By Michael Cullen, Director
We asked the dog owners in our hotel inspection team to pick their top dog-friendly hotels in Britain, where you and your four-legged chum will get the full VIP treatment. Just follow our lead…
1 Grove of Narbeth, Pembrokeshire
This beautiful country-house hotel close to Tenby is a dog lover’s paradise. Rolling hills, a stunning coastline, and the hotel’s 2 labradoodles – Milo and Bronwen – welcome four-legged guests like old friends. The bedrooms are stylish, the food is outstanding (the restaurant has won 3 AA Rosettes) and the grounds contain a heavenly 17th-century walled garden. One of the best dog-friendly hotels in Wales.
Price: From £170
Dogs: £20 per night
Dog-friendly rooms: 6
Doggy delights: Upcycled doggy towels, a blanket, special doggy treats, plus a doggy dining menu by Burns Dog Food on request.
2 No 15 by GuestHouse, Bath
A gorgeous, dog-friendly hotel in the heart of Bath with a killer cocktail bar, a fab little spa, and smiley young staff who keep the mood light – No 15 is a total winner for dog owners. Your furry companion will be spoiled with treats, as will you – there’s a free ‘larder’ of soft drinks and snacks! The beds are supremely comfy with Hypnos mattresses, and some rooms have free-standing bathtubs for long, luxurious evening soaks.
Price: From £152
Dogs: £25 per night
Dog-friendly rooms: Most rooms
Doggy delights: A free ‘Woof Box’ filled with nutritionally-balanced treats, a bowl, a ball, and a No.15 dog blanket.
3 The White Hart, Somerton
Your dog will be top banana at this brilliant little Somerset bolthole. A 16th-century pub with 21st-century style, the White Hart is run with real care by a young team who love dogs. And talk about value for money! Dine at the unmissable restaurant (fish from Bridport, game from Kings Weston), relax in the dog-friendly bar, then flop with Fido in one of 8 lovely rooms offering comfort in spades. The surrounding countryside is simply beautiful, and you’re within easy reach of the A303.
Price: From £85
Dogs: £10 per stay
Dog-friendly rooms: All 8 bedrooms
Doggy delights: A special goody bag of doggy delights & toys
4 Lime Wood, Hampshire
Does pooch need a pampering? This luxury country-house hotel with a fabulous spa and world-class cuisine is one of our favourite dog-friendly hideaways. We love the beautifully styled suites and lodges, the utterly seductive cocktail bar, and the exceptional walkies in the New Forest (borrow the Hunter wellies!). Book with i-escape and receive a free bottle of champagne in your room on arrival.
Price: From £345
Dogs: £30 per stay
Dog-friendly rooms: The Garden Lodges, which have direct access to the forest
Doggy delights: A comfort basket, treats, plus you can dine with your dog on Lime Wood’s outdoor terrace!
5 The Grosvenor Arms, Dorset
Expect plenty of puppy love at this wonderful Medieval inn in Shaftesbury’s town centre. The tasteful rooms come with Italian cotton, rain showers and Dualit coffee machines – the Cranborne and Balcony Suites are real show-stoppers. This Dorset pub is a magnet for foodies (the menu is pure quality) and the lounge bar has something for everyone: local ales, chatty punters, wood-fired pizzas and 100% dog-friendly. Tail-wagging galore!
Price: From £95
Dogs: £10 per stay
Dog-friendly rooms: All 16 bedrooms
Doggy delights: A special goody bag of treats and toys, plus bowls
6 Weeke Barton, Devon
This great value dog-friendly hotel on the edge of Dartmoor has chic rooms, crackling fires and wonderful access to the moorlands, guaranteeing a dog day afternoon. Your furry friend will also love the freedom to roam the house grounds. As for you, feast on scrumptious food – Devon sausages for breakfast, wild venison for dinner – and explore trails, beaches and historic houses. Just 20 minutes from Exeter and the M5.
Price: From £140
Dogs: £15 per stay
Dog-friendly rooms: The Henry Room (super-king) or the Otis Room (king)
Doggy delights: An outdoor ‘shower’ and dry towels, a sausage at breakfast time, and 5 acres of garden and fields to enjoy.
7 Artist Residence, Cornwall
This super-value funky hotel in central Penzance is a breed apart. Wildly Imaginative rooms, a 3-bedroom cottage, a sociable eatery, delicious breakfasts, a fire-warmed lounge and a nifty courtyard bar for you and your canine chum to explore. The bright young team will keep you abreast on everything from the local art scene to the best walking trails. A truly gorgeous corner of Cornwall.
Price: From £125
Dogs: £15 per night
Dog-friendly rooms: The Cottage, Comfy Doubles and Family Room
Doggy delights: A dog bed and bowl, plus delicious treats from Lily’s Kitchen
8 Tudor Farmhouse, Gloucestershire
Let’s paws and reflect on the merits of this superb dog-friendly farmhouse in the Forest of Dean. Smart bedrooms, faultless service, the Wye Valley on your doorstep, and fantastic cuisine (the innovative 6-course tasting menu won’t break the bank). Owners Colin and Hari are always devising fun new activities – foraging tours, wreath-making workshops – and your doggy can gambol through 14 acres of private grasslands.
Price: From £159
Dogs: £10 per night
Dog-friendly rooms: 2 Hatchling Rooms and 1 Hen Room, all on the ground floor
Doggy delights: Dog basket, blanket, towel and 2 dog bowls for usage; a goodie bag with eco-friendly poo bags, homemade dog biscuits and a spray to smell nice after walkies!
9 Port Hotel, Eastbourne
A refreshing reincarnation of a classic seafront hotel turned hip haven, with excellent food and drink – and some totally pawsome rooms! Your pooch can expect lots of loving fuss from the brilliant staff, and the beach is the perfect stomping ground to tire them (and you) out.
Price: From £80
Dogs: £20 per night (max 15kg)
Dog-friendly rooms: 4 rooms
Doggy delights: A dog bed, bowls and treats
10 The Nest Glamping, Lincolnshire
Overlooking a private lake in rural Lincolnshire, these luxurious safari lodges – sleeping up to 6 humans (plus dog) – offer a wonderfully restorative nature break for the extended family. Wooden floors mean you don’t have to worry about muddy pawprints, and big lake-facing decks mean you can keep an eye on Rover as he roves around. Plus there’s a big area in the Nest field where dogs can run freely.
Price: From £170
Dogs: £25 per stay
Dog-friendly rooms: all 3 lodges
Doggy delights: A dog bowl, treats and a dog towel
11 No 1 by GuestHouse, York
The second opening of the laidback GuestHouse Hotels group is as family- and pet-friendly as ever, and has a handy position outside the city walls of beautiful York. Both the staff and the décor are witty and unfussy, and canines are warmly welcomed (our acid test: if they have photographed a dog on one of their beds, you know they’re relaxed). If you’re eating in, dogs are welcome in the bar.
Price: From £115
Dogs: £25 per night
Dog-friendly rooms: all but the Small rooms
Doggy delights: A dog bowl, treats, bed and a blanket
12 Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall
Touched by the hand of famed hotelier Olga Polizzi, this elegant coastal hotel has some of the most gorgeous rooms in Cornwall. And the location is wonderfully dog-friendly. Tavern beach, just across from the hotel, allows dogs to frolic on the sands from 31 October–1 April. Your furry chum can also explore the hotel terrace, the Beach Club and the brilliantly-named Dogs’ Bar (we had visions of Fido sipping a Bonio Martini). Fantastic walks on your doorstep, plus nearby Trelissick Gardens has wonderful woodlands for off-lead fun.
Price: From £230
Dogs: £25 per night
Dog-friendly rooms: 2 sea-view rooms in Little Tresanton, 1 large room in Nook Cottage, and 1 room in Rook Cottage with a Mediterranean terrace garden.
Doggy delights: A bed and blanket in the room, along with treats, goodies, bowls and a doggy menu
Bonus treat: paw through more Dog-Friendly Hotels in the UK
NOTE: prices were correct at time of publication, but are subject to change in future.