The best dog-friendly hotels in the UK for 2023

During the pandemic, thousands of Britons made the leap into dog ownership. As a result, hundreds more pubs, restaurants, bars and cafes have since opened their doors to our four-legged friends.

But perhaps the best news of all is that many hotels have done the same, meaning travelling with your dog across the UK just got a whole lot easier.

There is a difference, however, between being dog-friendly and dog-tolerant, as not all hotels are well set up for people bringing pets. But the best of the best dog-friendly hotels might offer your dog treats on arrival, provide poo bags and bowls in the room and perhaps even a dog bed. Extra dog-friendliness points go to places that throw in pet-sitting services, maps for local walks and home-cooked meals for your beloved hound.

Whether you want to take your furry friend on some of the best walks of their life, treat them to a seaside getaway or simply pamper your pooch, here’s our pick of the best dog-friendly hotels in the UK.

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The best hotels for dog owners are run by dog owners, and Low Mill Guesthouse is a delightful little bed and breakfast with resident greyhound Dolly to greet you at the door. Its three bedrooms are set within an 18th-century corn mill and it’s all about little luxury touches with a few quirky details: think Dali-inspired clocks hanging on original brick fireplaces, ceramic dog ornaments guarding your bedroom door and in-room bathtubs with glorious Dales views.

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Lake District hikes should always end in a bar with a view, and The Inn on The Lake delivers: find one of the dog-friendly lounge areas or head straight for something to eat in their Orangery restaurant and you’ll be able to dine and drink with spectacular vistas of Ullswater. Some of the bedrooms have these same mesmerising views framed by tall Victorian windows and heavy curtains, to keep the chill out. There’s a lovely lawn right by the water for those morning loo trips, and from here you can set out on the 20-mile Ullswater Way.

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The Sherlock Holmes theme in this Baker Street hotel errs on the side of subtle, but it’s there in some of the artwork throughout its compact, stylish bedrooms. Dogs are well catered for: there’s Lily’s Kitchen biscuits and a bed in the room, plus they’ve got spare dog leads and food behind reception, should you need any extra. Dogs can dine with you in the ground-floor lounge and bar, and you’re just around the corner from Regent’s Park here for long, city-centre walks.

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This handsome pub with rooms sits a 10-minute walk from the regal Holkham Hall, ripe for dog walks and cycling (with rentable bikes and dog buggies), but even better is the vast sandy beach that spreads out along the coast just 10 minutes north. Check into the cosy bedrooms here, with their plush carpets and leather armchairs, spend the afternoon on the beach, and then return for dinner in the dog-friendly dining area.

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Moonfleet Manor has gone all-out to keep all ages and pedigrees happy on the Dorset coast. Set on the shores of the Fleet Lagoon, a 30-minute drive from Weymouth, this homely hotel has lawns and gardens where the dog can enjoy a run, indoor and outdoor play areas for the kids – including a soft-play warehouse and games room – and a spa for the adults.

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It might look like it was built in the 12th century, but Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa is actually a 19th-century construction made from architectural salvage – think medieval doorways and centuries-old windows. But aside from its old-timey character, it delivers on excellent, locally produced food and offers an incredibly relaxing seaside spa. Dogs can join you to eat in the lounge areas and roam around the gardens on a lead (watch out for peacocks), and you can leave them in the room while you enjoy the heated outdoor pool, where you can swim to the sound of waves crashing on the shore nearby.

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Don’t let the word “hostel” put you off, as The Rocks at Plas Curig is on the more luxurious side of budget travel. Run by a dog-owning, born-and-bred Snowdonian, this place has thought of everything, from little hooks all over the supremely stylish communal areas for tying up the dog while you’re eating or cooking in the lovely kitchen, to a cosy fire pit overlooking the Llynnau Mymbyr. On a clear day, you can see right across the water to Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon), and there are myriad walks right on the hostel’s doorstep – the national park really is an adventure playground for dogs.

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There’s a lot to love about The Lovat, not least because it sits just a short walk from the shores of Loch Ness, Scotland’s most fabled body of water. The restaurant here is spectacular and dog-friendly, serving tasting menus and delicately flavoured dishes with local produce at their core. Accommodation for dog owners is in the Garden Rooms, which sit behind the main house – a 19th-century construction with wood-panelled walls and lovely lounges to languish in – and have their own private patios for dogs to roam around. There’s a fenced-in lawn out the front of the hotel where you can play a spot of fetch before bed, and countless walks along the Caledonian Canal and around Loch Ness itself. Don’t miss a tour on the Jacobite Cruises boats for a proper introduction to Loch Ness.

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City-centre hotels don’t get more dog-friendly than this. “If it fits in the lift, it’s allowed in” is the policy at Kimpton’s hotels, and the Edinburgh Charlotte Square property has a bonus for dog owners seeking to explore the Scottish capital. The fenced-in lawns in the centre of the square are for residents only, and as a resident at this hotel you get the key to the gardens, which means off-lead games of fetch in a safe city-centre space. It’s a short walk to Princes Street Gardens and the Old Town, and the on-site restaurant, BABA, is dog-friendly and serves the best blackened sweet potato you’ll ever taste.

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Six acres of grounds and two 18-hole golf courses nearby will keep you entertained at Slieve Donard, and the dog will love racing around on Murlough Beach (though be sure to keep them on the lead in the nature reserve area). The hotel itself is a magnificent red-brick Victorian property with elegant bedrooms and a serene spa. Dogs are allowed in most public areas of the hotel, including the restaurant and bar for refuelling after a day on the fairway.

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