Last updated: 26 Oct 2026
Christmas 2026 kennel surcharges: what peak rates add
Most kennels and catteries charge more over Christmas, but they do it in different ways: a higher daily rate, a flat surcharge per day, a one-off fee per family, or extra charges only on public holidays. We read the price lists of all 35 providers we track in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on 26 October 2026.
- 15 of 35 publish a dollar amount for their Christmas, peak or public-holiday extra.
- 11 of 35 say a Christmas or seasonal rate applies but don't publish the amount (Pet Resorts Australia's six resorts, Barnstone, Hanrob's three airport hotels and AAA Pet Resort Brisbane).
- 9 of 35 publish nothing about Christmas pricing (Kip's four sites, Dogs Country Club, Kooronya, Tullamarine Cat Boarding, Hotel for Cats and Coltrandi).
The four public holidays in the Christmas window are Fri 25 Dec, Sat 26 Dec, Mon 28 Dec (the extra Boxing Day holiday) and Fri 1 Jan in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Providers that charge "per public holiday" may charge for each of them. See which kennels are open for check-in over Christmas.
Published amounts
Every row links the provider's own page, checked 26 Oct 2026. "Extra" is the published Christmas or peak price compared with the same provider's normal price.
| Provider | City | What's extra at Christmas | Window | Public holidays | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kepala Pet Resort | Melbourne | One-off $85 per family for a Christmas booking | Christmas period (covers all its public holidays) | $45 one-off per family for other single public holidays | Price list |
| Hallam Park Pet Resort | Melbourne | +$5 a day: dogs $55 (standard) or $65 (cottage), cats $40, vs $50, $60 and $35 off-peak | 18 Dec 2026 – 27 Jan 2027 | Not published | Peak season, dogs, cats |
| Sparrows In The Tree Top | Melbourne | +$10 a night for dogs (e.g. small/medium $53 vs $43), +$5 for cats ($35 vs $30). All rates rise $2 a night for stays from 1 Nov 2026 | 19 Dec – 1 Feb | Not published | Pricing |
| All 4 Paws and Claws | Melbourne | Stays under the 14-day minimum pay a higher rate: twin share $50 vs $40, single room $65 vs $55 a day per dog | 20 Dec – 20 Jan | Check-in or out on a public holiday (by exception) is charged a double daily charge | FAQ |
| Sophisticat Resort | Melbourne | Christmas rate: Deluxe Suite $78 vs $52, Premium Suite $96 vs $74 a night (one cat). Confirm: the rate table loads in the browser and our figures came from a search-engine copy | 18 Dec – 8 Jan | Not published | Rates |
| Donvale Cattery | Melbourne | +$5 per cat per day ($31 a day for one cat otherwise) | 18 Dec – 30 Jan | +$3 per cat per day for term holidays and long weekends | Rates |
| Animal Aid Boarding | Melbourne | No Christmas rate published | n/a | +$8 per dog, +$5 per cat on public holidays | Boarding |
| Cottage Kennels and Cattery | Melbourne | Single accommodation +$20 a day across peak periods (school holidays); $72 a day otherwise | Peak periods (school holidays) | Not published | The Main |
| Sydney Pet Resort | Sydney | +$26 per dog per day (Free Range and Standard); single accommodation $155 a day | 20 Dec – 28 Jan | $21 per dog on public holidays (and Sundays) | Boarding |
| Dogs in Town | Sydney | Holiday price list: $155 (under 10kg), $163, $193, $212 (over 35kg) a day; no boarding discounts | 10 Dec 2026 – 10 Jan 2027 | Not published | Christmas boarding info |
| Amore Boarding | Sydney | Peak $90 vs $70 a night (single room); extra family dog $80 vs $60 | All NSW school holidays and public holidays | Peak rate applies | Home page |
| SmallPaws Pet Hotel | Sydney | Pucci Suites peak: solo $265 vs $154, shared $242 vs $142 a day | All NSW school holidays (incl. private schools) and long weekends | Long weekends are peak | Pucci Suites |
| Pawfect Stay | Sydney | Holiday surcharge $10 (small dog) or $15 (medium and large) per dog. The page doesn't say whether it is per day, so ask | 19 Dec 2026 – 10 Jan 2027 | Not published | Prices |
| Aragon Cattery | Sydney | +$20 a night on all suites (non-peak from $60) | Peak periods, incl. Christmas / New Year | Same $20 a night | Pricing |
| The Links Pet Centre | Brisbane | Own-kennel Christmas rate: small dog $75 vs $42, large $85 vs $47, extra large $90 vs $50, cats $42 vs $32 a day | 24 Dec – 2 Jan | $20 surcharge on public holidays | Hours and rates |
What that adds to a real stay
Our arithmetic from the published figures above, for one pet. Providers count calendar days or nights differently, so check how yours charges.
- Hallam Park, standard dog kennel, 14 days: 14 × $5 = $70 more than off-peak.
- Donvale Cattery, one cat, 14 days: 14 × $5 = $70 more.
- Sparrows, small or medium dog, 14 nights: 14 × $10 = $140 more than off-peak (its Christmas minimum is 14 nights if the booking touches 25 Dec – 4 Jan).
- The Links, small dog, 24 Dec – 2 Jan (10 days): 10 × $33 = $330 more, before any $20 public-holiday surcharges.
- Sydney Pet Resort, standard kennel, 14 days: 14 × $26 = $364 more, plus $21 for each public holiday if that applies to your dates.
- Kepala: $85 once per family, however many public holidays you cover.
Questions to ask before you pay the deposit
- Is the Christmas surcharge per day, per night or per stay, and per pet or per family?
- Do the public-holiday surcharge and the Christmas rate both apply on 25, 26 and 28 Dec and 1 Jan?
- Is a stay shorter than the minimum charged as the full minimum, or at a higher daily rate (as at All 4 Paws)? See Christmas minimum stays, deposits and cancellations.
- Will prices rise before your stay? Sparrows, for example, added $2 a night for all stays from 1 November 2026.
- Are multi-pet or long-stay discounts suspended over Christmas? Dogs in Town says no boarding discounts apply in its holiday period.
Where the rest stand
Pet Resorts Australia (Port Melbourne, Dural, Ingleside, Gumdale, Narangba, Samford) and Barnstone publish a "Christmas Rate" covering one month across Christmas and New Year with a 7-day minimum charge, but not the amount (terms). Hanrob says prices depend on low or high season and quotes by phone (contact). AAA Pet Resort Brisbane applies a surcharge on public holidays, QLD school holidays and long weekends without publishing the amount (rates). For the others, ask when you call.
Compare base rates first: dog boarding prices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and check availability on the Christmas 2026 trackers for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Prices change. We copy them from each provider's own website and never estimate; always confirm the total with the provider before you book. Spotted a change? Send a correction.
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