Luxury Pet-Friendly Accommodation What to Check Before You Book

Luxury pet-friendly accommodation should mean your dog is welcome when you travel with your loved ones and family. The phrases per stay vs per night means different things at different properties, and the listing rarely tells you which.

Queensland has more pet-friendly accommodation than most states, and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland has more than its share of the good kind. This is the checklist we give people who ask us what to look for. Whether or not they end up staying with us it comes from hosting dogs and their owners, and from the questions we get asked most.

What does pet-friendly actually mean at a luxury property?

It should mean three things, and you should confirm all three before booking.

The dog is allowed inside the accommodation, not just on the property, some places advertise pet-friendly and mean a fenced run or a covered verandah.

The dog is allowed inside the property, though luxury properties with good linen are within their rights to keep dogs off the bed and furniture. What matters is that you know before you arrive and not after.

The fee is disclosed up front, in writing, with the structure spelled out. A flat fee per stay is the norm at owner-run properties. Per pet per night is common on the big booking platforms and can double the cost of a weekend with two dogs. Neither is wrong, but you should know which you are paying.

Is a pet fee per stay or per night better?

Per stay, almost always, for a stay of two nights or more. A flat fee covers the extra cleaning once, regardless of how long you stay, and it does not punish you for bringing a second dog.

Per pet per night suits one-night stops and makes less sense for a weekend. If a property charges per night, ask whether there is a cap. If a booking platform shows a different fee from the property's own website, the website is usually the accurate one; the platforms are slow to update.

Whatever the structure, the fee should be in the confirmation email. A surprise charge at checkout is the most common complaint we hear.

Do luxury pet-friendly properties have fenced yards?

Fewer than you would think, and in the hinterland, fewer still. A great deal of the accommodation on the Blackall Range is elevated pole homes and pavilions built on ridges for the view, with garden underneath rather than lawn around. A fenced yard is rare.

That is fine for most dogs and a problem for some. A dog that is happy on a leash and content to lie by the fire will not notice. A dog that is used to a backyard and a doggy door will need more walks than usual. Ask, and be honest with yourself about which dog you have.

If the property is unfenced, ask what is nearby. An off-leash park within a short drive, as there is at Mapleton, changes the answer.

What about wildlife, ticks and snakes?

The listings never mention this, and it matters more than anything else on the list once you are in the hinterland.

Paralysis ticks are active on the range year-round and peak from spring through summer. Your dog should be on a current tick preventative before you arrive, not after. Check ears, neck and between the toes each evening.

Snakes are present in every bushland setting in Queensland. Most are not interested in your dog, but a dog that is allowed to roam at dusk will find one eventually. Keep the dog on a leash in the garden after dark, and do not let it nose around woodpiles.

Wildlife is the other reason to keep the leash on. The hinterland has pademelons, bandicoots, echidnas and a great many ground-nesting birds, and they are what you came to see. A dog that chases them is a problem for the property and for the next guest.

And remember that dogs are not allowed in Queensland national parks, which rules out Kondalilla and Mapleton Falls. Plan your walks around that.

What should you pack for your dog?

Own bed or blanket, because the smell of home settles most dogs in a strange place faster than anything. Food for the whole stay plus a day, since the hinterland villages do not all have a pet shop. Tick and flea treatment, applied before you leave. A long leash for garden walks and a short one for cafés and a coat in winter, because nights on the range get colder than most dogs are used to.

What can you expect at Taman Sari Luxury Private Pavilions?

Dogs are welcome inside both pavilions, there is a back deck to catch the sunrise and sunset while curling up during the day. A fireplace is also located inside the pavilions. The pet fee is $99 per stay with us. We may charge this on arrival as some booking platforms don't charge this when booking your stay.

There is no fenced yard, because each pavilion is an elevated pole home, but there is plenty of garden space and a BBQ area to enjoy. Nestled between two peaceful ponds, a gently flowing creek winds its way beneath a charming small bridge. Pets must be walked on a leash, as there is a lot of wildlife around the property. If your dog needs a run, the Mapleton off-leash dog park is 2.4 kilometres away just by the local fish and chips shop in town. The property is adults-only with just two pavilions, which suits dogs well; there is nobody to overexcite them.

Dates and rates are on the booking page,