Bannisters Pavilion

Bannisters Pavilion is Mollymook's boutique resort for couples and small groups who want the beach holiday without the resort sprawl. It sits at Mollymook Beach on the South Coast, a few minutes from the sand, the golf club and the Ulladulla harbour precinct, and it trades on design: tropical modern rooms, a rooftop pool and bar, and the Rick Stein restaurant that put the village on food travellers' maps.

The dog setup here is unusually concrete for an upscale property. Per the resort's own pet friendly accommodation page, there are three spacious Pet Friendly Classic Rooms - around 30 square metres with garden views - and pets are capped at 40kg, so large breeds need to check the maths before booking. The Rooftop Bar and Grill welcomes pets at two dedicated pet friendly tables in a separate area of the main restaurant, which means a dog can come to dinner rather than wait in the room.

Guests pick the Pavilion over the main Bannisters building for exactly this reason: the pet rooms are purpose-set, not a grudging exception. EV chargers and a morning coffee cart round out the practical touches, and the rooms are configured with the kitchenette and bathroom space you want when a sandy dog is sharing the holiday.

Booking platforms report a pet fee around 30 dollars a night and one pet per room, with dogs not left alone in the room - worth building into dinner plans, since the spa and indoor dining are people-only. Guests mention bowls waiting on arrival, and staff following up after booking to run through the pet rules before check-in.

The three pet rooms sit on the lower level, and non-pet guests get placed nearby, so a word at booking about placement suits both sides. The complimentary guest shuttle to the Rick Stein restaurant at the sister Bannisters by the Sea property is the regulars' move - ask whether dogs can ride along when you book, as that rule sits with the restaurant.

Mollymook itself is a compact dog-walking town. Collers Beach is a quiet cove a short drive north for a morning sniff, and the headland paths give leashed exercise with whale views in season. Book the pet room directly through the Pavilion's accommodation pages, and confirm the 40kg limit and any cleaning arrangements when you reserve, because pet rooms are limited to three and they move first in holiday periods.

Close by with the dogs

Pair a stay with a morning at Collers Beach, or plan the onward leg around Westmark in Milton and the Good Life Beach Home at Bawley Point. More pet friendly South Coast stays are listed under NSW stays.