The Coachhouse on the Beach Narrabeen

The Coachhouse on the Beach is a small apartment stay at 1184 Pittwater Road, Narrabeen, sitting directly on South Narrabeen Beach with the sand at the end of the path. One of its units is designated pet-friendly, which makes it a genuinely scarce thing on Sydney's northern beaches: beachfront indoor accommodation where a dog is allowed at all.

Dogs at the Coachhouse

Pets are permitted in the designated pet-friendly apartment only, and you must request it and mention your dog at the time of booking. Availability is strictly limited and other units in the complex are no-pets, so a booking made without the pet flag is not a booking your dog can join. Pets are not allowed in the shared beachfront garden areas, and there is no published weight limit or pet fee, so confirm the charge and house rules with the operators directly when you book.

Pepsi: get the pet approval in writing when you book. The apartment-specific rules are the ones that count here, not the property's general listing.

The stay

The pet-friendly unit is a ground-floor, self-contained one-to-two-bedroom apartment, which suits a dog far better than a second-floor walk-up. The complex fronts the ocean: guests talk about the sound of the surf, ocean views from the units and comfortable beds, with some bathrooms on the smaller side. The beach is the yard substitute, since the communal gardens are off limits to pets.

Close by with the dogs

The Narrabeen Lagoon multi-use trail is the local highlight: a flat 8.4km loop around the water, dogs welcome on-lead the whole way, passing through Berry Reserve and Middle Creek Reserve. South Narrabeen Beach sits at the door for early walks, though dogs are not permitted on the patrolled surf beach at peak times, so check the Northern Beaches Council dog access signage at the ramp before you let the lead slacken. The lagoon-side cafes in the village take dogs at outdoor tables.

Four Knots Cafe and Narrabeen Lakehouse both do dog-friendly outdoor tables, and Project One Cafe is another solid lead-up stop near the village.