6 things my dog taught me at one of Sydney's best pet-friendly hotels

If you can’t bear to be parted from your four-legged friend but want a five-star stay, a pet-friendly hotel could be the key.

There may be nothing nicer in the world than a stay in a posh hotel. A robe, a bath and a club sandwich on room service all bring me joy. A minibar? Yes please. And how about a raw puppy patty and a dog bed? 

If, like me, you can’t bear to be parted from your four-legged friend but want a five-star stay, a pet-friendly hotel with extras they love could be the key. But are pet-centric stays worth the money, and, more importantly, will you and your pup actually enjoy the experience? We took an overnight city staycation with our dog, and here are six things we learned.

1. You should take full advantage of all that’s on offer for your furry friend. When we decided that a stay in a dog-friendly hotel would be a fun thing to do, we weren’t expecting the hotel we chose to actually be so, well, dog-friendly.

At Sydney’s Kimpton Margot, the services for a paw-fect stay (their words, not mine) were included in the price of our room and meant she had a bed, a snack, food and water bowls and room service options (there’s that raw puppy patty). 

This was indeed a “paw-fect” package, as we all got to enjoy the five-star facilities (and one of us even had a nap while doing so). There were about six other dogs there on the night we stayed, and all of them seemed to be having a great time. I will go back.

We took our pooch up to the rooftop bar where she got hand-delivered a water bowl by a very friendly waiter. Picture: Supplied.

2. Make sure you take the dog everywhere they’re allowed to roam. Most dog-friendly hotels give four-legged guests the opportunity to hang out in many of the public areas, aside from where food is served (and most don’t really want you leaving them alone in the room for too long in case they bark, wee or eat the furniture). Dogs love to explore and sniff so let them do it – and, let’s face it, the opportunities to snaffle scraps off room service trays in hotel hallways are next level.

We took our pooch for a ride in the lift and to the lobby for a look around, before heading up to the rooftop bar where she got hand-delivered a water bowl by a very friendly waiter, sniffed a few plants and a furry friend or two and promptly fell asleep on a blanket. We were delivered some cocktails and snacks. Everyone was happy.

Try to bring food and other comforts from home so your dog can feel relaxed and get used to their new environment. Picture: Supplied.

3. Try to bring food and other comforts from home so your dog can feel relaxed and get used to their new environment. We brought dog biscuits and treats (which meant that she could enjoy her own nibbles while we enjoyed ours), and we also surprised her with her favourite toy, “Beary”. Oh yes, it was a real rock-and-roll party in room 123.

4. Ensure you also enjoy the camaraderie that comes with taking walks with other hotel guests to a nearby park at any hour of the day and night for toilet time. The dogs’, not yours.

Be aware that your dog may not be totally au fait with any hotel regulations regarding noise. Picture: Supplied.

5. Be aware that your dog may not be totally au fait with any hotel regulations regarding noise. While we could hear nothing due to the superior soundproofing and thick walls in our room, our pup could still hear other animals/people/staff/dust falling on the floor above/next door/back home/in another city and so sat bold upright, growled and barked periodically. In retrospect, leaving the TV on overnight may have helped us all sleep.

6. And finally. Do not open the door to the room service waiter while wearing only a robe, let the dog out by mistake and then have to chase said (deliriously excited) dog up – and down – the corridor while the room service waiter looks on with a mix of horror and hysteria on his face, and every other dog on the floor barks in support. No, definitely don’t do that.

Originally published as 6 things my dog taught me at one of Sydney's best pet-friendly hotels