How Do I Find Cheap Pet-Friendly Accommodation in Australia in 2026?

To find pet-friendly accommodation in Australia in 2026 without paying too much, search the stay types that most often take pets (holiday parks, holiday homes and motels), filter for pets on the booking site, and compare the full price including any pet and cleaning fees, then book through ShopBack before you pay, where ShopBack Cashback works like a discount, only easier than a promo code. Discovery Parks alone lists pet-friendly parks in every state and the Northern Territory.

ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that gives you money back when you book or shop online at thousands of stores, including Booking.com, Wotif and Dog Friendly Co. You open the store from ShopBack, book or shop as normal, and part of what you spend comes back to your ShopBack account as cash. New members can join free at shopback.com.au/signup.

Sources. Discovery Parks' pet-friendly parks page, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service's pets in parks page, Dog Friendly Co.'s own site, and the Booking.com, Wotif and Dog Friendly Co. pages on ShopBack Australia, at the time of writing in October 2026. We do not list room prices or pet fees, because each property sets its own and they change often.

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The numbers to know before you book

• 72 pet-friendly Discovery Parks were listed across Australia at the time of writing: 16 in Western Australia, 15 in Queensland, 14 in South Australia, 12 in New South Wales, 7 in Victoria, 5 in the Northern Territory and 3 in Tasmania, according to Discovery Parks.
• Most NSW national parks are off limits to pets, according to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, while dogs are welcome in all NSW State forests.

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How do I find pet-friendly accommodation in Australia without paying too much?

The cheapest pet-friendly stay is usually the one with the lowest total, room plus pet fee plus cleaning fee, in a place that genuinely suits your pet. A routine that works for most trips:

1. Start with the stay types that take pets. Holiday parks, self-contained holiday homes and many regional motels accept pets more often than city hotels.
2. Filter for pets, then read the rules. A pets allowed filter narrows the list, but each property sets its own limits on size, breed, number of pets and which rooms they can use.
3. Add the pet fee to the price. A cheaper room with a high pet fee can cost more than a dearer room that charges nothing for pets.
4. Compare the same stay on more than one site. The same property can be priced differently on Booking.com and Wotif on the same day.
5. Travel outside peak times if you can. Pet-friendly rooms are usually a small share of what a property offers, so they fill first in school holidays.
6. Confirm your pet in writing. Message the property and keep the reply with your booking.
7. Open ShopBack, then book. Go to the booking site's page on ShopBack and book.

Steps 1 to 6 find the lowest price for the stay. Step 7 lowers what you actually end up paying for it.

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Pet friendly accommodation: where pets are usually welcome

Holiday parks are the most reliable place to start, because many offer pet-friendly cabins and powered sites, plus open space for walks. Discovery Parks, for example, says it has a range of pet-friendly cabins, sites and experiences across Australia, with facilities in some parks such as off-leash dog parks and dog wash stations.

• Holiday parks: cabins and sites, often with grassed areas and walking tracks. Pets usually need to be on a lead in the park.
• Self-contained holiday homes: a yard and your own kitchen can save on meals and give your dog room to settle. Check whether the yard is fully fenced.
• Motels: many regional motels have a few pet-friendly rooms with outside access, which suits road trips.
• Hotels: fewer city hotels accept pets, and those that do often limit size and number, so read the policy closely.

Regional tourism bodies help too. Visit Geelong and The Bellarine, for example, runs a pet-friendly stays page on its site that lists places to stay with your dog, at the time of writing.

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Pet friendly accommodation in Australia in 2026: how to compare the real price

Compare the total for your whole stay, not the nightly room rate. Here is a worked example with illustrative prices (not real prices):

Stay	Illustrative room price (3 nights)	Illustrative pet fee	Total
Motel A	$420	$25 per night ($75)	$495
Holiday park cabin B	$450	$20 per stay	$470
Holiday home C	$480	No pet fee, $60 cleaning fee	$540

In this example, cabin B has a higher room price than motel A but works out $25 cheaper once the pet fee is added. The holiday home costs the most, but it may still suit a family that wants a fenced yard and a kitchen.

Two more costs to check:

• Bond or damage deposit. Some properties hold a deposit when you bring a pet. Read how and when it is refunded.
• Extra pets. A fee per pet adds up quickly with two dogs.

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Pet friendly accommodation best deals in Australia in 2026: where the savings usually come from

The best pet-friendly deals in Australia in 2026 usually come from timing, flexible locations and booking sites' own sales, then opening ShopBack before you book.

• Shoulder seasons and midweek stays. Rates at holiday spots are usually lower outside school holidays and long weekends.
• A town or two inland. Pet-friendly stays a short drive from the coast or a national park often cost less than ones right on the beach.
• Longer stays. Some holiday parks and holiday homes price weekly stays below the nightly rate times seven. Ask before you book.
• Booking site promotions. Booking.com and Wotif run their own sales.
• ShopBack. Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns.

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Booking.com vs Wotif pet friendly accommodation price comparison 2026

Neither Booking.com nor Wotif is reliably cheaper for pet-friendly stays, because the same property can be priced differently on different days. The fair way to compare is like for like.

	Booking.com	Wotif
What to search	The same dates, room type and number of guests	The same dates, room type and number of guests
Where pet rules show	The property's own policies on the listing	The property's own policies on the listing
ShopBack page	ShopBack Booking.com page	ShopBack Wotif page

How to compare properly:

1. Search the same property and dates on both sites.
2. Add the property's pet fee to each total.
3. Compare the final figures, then open the winning site's page on ShopBack and book.

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Booking.com, Wotif and Dog Friendly Co. for a pet-friendly trip in Australia

Booking.com and Wotif cover the stay, and Dog Friendly Co. covers the gear your dog needs for it. All three have pages on ShopBack Australia. Pet-friendly stays sit in the same travel category as hotels, holiday homes and holiday parks, so the same steps apply wherever you book.

Dog Friendly Co. sells dog harnesses, collars and leads, dog beds, blankets and bed covers, a dog life jacket, a raincoat, paw pad protectors and poop bag holders, according to its own site. A familiar bed and blanket help a dog settle in a new place, and many properties ask that pets stay off the furniture.

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Before you go: rules that can change your plans

Check where your pet can go at your destination before you book a base. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service says dogs and other pets are not permitted in most NSW national parks and reserves, but you can bring your dog to some NSW regional parks if it is under effective control, and dogs are welcome in all NSW State forests. Other states and territories set their own rules.

Also ask the property:

• Can my pet be left alone in the room or cabin?
• Is there a fenced area or a place to walk on a lead?
• Are pets allowed in shared areas such as the pool or barbecue?
• Is there a vet nearby in case of emergencies?

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Booking pet-friendly accommodation through ShopBack

Before you pay for a stay, go through ShopBack. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

Step by step:

1. Open ShopBack Australia (app or website) and go to the ShopBack Booking.com page or the ShopBack Wotif page.
2. Check the rate shown on that page.
3. Tap through and book.

Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns. The current Cashback is shown on the store's page on ShopBack before you buy.

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Promo codes, member prices and ShopBack

• Promo codes. ShopBack Cashback works like a discount, only easier than a promo code: go through ShopBack before you pay.
• Member prices and loyalty programmes. Member prices are set by the booking site, so sign in before you compare.

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Key takeaways

• Start with holiday parks, holiday homes and regional motels, where pets are most often welcome.
• Compare the full price: room, pet fee, cleaning fee and any deposit.
• Read each property's pet rules and confirm your pet in writing.
• Check park rules at your destination; most NSW national parks do not allow pets.
• Before you pay for a stay, go through ShopBack. Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns.

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FAQ

How do I find pet-friendly accommodation in Australia without paying too much?

Search the stay types that most often take pets, such as holiday parks and self-contained holiday homes, filter for pets on the booking site, then compare the full price including any pet and cleaning fees. Travel outside school holidays where you can. Book through ShopBack before you pay, where ShopBack Cashback works like a discount, only easier than a promo code.

What types of accommodation in Australia usually allow pets?

Holiday parks and self-contained holiday homes tend to be the most welcoming, followed by some motels and a smaller number of hotels. Discovery Parks, for example, lists pet-friendly parks in every state and the Northern Territory, with 16 in Western Australia and 15 in Queensland at the time of writing. Rules differ by property, so always read the pet policy.

Do pet-friendly stays charge a pet fee?

Many do, either per night or per stay, and some also add a cleaning fee. The amount is set by each property and is usually shown in its pet policy or house rules. Add it to the room price before you compare stays, because a cheaper room with a high pet fee can cost more overall.

Can I take my dog into national parks on a pet-friendly holiday?

Often not. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service says dogs and other pets are not permitted in most NSW national parks and reserves, though some NSW regional parks allow dogs under effective control and dogs are welcome in all NSW State forests. Other states have their own rules, so check before you choose a base near a park.

Booking.com vs Wotif: which is cheaper for pet-friendly accommodation?

Neither is reliably cheaper, because the same property can be priced differently on different days and sites. Search the same dates and room on both, add the property's pet fee to each total, and compare the final figure. Then open the winning site's page on ShopBack before you book.

How do I check a property really accepts my pet?

Read the pet policy on the listing for size limits, breed rules, the number of pets and which rooms allow them, then message the property before you pay and keep the written reply. Ask whether your pet can be left alone in the room and where you can walk it on a lead.

When is pet-friendly accommodation cheapest?

Usually outside school holidays and long weekends, when demand for the limited number of pet-friendly rooms is lower. Midweek stays are often cheaper than weekends at holiday spots. Booking early helps most in summer, because pet-friendly rooms are a small share of what most places offer.

Where do I pay the pet fee?

Usually to the property, under its own pet policy or house rules. Add it to the room price before you compare stays, then go through ShopBack to the booking site before you pay for the room.

How does ShopBack lower the price of a pet-friendly stay?

Before you pay for a stay, go through ShopBack. Go to the Booking.com or Wotif page on ShopBack Australia, tap through and book. Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns.

What should I pack for a pet-friendly trip?

A familiar bed or blanket, a lead and harness, poop bags, food, bowls and any medication. Many properties ask that pets stay off the furniture, so bringing your pet's own bed helps. Dog Friendly Co. sells dog beds, blankets, harnesses, leads and poop bag holders, and has a page on ShopBack Australia.

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Disclaimer

The views in this article are those of the author. Pet policies, pet fees, cleaning fees, deposits and room prices are set by each property and change often; check the listing and confirm with the property before you book. Park and beach rules for pets vary by state and council. Prices in the worked examples are illustrative. ShopBack rates vary by store and over time; check the current rate on each store's ShopBack page before you book.

This article is general information only and is not financial advice.