Eltham Retreat Guest House

Eltham Retreat Guest House is a three bedroom holiday home at 158 Bolton Street in Eltham, on the north eastern edge of Melbourne. It takes dogs overnight for a published set of fees, and with a full kitchen, a fireplace and a private yard it works as a self-catered base for a Nillumbik trip with the dog.

Dogs at the Eltham Retreat Guest House

Dogs are welcome, and the Stayz listing also allows cats up to a total of three pets. The published charges are a $60 pet fee per pet per stay, a refundable $60 deposit and a one off $40 cleaning fee. Service animals are exempt from the fees. No size limit is stated, but confirm the current pet terms directly with the host when you book, because the listing platforms do not all show the same conditions.

The vibe

This is a house to live in rather than a serviced hotel room: three bedrooms, a full kitchen with oven and stovetop, a lounge with a fireplace, a deep soaking tub, and a washing machine and dryer. The private yard gives a dog somewhere to stretch between walks, and free self parking on site makes loading gear easy. One thing to flag: the block is steep, with stairs up to the entrance, so think twice if you have an older dog or mobility limits of your own.

Close by with the dogs

Eltham Lower Park is the big one nearby, with a fenced oval and a designated off leash area down by the Yarra. Griffith Park's dog off leash area is another easy option closer to the shops, and Third Chapter on the Main Road strip is a dog friendly coffee stop. For the wider set of options, see Eltham Lower Park, Griffith Park and more dog friendly accommodation in Victoria.