Punthill Epping

Punthill Epping is a newer apartment hotel on Greengate Way in Melbourne's north, built for extended stays as much as overnight ones. The apartments come with full kitchens, and guests single out the showers, the sleep quality and a management team that picks up the phone.

For travellers heading up the Hume or working a stint in the northern suburbs, it takes the friction out of a trip that includes a dog.

Dogs at Punthill Epping

The property's own amenity list marks it Pet-Friendly with fee and conditions applying. Punthill sits under the Veriu Group, whose pet terms require prior approval before you book, charge a non-refundable cleaning fee, and bar restricted breeds.

Assistance animals are welcome free of charge. Contact the property before locking in your dates so approval and the fee amount are confirmed in writing, because room types and availability for pets vary.

Booking channels report the pet charge as a flat non-refundable cleaning fee of around $250 per stay rather than a nightly rate. For a one or two night stop that can rival the room itself, so the apartment format earns its keep on longer trips and deserves a hard look on short ones.

Pet rooms are not guaranteed online, because approval sits with the property and can vary by room type. The short walk to the Edgars Creek corridor gives a leafy on-lead leg stretch without driving, and reception keeps track of which precinct cafes put water bowls out.

The vibe

Guests describe a modern building that still feels quiet, which matters after a long drive north. The apartment format means you can run the dishwasher, walk the dog and come back to a liveable space rather than a cramped hotel room with everything on the bed.

Kitchens make feeding routines easy, and nobody is ferrying a dog down a corridor at 5am.

For exercise, Lyndarum Wetlands Fenced Dog Park is the local standout: fully fenced, so an unsocialised or flighty dog can still get a proper run without risk. The Epping Waterway Loop makes an easy on-lead morning circuit when you want distance rather than play.

Worth knowing

The non-refundable cleaning fee is the detail to budget for. Unlike a bond, you will not see it again, so weigh it against your nightly rate before choosing between two properties.

Book early if your dates fall on school holidays, when the northern suburbs' apartment stock thins out.

When you head out for coffee, Afterglow Eatery covers brunch nearby, and Whittlesea Public Gardens Fenced Dog Park a suburb north gives you a second fenced option with more room to run.