Blue Water Motel

The Blue Water Motel at 129 Kingscliff Street is a renovated retro-style motel a short walk from Kingscliff Beach, and it is genuinely set up for dogs: one dog per room, a published $50 per-stay fee and clear rules on the motel's own terms page, so planning is simple. Guests rate it highly for the renovated rooms, comfortable beds and the communal kitchen.

Dogs at the Blue Water Motel

The policy covers dogs only - no cats or other pets. You must book direct through the motel's website and add the $50 pet fee to the reservation before arrival; if the fee has not been arranged and paid in advance, the motel can ask you to leave without a refund, and third-party booking sites will not lock in the pet arrangement for you. Your dog must be supervised at all times and cannot be left unattended in the room, so if you want a dinner out where dogs are not welcome, plan around it rather than leaving your dog behind in the room.

Worth knowing

The motel has an outdoor pool, a communal kitchen and sparkling water on tap, and a retro feel that comes from a proper renovation rather than a paint job. Lulu's coffee van parks right out the front in the morning, which is a real convenience before the first beach walk. Rates are typically around the $170 a night mark, but confirm at booking.

Getting there and parking

The motel sits on Kingscliff Street in the town centre, close to the beach and the coastal path, with off-street parking for guests. From the door it is an easy on-lead walk to the sand.

Close by with the dogs

The Kingscliff Dog off leash area is the obvious first stop to let your dog run, and the Marine Parade cafe strip is close by - Lulu's Coffee is the van at the door and Mockingbird is a few minutes' walk. If you want a different style of stay, Ingenia Holidays Kingscliff is the caravan and cabin option nearby.

Max: book direct and pay the fee or I do not get a room, and I never get left alone in it either.