Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection

Pier One Sydney Harbour, Autograph Collection sits on a heritage pier jutting into the water directly beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and it runs one of the most developed hotel dog programs in the country under its Pups on the Pier banner. This is a five-star splurge where the dog is a booked guest, not a smuggled extra.

Dogs at Pier One

You must book the Puppy Package, which carries a $120 per night supplement and secures a designated Dog Friendly Water View Room. The package includes a luxury dog bed, food and water bowls, a welcome amenity and a bandana, with an in-room doggy minibar and dog-friendly room service menu charged on consumption. A maximum of two dogs per room applies and there are no weight restrictions, so big breeds are properly covered. Five dollars from each pet package booking goes to the RSPCA.

Worth knowing

NSW food regulations keep dogs out of indoor dining areas, but the outdoor pier decking is set up for dogs to dine alongside you, and the PIER BAR runs a dedicated doggy menu. Do not book a standard room and arrive with a dog: the policy only attaches to the designated rooms. Paid parking is available and worth arranging with the hotel ahead of arrival.

Max: reserve the Dog Friendly Water View Room with the Puppy Package by name. A standard booking will not cover the dog, and the supplement is cheaper than the disappointment.

Out with the dogs

Dawes Point Park's grass sits immediately beside the pier for quick relief walks, and the harbourside Writers Walk gives a leashed loop past Circular Quay. The small Munn Reserve in Millers Point is an easy leg-stretcher west, and for a pint the dog-friendly Australian Heritage Hotel in The Rocks is a short stroll under the bridge.

For more dog-friendly bases, see pet friendly stays in NSW, or browse what else is on offer in Dawes Point.