Marriners View house, Apollo Bay review: Dog day afternoons

There's a saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks but I may have managed to do just that this summer. Nine-year-old German shorthair pointer Leroy holidayed beachside for the first time, chasing seagulls, swimming in the waves and trying to pilfer from fishermen's buckets.

It all came about thanks to dog-friendly accommodation in a new estate area of Apollo Bay, a short walk from the beach and overlooked by Marriners Lookout in the rolling green hills of the Otway Ranges.

This is a favourite spot with paragliders, who step off the edge and drift down towards town in the thermals. Leroy learnt to bark at the paragliders, too.

On this section of beach, away from the hubbub of town, dogs are permitted 24/7, so there is plenty of time and space to romp, especially at low tide, when there's a wide strip of sand. Early in the mornings, horses are sometimes galloped along the wet sand, causing great curiosity in city-raised Leroy.

The accommodation at the three-bedroom double-storey Marriners View house is so stylish, it's surprising dogs are allowed. The property has a secure backyard, dog bowls and dog beds with sheets and towels for inside and out.

For people, the Balinese timber furniture, polished floorboards and deck with small electric barbecue make this an appealing choice.

Each of the three downstairs bedrooms has a queen-size bed, while the main bedroom has a snug en suite with shower and toilet. The second bathroom includes a bath tub.

The supplied towels and linen seem to be good quality; they are fresh and clean, just like the rest of the house, which shows no undue evidence of previous doggie visitors.

The bedrooms have electric wall heaters but airconditioning is limited to the upstairs open-plan lounge/kitchen area surrounded by the deck, which is accessed through double doors.