Hotel Ernest Bendigo

Hotel Ernest bills itself as Bendigo's only pet-friendly hotel, and the detail that matters is narrow: dogs stay in one specific room, the Ground Floor Accessible and Pet Friendly Suite. If that suite is free you have a polished hotel base in the middle of town; if it is booked, there is no dog room two.

Dogs at Hotel Ernest

The suite takes one pet up to 30kg, or two small dogs under 15kg, for a non-refundable $40 per stay. Bring your own dog bedding, keep the dog off the beds and furniture, and do not leave pets unattended in the room. Around the hotel, dogs travel on a lead or in a carrier through public areas, and the house rule is a quiet night: no barking into the dark. Owners wear the clean-up and any damage, so book early and name the dog up front.

Max: one suite, forty dollars, ground floor so no lifts with a lead in the rain. Ring ahead, it is the only dog room in the hotel.

The hotel

Guests rate the hotel highly, and the ground-floor suite works well for a dog: no stairs, no lifts, and a straight shot out the door. It sits at 10/12 View Street in central Bendigo, close to the gallery, cafes and the city's walkable core.

Getting there and parking

View Street runs off the centre of Bendigo, an easy arrival from the Calder Highway or the Midland Highway, with parking available nearby in the CBD. Being central, the daily dog walk can start from the front door.

Close by with the dogs

Rosalind Park and the on-lead loop around Lake Weeroona are the closest exercise options, both an easy walk away. For a coffee stop, The Green Olive welcomes dogs outdoors. If the pet suite is taken, Hargreaves Retreat and Irishtown Cottage are pet-friendly stays in Bendigo. More options are on the Bendigo destination page and in the Victoria stays directory.