27 pet-friendly hotels in Britain your dog will love as much as you will

Dogs have their very own lounge – humans are free to use it too – at this pet-friendly hotel near Bolton Abbey. On arrival, your pampered pooch will be presented with a doggy bed, water bowl and a selection of tasty treats. There’s a river walk to Bolton Abbey and a dog-friendly beach nearby. The hotel, originally built in the 17th century as a coaching inn, retains much in the way of original character, and boasts four-poster beds, lovely views and a top-notch spa. A charge of £10 per pooch applies.

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This former Victorian schoolhouse-turned-inn is as stylish as Beau Brummell inside. The glorious carved oak bar dominates the main hall and apart from the malted charms of Cholmondeley Best Bitter and Merlin’s Gold, there are a staggering 400 varieties of ruinously good gin to discover. Your faithful friend will not go thirsty either, as dog beer (made from meat stock) is readily available. Three of the rooms in the old headmaster’s house behind the inn are dog-friendly, at a charge of £10 extra per night.

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This gastropub on the northern edge of the Lake District has a well-deserved reputation for its excellent, locally-sourced food. Your pet’s welcome pack (yes, theirs not yours) includes a toy, treats, bowl, blanket and map of local walks. Ullswater, Derwentwater, Keswick and Penrith are all nearby. They can roam where they like, apart from the dining room. But, as it’s the same menu in the bar, you don’t have to be parted at dinner time. A charge of £10 per stay applies.

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Pets are made to feel as welcome as guests at this relaxed country house in the rolling Dumfries and Galloway countryside. Dog owners will appreciate the dedicated outdoor canine showers, as did the judges of Best Loved Hotel awards when Trigony was named best dog-friendly hotel in the UK. Dog beds, bowls and towels are provided, and pooches also get a complimentary sausage at breakfast, as well as a welcome box of gourmet treats on arrival. Even dog reiki is available. A charge of £9.50 per night applies.

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This delightful small hotel, parts of which date from the 17th century, offers stylish accommodation and splendid local seafood from its flawless position on a tiny peninsula looking out across Loch Glendhu. Dogs are welcome (nay, encouraged), for £10 per night, and the wonderfully warm and informal proprietors Tanja and Sonia are more than happy to sit down to discuss day plans and recommend walking routes. They can also arrange kayaking, climbing, guided walks and horse riding on request.

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On the doorstep of Westonbirt Arboretum, home to Britain’s prime collection of trees. This Cotswolds stone manor house with adjacent coach house and modern additions is an appealingly rambling hotel with a great sense of style and space. It’s a great place for dogs – there are eight rooms in which canine guests can stay (at £15 per night) and there’s also a special dog menu at the bar, ranging from braised venison to liver and oat biscuits. There are extensive grounds, with terraces for outdoor eating and a wide lawn dotted with deck chairs in warm weather.

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This splendid country house hotel just across from Cheltenham Racecourse has a wealth of history, a great setting and bags of style. From the doorstep you can stride into Cotswold countryside. Generous grounds, a swimming pool, spa and sterling service complete the picture. The 61 bedrooms are very much in keeping with the relaxingly rural-chic style of the place. Some have stripy wallpaper, others sport chintz and pelmets; many have great swags of curtains. Dogs are welcome and may stay in 13 of the bedrooms for £25 per night.

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Rustic furniture and real fireplaces help to create a warm, cosy atmosphere here, complemented by friendly staff. Pets can stay in any room at no extra charge, and a welcome pack of food can be arranged for the first night. Otherwise guests should bring everything needed. Dogs are allowed in the bar, lounge and garden, and there are many walks locally, in both open countryside and woods. Bettie, the resident Welsh Terrier, is around to help furry guests feel at home.

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The Four Seasons’ Hampshire outpost has its own dog, a Hampshire-bred black Labrador called Oliver Beckington. The concierge team can arrange dog-sitting and activities. A £35 fee is applicable, which includes a bed, dish, packet of food and personalised spring water on arrival. Furry guests must not exceed the weight of 30 kilograms (66 pounds), they must be fully house trained and at least six months old. For humans, there’s clay-shooting, cycling, yoga, croquet, catch-and-release fishing in the lake and a child-friendly Highwire Adventure obstacle course.

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Dogs gain access to their very own private members’ club, The Kennels, at this sporting estate in West Sussex (£35 per stay). Tasty treats include organic pig’s ear, and dog-friendly walking maps are available. Your four-legged friend can sleep in your room and will have access to the dining room. Regular guests may want to consider The Kennels’ Dog Membership package, which at £50 per year – 70 per cent of the fee is donated to the Canine Partner charity – ensures that a personalised bowl will kept at The Kennels for the sole use of your pampered pooch.

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The Grosvenor Arms sits in the heart of green-welly country, perfect for long country walks. It’s one of the oldest inns at the centre of a Dorset hilltop town renowned for its pretty buildings. Unwind in your beautifully decorated room (best for smaller dogs), sip coffee in the pretty courtyard, and feast on wood-fired pizzas while your pooch dines from the doggy menu. A £10 per stay charge applies.

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Soar Mill Cove, which is set in a flower-filled valley a short walk from its own beach and the South West Coast Path, is a hit with outdoorsy families and dog owners. There’s a tennis court, while a spa, indoor pool and games room mean there’s plenty to do in bad weather. A wash-down area for muddy boots and dogs is a considerate touch, as is a small kitchenette where dog owners can prepare their mutt’s meals. Dogs are welcome in most parts of the hotel, including one of the restaurants, and on the beach all year round, for £10 per night. The hotel’s yellow Labradors, Farley and Daisy, are popular with young guests.

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Treat your dog to some exciting new smells at this beautiful Dartmoor country house, where its Grade I Listed gardens have all sorts of exotic foliage, grottos, dells and glades and to sniff around. Rooms are all dog friendly (£20 per night charge) and come with a bowl, bed and treats. The wildly romantic, chintz-free country estate was once a holiday home for the Duchess of Bedford, Georgiana Russell, and is now run by Alex Polizzi. The ‘make yourself at home’ atmosphere leaves you feeling like lady of the manor in no time.

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This is a stylish, art-filled base bang in the middle of Bath city centre, a short stroll from the Roman Baths and Thermae Bath Spa. The hotel has a good restaurant, enticing places to drink, and attractive bedrooms that have iPads preloaded with local information. For a £15 per night charge, furry guests get their own bed, bowl and box of treats. They’re allowed everywhere except in the main restaurant, but owners can eat off the same menu in the lounge if they wish to dine with their canine companion.

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A spruced-up old coaching inn in the centre of the sleepy Somerset town of Somerton. Come for the outstanding food – local West Country produce is very much to the fore – as well as the laid-back atmosphere and good-value rooms. Dogs are very welcome for £10 per stay; a jar of help-yourself dog biscuits stands on a shelf. There are eight rooms. Common to all are quirky little decorative flourishes – perhaps large Anglepoise bedside lamps, feather- and balloon-patterned wallpaper, ceramic ducks on a bathroom wall – along with quality Bramley toiletries.

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This is one of Britain’s best country house hotels.
The hotel sits within a 500-acre estate that encompasses meadows, paddocks and woodland. Key enticements include Michelin-starred dining and a very impressive spa complex with an alluring indoor pool, and a host of other facilities including a cookery school and equestrian centre. Animal amenities include a grooming area for dogs to be washed and dried after walks, doggy dinners, bedding, fleeces, crates, towels and bowls, from £25.

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This homely country house hotel by the sea is beloved by its loyal guests who come back year-in, year-out for its supreme location and superb staff. Its got a prime position on the Roseland peninsula, with panoramic views over the lovely, wide beach of Carne Bay (which is directly accessible from the hotel), and there’s nearby access to the South West Coastal Path. Dogs can sleep in rooms and eat from their own à la carte menu. A daily charge of £16-25 depending on the weight of your pooch applies, including a daily meal.

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A traditional bucket-and-spade holiday hotel since the 1970s, Watergate Bay now, run by the next generation of the same family, does its job of appealing to all ages with great style and its Extreme Academy for watersports makes the most of its location on one of Cornwall’s best surfing beaches. Many of the rooms are dog-friendly, as is the beach, but there is a charge of £15 per night for one dog (a second dog incurs a £5 supplement).

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The Grove has established itself as Pembrokeshire’s smartest country-house hotel. In a thoroughly rural and peaceful spot near the pretty little town of Narberth, it offers Georgian meets Arts and Crafts interiors, luxurious and attractive bedrooms, and highly creative food. The hotel has two labradoodles called Milo and Bronwen, and pet-friendly amenities include towels, blankets, treats and a special menu. Dogs are welcome in five rooms, for a charge of £20 per night.

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A delightful family-owned small hotel on the Pembrokeshire Coast, close to the attractive harbour town of Tenby with its multi-coloured houses, art museum and interesting shops and cafés. The house has great charm and style with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Owners and pooches alike will love the opportunities for walkies that Pembrokeshire presents, and the hotel welcomes hounds for £10 per night. A maximum of one medium-sized dog and two “very small” dogs are allowed per Coach House bedroom.

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This 19th-century inn lies equidistant between a vast, sandy beach and the parkland surrounding Holkham Hall. Staff are fitted out in tweed waistcoats, there are antler displays on the wall and pictures depict wild fowling and hunting scenes. A large, outdoor kennel is provided for shooting parties staying with their dogs. Guests can also have their canine companions stay in their rooms, and the hotel will provide bowls of dog treats. A £10 per stay charge applies.

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A well-located seaside hotel with a loyal following of returning guests of all ages. The hotel’s first-floor lounge offers superb grandstand views towards Blakeney Point over moored boats, narrow creaks and the atmospheric salt marshes. Although a no-surprises, traditional place, it benefits from friendly, long-serving staff and soft-hued accommodation. Dogs are allowed both in the main house and the Granary Annexe, and there’s a large garden for them to run around. On request, the chefs can also whip up a hot meal for furry guests. It costs £12 per dog, per night.

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The former home of several Dukes, a Prince of Wales and Nancy Astor, now owned by the National Trust, Cliveden is one of Britain’s grandest hotels. As well as being surrounded by more than 250 acres of National Trust woodland paths designed for dogs to explore, it also offers a special dog stay package for a £35 supplement, which includes a doggie welcome pack, with bed, water bowl and feeding mat, plus one in-room meal a day from the chef’s canine menu. Dog-sitting and walking services are also available.

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Pets are given priority at the Athenaeum and made a real fuss of (but be sure to note the £1,000 deposit). The hotel even has its own resident (statue) dog called Douglas. The hotel has teamed up with Hiro & Wolf to launch a four-legged fashion collection that includes quilted coats, pearly button trimmed leads and ruffle collars. Guests can loan or buy ranges when staying with their dogs. The hotel overlooks Green Park, and so is very convenient for Mayfair, St James’s and Knightsbridge.

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This Kensington hotel has a dedicated Pet Concierge and on arrival your cute canine will be presented with a hamper of treats, including toys and a Milestone collar tag. Dogs also receive a special welcome letter, with tips for travelling around London and details of places to visit. After a day’s sight-seeing, your pooch can bed down on custom-made cushions, duvets or a floor mat and there’s a ‘do not disturb: pet sleeping’ sign. There’s also a pet menu and the hotel can arrange a turndown treat for your animal. Best all of all, there’s no charge.

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Doggies are in for some serious celebrity treatment at this Belle Epoque stunner. It has its own resident dog, a golden retriever called Pearl, who gives a welcome card to all her furry guests. Treats, a bed, and insider tips on dog-friendly hangouts in the neighbourhood are included too. Doggies are free to accompany their owners on the terrace of the Holborn Dining Room, a salon serving up British seafood and serious steaks. There’s no deposit. There’s also a special canine package including an overnight stay in a Grand Premier Suite with treatments for humans in the Sense spa and a one-hour grooming session for the dog (£415 per night).

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