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V&T Confidential - in detail
Pet pampering in the Blue Mountains
July 3, 2012.
By Natasha Dragun
We check in to the dog-friendly room at the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, in country NSW, to experience a weekend of pampering – for the pooch.
I remember my first trip to Paris, many moons ago. The woman at the table opposite me in the small café sipped red wine while her pooch, propped up in the banquette beside her, lapped at a pupachino. I almost fell off my chair! But that’s Paris – one of the most forward-thinking cities in the world when it comes to pets; Rome, Toronto, Amsterdam and Vancouver are all up there as well.
Australia? Well, pets aren’t allowed in malls and taxis, as they are in the Italian capital. But there’s an increasing collection of animal-friendly offerings around the country: all pubs in the Sydney suburb of Balmain, for example, are dog friendly; there are a number of cafés dedicated to your pets; and there are even hotels offering to check you in to rooms with your best friend – your pooch, that is.
This new breed of pet-friendly hotels includes the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, recently taken over by Accor Hotels and given a makeover to bring it up to the group’s MGallery brand standards. The pet-friendly room was added as part of the refurbishment, and because there’s only one, it’s often booked out months in advance.
We were lucky enough to secure two nights in late June, just when the resort was decorating pine trees and hanging stockings over open fires in preparation for Christmas in July. But before we checked in to the resort – a 90-minute drive from Sydney – there was some pampering to be had.
Our miniature Australian bulldog, Ziggi, has to be one of the most spoilt dogs around – in fact, I’m pretty sure he thinks he’s human. So it seemed only fitting that we stop off in Lawson en route to the Fairmont to visit pet haven, Klipt Kanines, overseen by Linc Jenkin. As part of our hotel package we opted to include a spa treatment for Ziggi followed by a photo session. Linc whisked Zig off for a bubble bath, pedicure – yes, you can roll your eyes now – and other treats while we continued on to Leura, where the Fairmont sits at the top of a cliff overlooking the Jamison Valley.
The hotel foyer is very dramatic, the lofty A-frame ceiling only outshone by endless views over the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park. If it wasn’t for the eucalyptus trees out the window I would have sworn we had arrived at a chalet in the European Alps. Before we had time to order our first glass of champagne, Linc and Ziggi returned, smelling of aloe vera, with photographer Chris Thomas in tow.
Chris bravely took Zig off our hands and spent two hours snapping him in the hotel’s gardens, which are, it must be said, very impressive. There are tennis courts, duck ponds and landscaped fields; there are also plenty of bushwalking tracks in the neighbourhood, and the Fairmont’s concierge team come prepared with maps marking suitable trails.
Our room was neat and minimal, as you want it to be when you have a pet. The floors were tiled – other rooms are carpeted – and there’s a dog bed and huge adjoining courtyard. The highlight for Zig was the ball and welcome card left for him – the latter was ripped to pieces in a matter of seconds, as every popular toy in our house is.
Leura is very pet friendly, and many of the restaurants have outdoor seating if you want to explore the area. Back at the hotel, guests soak up the sunshine in the Sublime Lounge or Jamisons Restaurant, or sit fireside in Embers Bar and signature dining room, Eucalypt. Not wanting to leave Ziggi alone in the cold courtyard at night, we were happy to order room service and settle in for an evening sampling the Blue Mountain’s best comfort food.
Photography by Chris Thomas and courtesy of the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains.
TRAVEL FACTS
There’s only one pet-friendly room at the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, so get in fast. Weekday rates start from AU$259 per night and weekend rates from AU$309.
A number of pampering options are available in the neighbourhood, from spa treatments to photo sessions to a spending spree at animal haven, Leura Doggie Store for VIP’s.
Klipt Kanines is the only salon based, professional dog grooming service in the Blue Mountains and offers everything from breed-specific clips to bathing, nail trimming and brush outs. Services start from AU$30, with unlimited dog washing, drying and brushing from AU$49.95. 0416-305-425; kliptkanines.com.au
Photographer Chris Thomas comes to you, takes your pet of your hands for a couple of hours, and delivers back sensational photos (digital and/or prints) the next day. 0406-624-202; xthomasphotography.com or facebook.com/XThomasPhotography
For more V&T Confidential, click here.
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