Booking Pet-Friendly Accommodation in South Africa

Confirm in writing

"Pet-friendly" on a listing site is not a booking condition. Email the property, describe your animal honestly — size, breed, number — and get written confirmation. Arriving with a dog the property did not expect is a miserable way to start a holiday.

Ask about the fees

Many properties charge a pet fee, a refundable deposit, or both, and these frequently do not appear at checkout. Ask what the fee is, whether it is per pet or per stay, and what would cause you to lose a deposit. Get the answer in the same email thread.

The questions that actually matter

Is the garden fully enclosed, and how high is the fence? May the pet be left alone in the room? Are there resident animals? Is there a nearby vet? The left-alone question catches people out constantly — plenty of places allow pets but require them never to be unattended, which rules out dinner out.

Pack their normal life

Their own bed or blanket, their usual food, their bowls, and a familiar toy. Unfamiliar rooms are stressful and familiar smells do more to settle an animal than anything else you can bring. Changing food and location at the same time is a reliable way to produce a sick pet.

First hour on arrival

Walk the perimeter with them on a lead before letting them loose. Let them map the place. Check the fence yourself for gaps at ground level — a new garden is exactly where an anxious dog goes looking for a way home.