspected inner-city holiday rentals in our last article for HerCanberra after researching this question for our dog-loving friends visiting from interstate.

Well, the idea is catching on, because now we can recommend three more!

We like to travel with our dogs so we understand what’s important for good dog-friendly accommodation. At a minimum, it should offer a safe, well-fenced outside area and, of course, dogs must be allowed inside. We also prefer to stay in inner-city locations, but within easy walking distance to dog-friendly parks. Who wants to be exiled in the outer ‘burbs or in a caravan park away from the best city vibes and sights?

Our recommended dog-friendly holiday accommodation ticks all these boxes and more. We’ve personally researched and visited each of our three new places for ‘dog friendliness’ and interviewed the owners/managers about what they offer and any rules they set.

Our focus is from a dog’s perspective (what’s the backyard like?) rather than a human’s (what’s the shower like?) so you may want to contact the owners for more information or check the guest reviews on their booking sites (although all boast very positive reviews).

We’ve summarised the highlights below, but visit Canberra Dog Walks or more detail on these and our previous four recommendations.

Abode Hotel, Narrabundah

Modern and convenient, Abode Narrabundah offers forty – yes forty – pet-friendly hotel rooms for Canberra visitors travelling with their dog or cat. That’s nearly half of its rooms.

Even better, fifteen ground floor rooms open directly into a communal ‘dog-run’ – a long, well grassed and fully fenced outdoor space available for doggie games and toileting. Dogs staying in other rooms can also access the run via the lobby.

Unlike most hotels, dogs are allowed inside on leash in all public areas because there are no restaurants or cafés triggering the ‘no-dog’ regulations. Instead, each room has its own kitchenette and there is a self-service area near the lobby.

Every guest arriving with their pet receives a complementary pet package comprising a tote bag with a toy, pet food, a water bowl, and a roll of poo bags.

While there’s a two dog limit per room, there’s no restriction on the size or type of dog.

The Abode Narrabundah, at 61 Jerrabomberra Avenue, is only a few minutes’ drive from the Manuka, Kingston, Griffith and Narrabundah shopping centres boasting some of the best restaurants and cafés in Canberra. And for the pooches, the hotel is only a short walk to the Errol Kavanagh Memorial Oval – one of our favourite safe off-leash spaces.

abodehotels.com.au/hotels/narrabundah

Canberra Retreat BnB, Aranda

Retired teacher and long-time Canberra local Judy offers a peaceful and private retreat for dogs and their humans in a spacious one-bedroom self-contained flat attached to her home in Aranda.

A separate entrance allows guests to access the flat through a lush, hidden garden. The fully equipped flat includes a large sitting room, kitchenette with breakfast supplies, separate bedroom and bathroom, plus a huge deck looking over the garden.

Judy says she never thought about offering ‘ dog-friendly’ accommodation, “Then I had a call from someone who was desperate: they needed a place to stay but no one would take them with their dog.”

Well the rest is history. “Now a large proportion of my guests come with their dogs, and lots of them are repeat visitors. I’ve never had any problems with doggie guests. Their owners are very conscious that dog-friendly accommodation is difficult to come by.

“I just love the dogs that visit and have threatened to ‘dog-nap’ some of them. I’ve had every dog body from a Miniature Dachshund to Great Danes and Malamutes.”

Dogs have the run of the backyard which is planted with beds of hardy shrubs and ground covers, and bordered by paving. Dogs also have run of the house which has easy-to-clean wooden floors and covered furniture.

Canberra Retreat BnB is only a few minutes’ walk from popular Two Before For Ten café, as well as a spacious dog off leash oval and a great dog-friendly walk through Aranda. See Canberra Dog Walks for free directions and map.

Call Judy on 02 6251 1999, 0438511991 or canberraretreat@gmail.com or canberraretreatbnb.com.au.

Lyttle Cook BnB, Cook

Lyttle Cook BnB owner and host, Maryanne, is such a dog lover she says it never occurred to her that she wouldn’t open her neat-as-a-pin holiday rental to dogs as well as humans. In fact, Maryanne finds it hard to say no to all creatures great and small.

“We’ve had guests visit with their cats, and a few with birds in tow. I don’t mind any sort of animal visiting – guests travelling with pets are extra careful and respectful when they stay.”

Maryanne recently lost the last of her three beloved Pomeranians to old age. “I really miss having a dog around, so I get some vicarious doggy-time with my guests’ dogs. Fortunately, nearly all my guests bring dogs or other pets.”

Lyttle Cook BnB consists of an immaculate, bright and inviting, newly renovated one-bedroom unit with timber floorboards that was once part of Maryanne’s home. It has a separate entrance and car space, a fully equipped kitchen with breakfast supplies and a separate bathroom. Guests and their dogs can enjoy the outdoors on a large north-facing deck maximising winter sun, and dogs have the run of a fully fenced wood-chip courtyard as well as the unit. A large eucalyptus tree provides dappled afternoon shade in summer.

“If I’m home, I don’t mind having dogs coming into my larger backyard if their owners are visiting tourist sights that aren’t dog-friendly.”

Lyttle Cook BnB is only a few minutes’ walk from spacious and safe, dog off-leash Cook Neighbourhood Oval as well as the Cook shops with dog-friendly café, Little Oink, and dog-friendly bar, To All My Friends.

Call Maryanne on 0438 510 109 or lyttlecookbnb@gmail.com or via Facebook