Canine cruises, ‘yappy hour’: Is Australia coming to heel in pet-friendly travel?

The late Doris Day, honey-voiced star of Hollywood’s golden era, will be remembered for many things. One of them is establishing the 44-room Cypress Inn in Carmel, California, dubbed one of the “pet-friendliest” hotels around. And yet despite offering dog-sized showers, “yappy hour” in the bar and customised food bowls and beds, the Cypress has been sadly overlooked by insurance company Budget Direct’s 2022 survey of the world’s best cities for a pet holiday.

Drawing on data from Tripadvisor, and canvassing the 50 most-populated cities, the survey ranks Paris and Milan equal first for animal hospitality, with 594 and 359 pet-friendly hotels respectively (33 and 17 of them five-star). Next is Rome, with 1242 Fido-favourable lodgings, followed by Berlin, New York and Colombia’s Medellin.

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And in Australia? Sydney rates 23rd and Melbourne 29th, prompting questions about our reputation as a pet-loving nation. Are we not moggy-munificent in our five-star lodgings? Must Rover endure boarding kennels instead of hatted restaurant fare?

Carla Francis, author of Travelling with Pets on Australia’s East Coast, is surprised at Sydney and Melbourne’s placement on the list. “The demand for pet-friendly accommodation here is phenomenal,” she says. “That’s largely due to the pandemic and people not travelling overseas as much.”

She adds Sydney and Melbourne have 29 and 17 pet-friendly four- and five-star hotels respectively, but increasing numbers of B&Bs, resorts, caravan parks, camping grounds and holiday homes are also allowing pet-stays. “I think Australians prefer to do beach holidays and country escapes,” she says. “However, in the past two or three years, there has also been a massive spike in pet-friendly city hotels.”

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Shandos Cleaver, writer and blogger for dog-friendly travel site Travelnuity, has travelled to 35 countries with her miniature dachshund, Schnitzel. She says Australians who want to travel with their pets are increasingly spoilt for choice. “But always check beforehand,” she says. “Hotels and accommodation sites change their pet-travel policies all the time.”

Meanwhile, Francis is impressed by some of Sydney’s pet-friendly hotels, particularly the luxe, art deco Kimpton Margot, which accommodates any breed that will fit through its doors for free. But she believes Melbourne has the edge when it comes to restaurants, parks and activities for furry friends. She cites river cruises and a pet cafe in St Kilda called Chez Misty that serves dog-friendly French crepes.