Grimshaw House

Grimshaw House is a 1930s character residence at 17 Grimshaw Street, Parramatta Park, close to the Cairns CBD, run as a self-service aparthotel with eight bedrooms. The detail that matters for dog owners: dogs of any size are accepted with no additional pet fee, provided the host approves your request before arrival.

Dogs at Grimshaw House

The policy is generous on paper: any size dog, no extra fee, and cats considered on the same request basis. The catch is that this is a self-service house with no staff and no pet amenities on site, so you bring everything your dog needs, bowls, bedding and food included. Approval must come from the host before you arrive, not at the door, and dogs cannot be left unattended in the house. Because the listing is a whole-house rental usually taken by larger groups and families, make sure everyone travelling agrees on the dog rules before you lock in the booking.

The vibe

This is a period home rather than a modern hotel: high-set character construction typical of older Parramatta Park, booked most often by families and groups who want all eight bedrooms. There are no staffed services, so factor in self check-in. On-site parking is limited, and if you arrive with several vehicles you will be leaning on street parking along Grimshaw Street and the surrounding blocks.

Getting there and walking the dog

The house sits roughly 500 metres from the Parramatta Park Sporting Fields, which give you open grass and walking paths for morning and evening leads. Muddy's Playground on the Cairns foreshore is an easy walk, and the Esplanade extends it further, though note the public lagoon itself is a no-dogs zone. The nearest bus stop on Mulgrave Road is about 800 metres away. For a coffee or meal with the dog on the terrace, Lillipad Cafe in the city takes dogs outdoors, and the fenced off-lead run at Card Avenue Park in Manunda is a few minutes' drive.

If Grimshaw House is booked out, the pet-friendly NRMA Cairns Holiday Park in Manunda is the closest caravan-and-camping alternative, and the Parramatta Park guide with the Queensland stays index covers the wider region.

The fit here is families and groups who want a whole-house base within walking distance of central Cairns and are happy to run the house themselves. Confirm the dog approval in writing when you book, since the no-fee policy depends entirely on getting that sign-off first.

Pepsi: no pet fee and any-size dogs sounds perfect, but self-service means the human does the dishes, the bins and my towel. Bring my own bed or I suffer.