Stony Creek Cottages

Stony Creek Cottages is a trio of fully self-contained one-bedroom cottages at 1193 Mornington-Flinders Road in the Red Hill hinterland, run by hosts Louise and Rob. It rates 4.9 on Tripadvisor, and guests return for the wood fireplaces, corner spa baths and the two miniature donkeys, Peppe and Guido, in the rear paddock. But there is a catch dog owners need to know about before booking.

Dogs at the Stony Creek Cottages: conflicting information

Some dog-travel material circulating for this address describes dogs staying free, welcome indoors with a treat basket and a fenced courtyard deck. Those details do not match the property's current booking data: the main hotel booking channels list Stony Creek Cottages with "pets are not allowed at this property". We could not find any pet policy on the operator's own pages to resolve the conflict. The honest position is that this is not a property to plan a dog stay around sight unseen. If you have your heart set on it, call the hosts directly and get their current dog policy in writing before you pay, because information online disagrees with itself.

Max: when booking sites say no pets and a directory says dogs stay free, one of them is stale. This is a call-first property, not a click-and-book one.

The place

Each cottage has a wood fireplace, corner spa bath, kitchenette, separate lounge and dining area, flat-screen TV and a private patio, with valley or garden views on some. Breakfast comes as a hamper you cook yourself, and breakfast provisions are a recurring highlight in reviews. Rose, Monterosso and Kookaburra are the three cottages, all couples-oriented rather than family-scale. Free covered parking is on site.

Getting there

The cottages sit at the corner of Mornington-Flinders and Stony Creek roads in Red Hill, about 90 minutes from Melbourne. Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm is two minutes away, and the peninsula's hinterland cellar doors start within a couple of kilometres.

While you're out there

If you end up staying elsewhere in Red Hill with your dog, Nordie Cafe is the village coffee stop, and the Red Hill Rail Trail gives you a quiet gravel walk. Peninsula cellar doors such as Myrtaceae Winery are worth checking individually, as several in the area take dogs in their outdoor areas. Always confirm with each cellar door before you set out.

More options are on the Victoria dog-friendly stays guide and the Red Hill destination page.