Pet-Friendly Accommodation in Maffra: The Old Maffra Bakery

Shell & Katy Pretty Fluffy Editors

Katy and Shell are two style-savvy dog mums who celebrate the best in pet-friendly living. A professional pet photographer and dog lifestyle writer, together they bring dog-friendly inspiration, pet product recommendations, dog treat recipes, pet expert advice and the best in emerging and designer dog brands into the homes of discerning pet parents around the world.

As creatives and house-proud dog mamas, our love for all things unique, storied and stylish naturally extends to dog-friendly accommodation and the places we escape to with Ziggy.

We may be homebodies, but we’re also die-hard travellers at heart (life is all about balance after all!) So whenever we hit the road with Zig, the best pet-friendly accommodation, in our opinion, is somewhere that echoes the sense of comfort and coziness we feel at home, while also offering a memorable, interesting or beautiful experience in its own right.

Having stayed in many pet-friendly places over the years, we know all-too-well that finding unique or stylish dog-friendly stays isn’t exactly a walk in the park. 

So when a friend’s wedding was due to take place in Tinamba, nestled in the heart of Gippsland’s scenic countryside, we were excited to see what we’d find when searching for pet-friendly accommodation in Maffra, a charming village just a stone’s throw away – and the perfect base to explore the wonders of Central Gippsland with your pup by your side.

As luck would have it, we randomly stumbled across Maison Maffra – The Old Maffra Bakery in a Facebook group – and are SO happy we did!

RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Staying in a Pet-Friendly Airbnb

Pet-Friendly Accommodation in Maffra: Maison Maffra

Maffra

Located just a short 10 minute drive from Sale, a major historic centre of Gippsland, Victoria, Maffra is a small heritage town with tree-lined streets, Victorian-style cottages and quaint boutique stores.

Its central location makes it a wonderful base for exploring many of Gippsland’s natural wonders; the spectacular Gippsland lakes, the pristine coastline of 90 Mile Beach, picturesque country walking trails, and for those who love to ‘wine down’ – the Central Gippsland wine trail.

Unique Pet-Friendly Accommodation in Maffra

If you’re looking for stylish pet-friendly accommodation in Maffra, somewhere with bags of charm and character that offers a unique experience – it doesn’t get any better than Maison Maffra.

Right on Maffra’s main street is where you’ll find this charming Victorian terrace property, which once stood as the town’s bakery. The owners are a lovely creative father and daughter duo with two fur babies of their own, and they still have the original giant bread ovens in the back shed, which you can see on request! 

And if a past life as a historic bakery isn’t enough to pique your interest, years later the site was transformed into an antique store, named – you guessed it – Maison Maffra. Its memory is kept well and truly alive with French antiques that adorn the interior and courtyard of the beautiful and wonderfully eclectic pet-friendly Airbnb it is today.

Maison Maffra is listed as a studio, but don’t be fooled – there is no shortage of space here, with plenty of cozy nooks and well-considered furnishings to curl up with your pup.

The central studio space, which welcomes an abundance of natural light in the day, features a queen size bed (with superbly soft bedding that is to-die-for), retro dining setting, and a lounge area with a couch directly in front of the large flat-screen TV (which you can also watch from the bed – bliss!) 

If snuggling up with your dog by the fire is more to your liking, you will adore the cleverly tucked-away sitting room as much as we did.

Undoubtedly one of the two main ‘retreats’ of the property, this old parlour features an open fireplace, antique furnishings, rare book collection (*swoon*) and pink feature wall adorned with vintage paintings. We only wish we had stayed longer to flick through every last book on the shelf!

The second retreat on offer is equally as enchanting – the lush, picturesque courtyard.

The perfect space to enjoy a BBQ or morning coffee, your dog can roam and sniff freely in this idyllic, fully-fenced area. Ziggy just loved exploring the courtyard, giving the sniff of approval to the gardens and rustic outdoor furnishings.

The modern, luxurious bathroom and well-appointed kitchenette, complete with Smeg appliances, also prove you don’t have to sacrifice luxury just because you’re on a pet-friendly holiday!

Dining

Being on the main street, literally everything is on your doorstep – pubs, boutique stores, the local supermarket…and of course – cafes! Which will no doubt be music to your ears if you’re an unashamed coffee addict like us.

Coffee House 138

We had heard good things about Coffee House 138 from one of the locals. So, low on caffeine and high on expectations, we grabbed a pet-friendly table out front.

And we’re thrilled to say, we weren’t disappointed! The coffee was delicious (easily passing the test for us coffee snobs) and the grilled haloumi burger was to-die-for.

The Pickle Pot

This charming cafe-meets-wholefood store is the Maffra community’s go-to for locally-made, organic, and eco-friendly products and produce.

A warm and inviting space with dog-friendly seating out front, the coffee here was excellent quality also, along with their selection of yummy baked goods (we remember you, beetroot brownie of dreams).

The best part? Here you’ll find home-baked dog treats! Ziggy rated his peanut butter biscuits a scrumptious 10/10.

Pet-Friendly Things to Do

Macalister River Regional Park (5 min walk): A short walk from Maison Maffra, this park is set along the river in a lovely bushland setting. Here you’ll find the historic Maffra Sugar Beet Museum, our choice for our very first ‘Most Instagrammable Photo Spot’ – see below! 

Maffra Wetlands Reserve (15 min walk): Love the sound of boardwalks and bird watching? Take your pup for a leisurely stroll around the peaceful wetlands surroundings that hum with the sounds of insects and birdlife. 

Avon Ridge Vineyard (5 min drive): Some things in life just go together, like salt and pepper, wine and woofs. Enjoy picturesque vineyard views and wine tasting with your furry bestie right beside you in the partially covered outdoor seating area.

Stratford (10 min drive): Sitting on the Avon river, Stratford is linked to the world-famous Shakespearian town in England, which inspired its Arts Trail through the town. We wandered through the quaint main street, stopping in at the quirky Badger & Hare cafe where we shared a delicious homemade banana bread in their dog-friendly outdoor seating area.

Tip: While you’re waiting for a coffee, pop across the road for the perfect photo op in front of the fab pink wall – a close runner-up to our Most Instagrammable Photo Spot below!

Lake Glenmaggie (25 min drive): Located on the Macalister River, Lake Glenmaggie is a large expanse of water framed by sandy coves and shady gum trees. The perfect place to swim, explore and picnic with your pooch. 

Most Instagrammable Photo Spot in Maffra 

No pet-friendly holiday is complete without finding the perfect backdrop for a furry family photo op you can post to the ‘gram. That’s why each post in our pet-friendly travel series will feature our favourite Instagram-worthy photo location!

Here’s our top pick for Maffra – we just couldn’t go past the historical signage of the Maffra Beet Sugar Factory, which captures the heritage feel of the area perfectly.

The unique blend of charm, style and luxury is exactly why we loved our stay at Maison Maffra – we truly believe it’s the best you’ll find when looking for pet-friendly accommodation in Maffra.

Everywhere you look, there is something beautiful, eclectic or interesting to be found – and it certainly made for an unforgettable pet-friendly stay that is perfect all year around.

From historic bakery to antique store, to unique pet-friendly Airbnb, Maison Maffra holds a lifetime of memories. And it’s the perfect place for you and your pup to create your own.

Featured pet accessories: Midnight Adventure Kit by Stylish Hound, Tiggy Leather Dog Harness by Nice Digs.

Get Featured! Pet-Friendly Travel Series

Would you and your pup love to be volunteer contributors to our pet-friendly travel series with a featured guest post?

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• An active Instagram account
• Passion for writing or blogging
• Ability to take good quality photos
• Willingness to feature in photos with your dog
• Passion for getting out and about with your dog
• Recently taken a holiday you can review, or have upcoming travel plans
• An eye for finding beautiful, stylish or unique accommodation

If you meet the above requirements, email us at submissions@prettyfluffy.com with the subject line “Pet-friendly travel submission” along with a brief description of the pet-friendly getaway or destination you wish to review. 

Please note: Due to the high volume of emails we receive, we can only respond to successful submissions.