Bell Tower Inn

Bell Tower Inn is a 69-room motel on Sturt Street in Alfredton, on Ballarat's western side, built for practical stays: free parking outside your room, an indoor pool, a restaurant, and room for trailers, coaches and caravans. It takes dogs in a limited set of designated rooms, and the $25 per-stay pet fee is among the cheapest you will find anywhere.

Dogs at the Bell Tower

Pet-friendly rooms are limited to specific queen, twin and family rooms, so call reception to check availability before booking online; bringing a dog into a standard room attracts a heavy cleaning fee. The $25 fee per pet covers extra cleaning, and generally one pet applies, though reception may allow more on inquiry. The rules are clear: house-trained, quiet and well-behaved dogs only, on a leash outside the room, cleaned up after immediately, and not left unattended for more than an hour. Book ahead for weekends, because the pet rooms are a small subset of the motel and go first.

Max: confirm the pet room by phone before you book online. Sixty-nine rooms and only a handful take dogs, and it is easy to end up in a standard room by mistake.

The vibe

This is a no-fuss, budget-friendly base rather than a boutique stay. Reviews single out the spacious rooms and the huge baths, with some guests finding the rooms dated, which is the usual trade at this price. It suits families, road-trippers with a trailer in tow, and anyone passing through on the Western Highway who wants the dog with them.

Getting there and parking

The inn sits on Sturt Street, which becomes the Western Highway through Ballarat's west, so arrivals from Melbourne come straight to the door, about 15 minutes from the city centre. Parking is free and at the door, which makes unloading a dog and luggage easy.

Close by with the dogs

Victoria Park, a few minutes east, is one of Ballarat's largest unfenced off-leash areas under City of Ballarat rules, with dogs under voice control and a leash carried at all times. For a fully fenced run, CE Brown Reserve Fenced Dog Park at Wendouree is a short drive north. Arch View Cafe is the local coffee stop in Alfredton.

More options are on the Victoria pet friendly stays guide and the Alfredton destination page.