Dartmoor Hotel Motel

The Dartmoor Hotel Motel is a traditional country pub-motel at 4 Lindsay Road, just off the Princes Highway through Dartmoor, roughly halfway between Melbourne and the South Australian border. It is a useful dog-friendly stopover for the highway run or a base for the Glenelg River, with pets welcome strictly on request.

Dogs at the Dartmoor Hotel Motel

Dogs are allowed but only by arrangement: flag it in the special requests box when booking or ring +61 3 5528 1240 directly, because specific rooms are set aside for guests with pets and availability depends on what is free. Charges are not published and are confirmed when you book. Pet rooms generally have direct exterior access, which makes late-night toilet breaks simple. Do not just turn up and assume a pet room exists that night, since they are allocated first-asked.

The vibe

An old-style rustic pub with a bar, bistro and motel rooms attached, plus a campground on the property. Rooms are simple and clean, with a kettle, toaster, microwave and fridge doing the practical work. Under new management in recent years, the staff are consistently described as friendly and the pub meals draw regular praise, the chicken schnitzel especially, which matters when you can taste the kitchen without leaving the dog anywhere.

Getting there and walking the dog

Turn off the Princes Highway onto Lindsay Road, with level, easy access to the rooms and parking on site. For a leg-stretch, the free Fort O'Hare Picnic and Campground on Gambier Road sits on the banks of the Glenelg River a short hop away, with a swimming hole, a small jetty, canoe launch, picnic tables, fire pits and dogs allowed on lead. Watch for cattle near the riverbanks. Fort O'Hare is listed on PawScapes too if you would rather camp than take a room, and River Vu Park at Nelson is another Glenelg River option further west.

The Dartmoor destination guide and the Victorian stays index cover the wider region. This suits road-trippers breaking the long drive, anglers and canoeists working the Glenelg, and anyone who wants a proper pub dinner without leaving the dog in the car. Bring your own dog bedding if pub floors concern you, and confirm the fee and room type on the call.

Max: phone first. Pet rooms here are limited and go to whoever asked earliest, not whoever arrives first.