14 of the best dog-friendly UK staycations: hotels and accommodation
Featuring ‘doggie showers’, welcome bow ties and a specialist wine for pooches called ‘Tailwagger Creek’
- 1. Little Retreat
- 2. Kimpton Fitzroy London
- 3. The Three Blackbirds
- 4. Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course
- 5. Palé Hall
- 6. The Montagu Arms
- 7. De Vere group
- 8. The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences
- 9. Gleneagles
- 10. Golf View Hotel & Spa
- 11. Hart Shoreditch Hotel
- 12. The Gonville Hotel
- 13. Rothay Manor
- 14. The Nare
1. Little Retreat
Pembrokeshire
Set in the stunning castle grounds of Lawrenny, Pembrokeshire, the pet-friendly Little Retreat holiday park is a place of restoration and relaxation for both guests and their canine companions. Dog-accessible activities on offer include guided wild swimming, foraging and bass fishing, while each luxury geo-dome on-site is equipped with a “doggie-shower” to wash down muddy four-legged friends at the end of each day.
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2. Kimpton Fitzroy London
London
The pet-friendly Kimpton Fitzroy London, the luxury hotel in Bloomsbury, has launched a new “ap-PET-isers menu” as part of their “petKation package”. The menu, designed in collaboration with sustainable pet-food brand Marleybones, welcomes all pets – no matter their shape, size or breed – as long as they can fit through the door and into the lift.
The package includes an overnight stay in a double bedroom, breakfast for the pet parents and a tailored pet breakfast or dinner from the ap-PET-isers menu, as well as a pet-friendly room set-up, a pet tuck-box and pet-friendly amenities upon arrival.
3. The Three Blackbirds
Woodditon
Located less than two hours from London, this 17th-century village pub near historic Newmarket has its own dedicated dog menu. Items include Pooch’s Apple, Ginger & Goat’s yoghurt snaps and Pig’s Ear, to be washed down with Woof & Brew Bottom Sniffer Beer and a specialist wine for pooches called “Tailwagger Creek”.
The pub also has a dog-friendly overnight package called “Muddy Paws” which features a cosy blanket, flavoursome treats from Pooch’s of Norfolk and a sausage-centric breakfast.
4. Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course
Aberdeenshire
One of Scotland’s most luxurious hotels has opened up its “Stables” rooms to pets. Dogs are welcomed with a bowl of water, a dog biscuit and a special Meldrum House blanket for £15 per dog per night. At 240 acres, the hotel is perfect for dog walks and pets are more than welcome in the 800-year-old Cave Bar for lunch or dinner, as well as the hotel’s drawing room and luxury dining domes.
5. Palé Hall
Snowdonia
Looking for the right environment to enjoy a relaxing country break and some quality time with your dog? With its expansive woodland garden, nearby walks and designated dog-friendly rooms, Palé Hall is an ideal place to escape to with your pet.
On request, rooms are equipped with comfy dog beds, food and water bowls, as well as special treats and a dog-gate so canines can be left alone while guests are at dinner (a pre-booked dog sitting service is also available at £10 per hour). Well-behaved dogs can accompany guests to the Grand Hall or the Huntsman Bar.
6. The Montagu Arms
The New Forest
Tucked away in a quiet corner of the New Forest, the Montagu Arms offers a stylish countryside escape, with pampered pooches welcome within the luxury Hayloft Suites, located in the secluded hotel gardens. Furry friends can enjoy their own doggy hamper, complete with food and water bowls, toys and a selection of goodies from Charlie’s Tasty Treats.
And, with the New Forest national park as their playground, dogs (and their owners) can explore the surrounding ancient woodlands, beautiful coastline and charming villages before retreating to the comfort of their luxury suite.
7. De Vere group
Various locations
All hotels in the De Vere group (which are found in Bristol, Berkshire, the Cotswolds, Windsor and Buckinghamshire) are dog friendly; pets are provided with a bed, towel, bowl and treats on arrival. Dog washing facilities have been recently installed on all the hotel grounds and the De Vere Wokefield Estate in Berkshire has just launched a new dog sitting service. Ten percent of each direct bedroom booking goes to NHS Charities Together, which supports NHS staff and volunteers caring for Covid-19 patients.
8. The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences
London
The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences, in London’s Piccadilly Circus, has launched the perfect dog package for those unwilling to leave their furry friends at home. The VIP(up) Package provides pooches with fancy hypoallergenic hollow-fibre dog mattresses, handcrafted kiln-fired bowls and a range of treats - both edible and wearable - to take home, all courtesy of The Stately Hound.
Upon arrival, dogs are given their own welcome amenities, including tasty treats and a stylish bow tie for walks in neighbouring Green Park. Each stay includes one complimentary dish from the Mini Bar(k) menu that can either be enjoyed as room service or eaten with owners while they dine in the dedicated pet-friendly salon area of the hotel’s restaurant.
9. Gleneagles
Perthshire
With its 850-acre estate brimming with green al-fresco space, pooches at Gleneagles – one of Scotland’s grandest hotels – can feel just as pampered as their owners during their visit. Dogs can take part in family-friendly activities including exploring local nature trails and hunting routes or watching the sunrise over the Ochil Hills.
Plush dog beds and foam duvets can be provided for dogs of labrador size or smaller, along with necessities such as food and bowls. Larger, more energetic dogs may be better suited to The Kennels at Gleneagles, which offers a warm and cosy night stay for all dogs, with guest access from 8:30am to 9:30pm.
10. Golf View Hotel & Spa
Nairn, Scotland
Dogs are welcome in all public rooms of the Golf View Hotel & Spa, where the resident red fox Labrador, Fudge (pictured with the hotel manager), gives canine guests a waggy welcome on arrival. All 42 rooms are dog-friendly and available for up to two well-behaved dogs. The hotel is close to a dog-friendly golf course and beaches.
11. Hart Shoreditch Hotel
London
The Hart Shoreditch Hotel in east London has a dedicated “Bone Appetit” room-service menu which was developed in partnership with veterinary nutrition experts. The menu includes dishes like “Beef Doguignon” (slow-cooked beef brisket); “Mutt Roast” (gluten-free tomato pasta bake topped with cheese) and “Tailwagger Creek” (a non-alcoholic wine infused with elderflower, nettle, ginseng, lime flower and black carrot).
12. The Gonville Hotel
Cambridge
The recently renovated boutique hotel contains 92 beautifully designed bedrooms with elegant floral interiors which guests can enjoy with their furry friends. Each dog-friendly room contains a doggy welcome pack, bowls and complimentary treats. Pooches are able to explore the hotel’s pretty private gardens and attend regular outdoor cinema nights (Marley and Me, perhaps?).
13. Rothay Manor
The Lake District
Rothay Manor, Ambleside’s leading independent boutique hotel, has recently opened a new boot room complete with a doggy wash to help lure canine companions to its picturesque location in the heart of the Lake District. The hotel contains eight dog-friendly bedrooms, where pooches and their owners will find George Barclay beds, Nibble & Nosh treats, biodegradable waste bags, towels and bowls waiting to welcome them.
14. The Nare
Cornwall
This stunning, privately-owned country house hotel by the sea in Cornwall offers dog-friendly breaks, with pooches welcome in the hotel’s gardens and bedrooms (although there are also self-catering kennels for working dogs). Dogs can enjoy their very own Table d'Hôte menu - and canines with special dietary requirements will be catered for too.
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Kate Samuelson is the newsletter editor, global. She is also a regular guest on award-winning podcast The Week Unwrapped, where she often brings stories with a women’s rights angle. Kate’s career as a journalist began on the MailOnline graduate training scheme, which involved stints as a reporter at the South West News Service’s office in Cambridge and the Liverpool Echo. She moved from MailOnline to Time magazine’s satellite office in London, where she covered current affairs and culture for both the print mag and website. Before joining The Week, Kate worked as the senior stories and content gathering specialist at the global women’s charity ActionAid UK, where she led the planning and delivery of all content gathering trips, from Bangladesh to Brazil. She is passionate about women’s rights and using her skills as a journalist to highlight underrepresented communities.
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