Terania Creek, Nightcap National ParkCredit: Destination NSW
Scenic drive through the World-Heritage listed rainforest inside Nightcap National Park.
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Northern New South Wales is home to the most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world, and one of the best ways to experience these verdant green spaces is to check into a hotel or guesthouse nestled in nature. Here are five lush rainforest retreats to add to your wish list.
Loggers Cabin, Dorroughby
On the edge of Nightcap National Park, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, Loggers Cabin is the ultimate off-grid rainforest escape. Just 45 minutes’ drive west of Byron Bay, the cosy solar-powered studio cabin in the small hinterland community of Dorroughby makes the perfect base for exploring the national park, with the 100m-high Minyon Falls just 5km down the road. Bring your own food to cook or pre-order a hearty meal to heat over the fire pit. Travelling in a group? There’s also a two-bedroom Queenslander-style cottage on the property.
Mavis’s Kitchen and Cabins, Uki
Located at the gateway to Wollumbin National Park, between Murwillumbah and Uki in the Tweed hinterland, Mavis’s is best known for its relaxed country-style restaurant, but this former dairy farm surrounded by rainforest also has eco-friendly B&B cabin accommodation. Whether you choose the tastefully furnished Farmhouse, Log Cabin, Old Dairy or Studio 34, you’re welcome to help yourself to some of the organic fruit, herbs and salad leaves growing in the gardens.
Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat, Upper Crystal Creek
Surrounded by the Numinbah Nature Reserve, just a kilometre from NSW’s northern border and a 70-minute drive west of Tweed Heads, Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat is a real find. This luxurious couples-only retreat offers a range of accommodation options, including gorgeous studio lodges with fireplaces and private plunge pools. Spend your day exploring the 8km of walking trails on the property before a cosy night in by the fireplace with a gourmet meal delivered to your bungalow (or you can cook your own). After nightfall, follow the creek to the glow worm site and marvel at this dazzling natural wonder.
Nightcap National Park, Nightcap Credit: Lismore City Council
Couple enjoying a walk through the rainforest in Nightcap National Park, Nightcap.
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Nightcap National Park, Nightcap Credit: Lismore City Council
Couple enjoying a walk through the rainforest in Nightcap National Park, Nightcap.
Mavis's Kitchen, Mount Warning Credit: Destination NSW
Kitchen garden at Mavis's Kitchen restaurant and accommodation, Mount Warning.
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Mavis's Kitchen, Mount Warning Credit: Destination NSW
Kitchen garden at Mavis's Kitchen restaurant and accommodation, Mount Warning.
The Byron at Byron, Byron Bay
Refreshed by its new owners, Crystalbrook Collection Hotels, in 2020, the Byron at Byron boutique hotel is nestled in a verdant swath of subtropical rainforest on the southern edge of holiday haven, Byron Bay. All 92 suites look out onto the rainforest, and a boardwalk through the greenery leads you to beautiful Tallow Beach. Rainforest healing is integrated into treatments at the onsite Eléme Spa, and in a nod to its setting, the on-site restaurant — which celebrates sustainable local produce — is called Forest.
Mistere, Urlip
A secluded sanctuary in the Tweed hinterland, less than 10 minutes’ drive from Murwillumbah, Mistere is a collection of three luxurious one-bedroom villas with earthy hues and wide windows that help you to reconnect with the natural world. Explore local walking trails, sink into a bubble bath, relax by the fireplace or meditate in the Zen garden to a soundtrack of rainforest birdsong.
Crystalbrook Byron, Byron Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Accommodation set in a sub-tropical forest at Crystalbrook Byron, Byron Bay.
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Crystalbrook Byron, Byron Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Accommodation set in a sub-tropical forest at Crystalbrook Byron, Byron Bay.
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Sydney Harbour in SummerCredit: Destination NSW
Your dog will enjoy seeing the sights of Sydney as much as you do.
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Planning a sojourn to Sydney and don’t want to leave your beloved pooch behind? With hotels increasingly willing to cater to pets, there’s no reason you have to. From beachside to the inner city, these luxury escapes not only welcome four-legged friends, they also provide special inclusions tailored for dogs. Just be sure to book in early, as not every room in these properties can house pets.
Pier One Sydney Harbour, city centre
Nestled below Sydney Harbour Bridge in historic Walsh Bay, Pier One Sydney Harbour is one of the city’s more memorable stays. The hotel sits on a former working wharf over the water, and has devoted some of its ground-level rooms to furry family members. Stay here and your dog will have direct access to the boardwalk that wraps around the sides of the hotel facing the water, with plenty of seagulls to keep it entertained. Pier One’s Puppy Package comes with all the extras: an eco-friendly dog bed, food and water bowls, and a mini bar stocked with treats. Keen to really amp up the spoils? Check out the dog-friendly in-room dining menu, or book an outdoor spot at the hotel’s ground-level The Gantry Restaurant, which offers a Doggy Degustation menu with such treats as beef bone broth and Doglato (a gelato equivalent for pooches) for dessert.
QT Bondi, Bondi Beach
Right on the esplanade facing Sydney’s most famous city beach, QT Bondi welcomes guests trailing sand and their beloved pets. With its chic, contemporary style and energetic vibe, the hotel mirrors Bondi’s laid-back beach lifestyle and allows easy access to its café, bar and restaurant scene. The hotel offers a pet-friendly room that features a special mini bar filled with doggie treats and a pooch-friendly vegan in-room dining menu. Although dogs aren’t permitted on Bondi Beach itself, you’ll be in good company joining the parade of dog-walkers on the promenade, or head to the nearby Rose Bay Foreshore, where pets are free to frolic off-leash.
Little Albion, Surry Hills
The Little Albion boutique hotel occupies a charming former convent in Surry Hills, a leafy inner-city hub populated by creative types and dog lovers. There are two pet-friendly rooms at the hotel, both at ground level, with a bed, bowl and blanket included, but if it’s an over-the-top spoil session you’re after, the Plush Pup Package can’t be beat. Pets are welcomed with Mimi & Munch baked doggie treats on arrival; gifted with a The Daily Edited personalised name tag to look their fashionable best; booked in for a fitting with Dogue doggie stylist; assigned a butler, in case you need to dash out solo; and even receive a turndown service with Doglato.
Doggy Degustation, Pier One Sydney Harbour Credit: Anna Kucera
Chowing down on the Doggy Degustation menu at Pier One Sydney Harbour hotel.
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Doggy Degustation, Pier One Sydney Harbour Credit: Anna Kucera
Chowing down on the Doggy Degustation menu at Pier One Sydney Harbour hotel.
QT Bondi, Sydney Credit: QT Bondi
Your dog will love a fur-friendly stay at QT Bondi.
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QT Bondi, Sydney Credit: QT Bondi
Your dog will love a fur-friendly stay at QT Bondi.
InterContinental Sydney Double Bay
Despite occupying prime real estate in one of Sydney’s most prestigious neighbourhoods, the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay is not too posh to pooch. Suitably elegant and opulent in its well-to-do setting, the hotel invites dog owners to book its Pet Stay Package. Your room will be set up with a stylish pet bed and bowls, and you can order a meal from the dog-friendly in-room dining menu, which includes options such as Banjo’s Delight, a feast of Angus beef, pumpkin, carrots and sweet potato. Double Bay is conveniently close to the city and the Eastern Suburbs beaches, yet has a peaceful village feel and is the ideal idyll for people- and dog-watching.
Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour
Sydney’s sister Ovolo hotels, Ovolo Woolloomooloo to the east of the city centre and Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour in inner-city Pyrmont, are both dog-friendly and are equally luxurious and immaculately designed. But the Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour earns pooch preference points for being close to Pyrmont’s off-leash Waterfront Park. While all Ovolo hotels indulge human guests with complimentary munchies from the mini bar and drinks at social hour, pets also get the star treatment. The V.I.Pooch Package at each Sydney Ovolo includes a comfy dog bed, food bowl, and the never more aptly named doggy bag ꟷ packed with treats and toys they’ll drool over.
The Langham, Sydney
Pet-friendly may not be a description you’d first associate with the ultra-regal The Langham, Sydney, near Barangaroo in the city centre. Yet along with its plush interiors, a private tennis court, an indoor pool with an amazing painted dome and the serene The Day Spa by Chuan, it happily allows you and your furry charge to co-habit during your stay. Rooms are set up with a dog bed and eating bowls, there’s an in-house dog-friendly menu, and if you fancy letting yourself off the lead to hit the town, dog-sitting services can also be requested.
Pup Package, Little Albion, A Crystalbrook Collection Boutique Hotel Credit: Little Albion, A Crystalbrook Collection Boutique Hotel
Bedding down at the Little Albion hotel in Sydney’s Surry Hills.
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Pup Package, Little Albion, A Crystalbrook Collection Boutique Hotel Credit: Little Albion, A Crystalbrook Collection Boutique Hotel
Bedding down at the Little Albion hotel in Sydney’s Surry Hills.
The Langham, Sydney Credit: The Langham
Your dog will feel like canine royalty at The Langham, Sydney.
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The Langham, Sydney Credit: The Langham
Your dog will feel like canine royalty at The Langham, Sydney.