Holly Lane Mews

Holly Lane Mews is a three-bedroom holiday rental in Steels Creek, deep in the Yarra Valley wine country north-east of Melbourne. It is genuinely dog friendly rather than dog-tolerant: the house rules allow pets inside the rooms, and the official terms list a pet surcharge of $10 per day.

Dogs at Holly Lane Mews

The house rules are specific and worth reading before you book. Dogs can go inside but must have their own bedding, which you bring. They are never left unattended in the house, they stay on a lead while on the property, and they must be treated for fleas and dewormed before arrival. You carry full liability for any damage, scratching or soiling included. The published surcharge is $10 per day on the official terms, though some third-party channels list up to $20 per pet per night, so confirm the rate that will actually hit your booking. No size limit is stated, which is unusual for the region and good news for larger dogs.

The vibe

Guests score it highly for the gardens, the peaceful setting and a helpful host, with the lounge area and the beds drawing specific praise. Wildlife wanders through, one reviewer reporting a wombat, which tells you the setting is genuine bush-edge valley rather than a manicured complex. It is a whole-house booking, so it suits families or two couples travelling together with a dog in tow rather than anyone after a single room.

Getting there and days out

Steels Creek sits between Yarra Glen and the Dixons Creek winery strip, about an hour from Melbourne up the Melba Highway. Wineries are the draw: Steels Gate Wines in Dixons Creek welcomes dogs on its balcony and lawn a few minutes' drive away, and Locale at De Bortoli Yarra Valley handles the long-lunch end of the scale. For a morning coffee run, Cherry Tree Cafe in Healesville is the closest town stop.

The Steels Creek destination guide and the Victorian stays index cover the rest of the valley. Book the whole house, treat the dog before you arrive, and plan winery days around the fact that your dog cannot be left alone at the house. Do that and it is one of the more genuinely dog-welcoming bases in the Yarra Valley.

Pepsi: allowed inside, no size limit, and the humans get a wine region out of it. Get my flea treatment sorted or the deal is off, house rules.