Do you want to escape the hustle and bustle and go on an adventure with your favourite furry friend? Here are our 6 top picks for pet friendly accommodation in SA.
The festive season celebrations aren’t the same without the pitter-patter of paws! Many families decide to stay at home during the festive season because they do not want to leave their precious pets behind. We have fantastic news for you (and Rover) – several exquisite holiday accommodations open their doors to your four-legged family members.
Pet Friendly Accommodation for You and Your Fur Baby
Western Cape
1. Barking Beach Cottage, Hermanus
The Barking Beach Cottage is a dog lover’s dream! This beautiful guest house was created with doggies in mind, with a fully enclosed back and front yard, as well as a double gate – so you can rest assured that your pup is safe and sound.
Situated in quiet Sandbaai, this house sleeps a family of 6 and is within walking distance from a clean and safe pet-friendly beach. Wait, there is more good news. This wonderful guest house has recently extended and opened a second farm cottage in Wellington. Nestled at the bottom of a mountain, sitting in between wine farms, this guest house welcomes not only your human family and your pooches, it welcomes your horses too!
The Silver Oaks Farm Cottage offers beautiful walking routes, horse riding trails, a scenic dam view, and has neighbouring farms where you can go wine tasting. It can’t get better, right?!
2. The Twelve Apostles, Camps Bay
If you and your pooch are wanting a more luxurious stay, this five-star boutique hotel and spa should be on the top of your holiday bucket list. Situated at the foot of the Twelve Apostles Mountain Range, this magnificent hotel offers a host of wonderful facilities, a breath-taking view of the glistening ocean and is surrounded by a tranquil mountain landscape – and best of all, your four-legged friend is welcome to stay!
The Twelve Apostles Hotel welcomes pets of knee height and has a scrumptious pet menu in the Leopard Bar, as well as a range of doggie pets and amenities!
Before you carry on: 5 Essential Tips on How to Road Trip with a Dog
Gauteng
3. Stone Hill, Magaliesberg
Just around the corner from Johannesburg and Pretoria, this home away from home welcomes doggies and their well-behaved owners! You can take your pick from 10 fully equipped self-catering cottages, which sleep 2 to 6 guests, each individually fenced off, to keep you and your furry friend safe.
Take your pooch on a beautiful walking trail and for a swim in a small riverine, because we all know a muddy dog is a happy dog! Take in the peace and tranquillity of the beautiful surroundings whilst spending some well-deserved quality time with your family and furry friends!
4. Stoneybrooke Farm, Pretoria East
Take a much-needed break from the city life and escape to the peaceful Stoneybrooke Farm, where the only sounds you will hear are birds singing, cows mooing and geese honking. Located in Tierpoort, within walking distance from the Pienaars River, this farm has a variety of houses, which sleep 2 to 10 people, and welcome your furry friends too! Fill your days with hiking, swimming, cycling, and quality time with your kiddies, both two-legged and four-legged!
KwaZulu-Natal
5. Ingwenya Lodge, St. Lucia
Take your family and precious pooch on a walk on the wild side and stay at the Ingwenya Lodge, nestled in the heart of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. This self-catering accommodation boasts magnificent views of both the sea and the estuary and is known to have some four-legged visitors; hippos graze on the front lawn of the lodge, the small game can be seen wandering the area and there is a rumour of a leopard sneaking around.
Each self-catering unit has free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, fully-equipped kitchens, and a private boma with a braai – the perfect place to spend some special quality time with your family and four-legged friends! It is important to consider whether your pupper is well-trained as this lodge is known to have more than one animal visitor during the night and your pup will need to sleep indoors to ensure they remain safe and sound!
If you are not able to take your precious pet along, read: How To Find the Pawfect Pet Sitter: 5 Expert Tips
6. The Hatchery, North Coast
This pet-friendly, unique accommodation is a renovated prawn farm, located on a lagoon overlooking a deserted beach. There are many exciting activities, such as fly-fishing, kite surfing, bird watching, and of course, having a drink next to the river! And the best part: pets are invited to stay in this self-catering accommodation, too!
There you have it, some pet friendly accommodations to take your family and four-legged friends this festive season.
