Sapphire Beach Apartment

This ground-floor holiday apartment in Sapphire Beach, a small coastal locality just north of Coffs Harbour, is built around a simple promise: dogs sleep inside with you. The listing name says the beach is a 5 minute walk, and a secure backyard covers the toileting and zoomies side of things. For a rental that genuinely welcomes animals rather than tolerating one, the setup is unusually clear.

Dogs at the apartment

Dogs and cats are the only animals permitted, to a maximum of 2 per stay, and they are allowed to sleep inside overnight. The host asks that you clean pet fur off furniture and floors before checkout, and that all dog waste is cleared from the backyard. Dogs cannot be left alone if they fret, and even settled dogs should be left for no more than a couple of hours at a time. Service animals are exempt from fees; general pet fees vary by booking platform, so confirm the amount when you reserve.

The apartment

It is a self-contained ground-floor apartment, and the secure backyard is the feature that separates it from bare-minimum pet-friendly listings. Beyond that, treat the amenity list as standard holiday-apartment fare and confirm specifics with the host at booking. It suits one or two well-mannered dogs or cats that settle calmly when briefly left alone; the alone-time cap makes it a poor match for dogs with separation anxiety.

Where to walk

The locality sits between Moonee Beach and Emerald Beach, so established dog-friendly spots are close. Emerald Beach Dog Beach, north of Fiddamans Creek, is the obvious off-leash run, and the Moonee Beach Hotel is a short drive back down the coast for a lunch stop. If you would rather camp with the dog than rent, Reflections Moonee Beach - Holiday Park is a few minutes north.

Pepsi: the two-hour cap on alone time is the clause to circle. If your dog stresses when you leave, book elsewhere rather than testing it.

Confirm the pet fee directly with the host when reserving, and be honest with yourself about the alone-time rule if you plan dinners out. For more options along the coast, see stays in NSW, and check our Sapphire Beach destination guide for the local picture.