Like many people I love to travel. But when you own pets zipping away at a moments notice can sometimes be a little tricky.

I am lucky enough to have family that live close by that are as ‘in love’ with Sausage & Sanchez as I am, (maybe more). But when they are busy or can’t look after them it is always good to have a back up, – ENTER BarkRoyal

Barkroyal is a boutique pet resort that prides itself on the intamacy and hands on approach it provides for each and every animal in their care.  Located at Mt Nathan, (Nerang) they have 8 deluxe cat rooms, 16 luxury dog suites and 12 large standard dog suites. If you have two dogs from the same family they are able to ‘bunk together’ and keep each other company, (much to Hans & Odie’s delight). If your dog craves affection and likes other dogs Barkroyal also provide a ‘Find a Friend’ option. Which also keeps the cost of your pets stay down.

Owners Melody and Craig met through dog training and have always been very passionate about dogs. Their Border Collie ‘Maverick’ (a past guest of the AWLQ) is a featured dog in the Outback Spectaular show on the Gold Coast is super intelligent. Sitting, staying, begging, shaking, rolling over are just some of the tricks up this cute pooches proverbial sleeve.

I caught up with Melody and asked her the following questions.

Why did you decide to purchase the Barkroyal?

We had been looking for a business in the pet industry for a great length of time but were very particular in what we wanted. When the Barkroyal opportunity came up we knew it was right for us. The decision has been amazing and proven very rewarding. We have a fantastic staff and get to meet so many wonderful much loved pets. It’s been a blessing.

What is the average length of stay for a pet?

Length of stays can vary but we get a large number of weekend bookings, (Fridays to Mondays) or long weekend visits. We have had long stay bookings for three months or more, and also regular customers that come to stay every month.

Is there a particular breed that frequents Barkroyal more than others?

We have separate accommodation for small dogs and large dogs.

Our most common small dog breed would be Maltese and Maltese crosses.
Our next most popular pups would be Staffys and Labradors. We get a wide range from Huskies, Rottweillers and German Sheperds to Whippets, French Bulldogs and Tibetan Spaniels. We love them all.

Tell me about the suites

Our air conditioned luxury suites all have sliding doors to private outdoor patios. We have just updated all the tv’s to flatscreens and we have music piped throughout the kennels. We also have grooming on site, an on call vet and offer a chauffer pick up and drop off service.

Some of our extra activities include nature walks on our 12.5 acre rural retreat, beach visits and Playgroup (which is very popular). Cats enjoy Brush & Massage time.

We require all 3 puppy/kitten vaccinations plus any annual vaccination which are C5 or above for a dog and an F3 or above for a cat.

We only accept desexed cats and prefer all dogs be desexed but we will accept non desexed dogs if they are not in season and not aggressive towards other dogs or humans.

What is the cost of boarding?

Although we are a five star accommodation our stays start from just $19 a day for cats and $28 for dogs.

We are very proud of Barkroyal and welcome inspections 10am-11am Monday to Saturday. Come and say hello!

BarkRoyal has just started a facebook page and is able to upload photos of your pet so you can keep up to date all the time. Like them on Facebook

Put your mind at ease next time you travel and check your pets in to the BarkRoyal. The hardest part will be making them leave when you come to pick them up. It’s puppy paradise!