Pet-friendly hotels
Posted by Sarah on August 13th, 2009There’s animal magic in the air at Mr & Mrs Smith this week, so prick your ears and wag your tails for our brand new selection of pet-friendly hotels. In the past, we’ve picked out dream wedding venues, family getaways, budget boutiques and safari stays – and now we’ve rounded up 133 luxury retreats, all of whom extend their welcome to guests of the furry, four-legged variety. With these cherry-picked charmers, shriek-inducing cattery bills, guilty feelings and sulking pets will all be things of the past. (Since we know there may be some dissenters – the kind who prefer animals on their plate rather than in their boudoir – here’s a little something for you.)
In this post, we’re focusing on ten of our 35 UK-based pet-pampering pads, in destinations like cream-tea-temptation Devon, surfer-central Cornwall, or trad-seaside Suffolk. In case you needed any more reason to indulge in a romantic getaway, before summer draws to a close, this collection is it…
WHITEHOUSE
Where? Devon
One-liner Just a short countryside amble from the Devonshire coast, Whitehouse injects a sense of urban-honed style into the sleepy village of Chillington.
Recommended rooms Every room in this beautiful Georgian building is pet-friendly.
Creature comforts Whitehouse is already populated with resident creatures, so your pet will have a posse to befriend upon arrival. The hotel is located on the edge of a village, surrounded by footpaths leading to the sea and with space aplenty for your pet to play in. If you’re a light packer and don’t want to lug all the necessary pet accessories with you, Whitehouse will supply dog bowls and beds.
Rates Doubles are £180-£230 a night. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
FAWSLEY HALL
Where? Northamptonshire
One-liner Fawsley Hall is a stout and stately country-house with Tudor, Georgian and Victorian architecture.
Recommended rooms If you’re bringing your pet, book up a standard room.
Creature comforts Fawsley Hall sits upon 2,000 acres of lush, rolling parkland – pet heaven. The hotel also provides baskets for small dogs.
Rates Doubles are £170-£370 a night. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
WOOLLEY GRANGE
Where? Wiltshire
One-liner Woolley Grange is a 17th-century manor house, set in 14 acres of glorious private grounds on the outskirts of Bradford on Avon.
Recommended rooms This pet-loving hotel welcomes dogs in any of the bedrooms. Opt for a large room if your dog is of the mini-horse variety.
Creature comforts With the hotel’s family-friendly atmosphere, your pet won’t have to wait long for some TLC. There’s also the resident cat, Chunky, and Peanut the dog for company, although the tiny resident hamster is probably best left alone. The sprawling private grounds mean there’s plenty of room for your pet to run and play. Woolley Grange can provide dog beds and water bowls if needed.
Rates Doubles are £170–£370 a night, with a £25 one-time charge for your pet. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
RECTORY HOTEL
Where? Cotswolds
One-liner With its open log fires, canoodle‑friendly armchairs and all that crisp Egyptian linen waiting for you in the bedrooms upstairs, Rectory Hotel is a relaxing, romantic retreat.
Recommended rooms Pets are allowed in all of the 14 rooms. Choose a deluxe room if you want plenty of space for biscuits, bowls and baskets.
Creature comforts Guests can borrow wellies from the hotel for dog walks in the beautiful walled gardens. As well as being an animal-friendly abode, the Rectory Hotel also owns the pet-pampering pub directly across the street. Four-legged punters even get a dog biscuit upon arrival.
Rates Doubles are £105–£175 a night. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
CLIVEDEN
Where? Berkshire
One-liner A regal residence with a rich history, the former Berkshire home of the so-called ‘Cliveden set’ is now a boutique spa hotel snugly set in 376 acres of National Trust parkland.
Recommended rooms This friendly hotel allows four-legged friends in every bedroom, so take your pick.
Creature comforts If your pet isn’t satisfied by the suggested local walk, dog basket, and warm welcome, they will be when they discover the specially designed dog menu. The animal-love doesn’t stop there; this hotel even offers tailor-made doggie packages.
Rates Doubles are £240-£1,000 a night. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
THE WHEATSHEAF
Where? Northeast Somerset
One-liner The Wheatsheaf is a boutique gastropub boasting phenomenal cooking; you’ll lurch from meal to meal in a delirium of pastoral astonishment.
Recommended rooms This delightful country boutique inn allows dogs in every room.
Creature comforts The Wheatsheaf itself has its own resident pups. So while you will always be your dog’s no.1 companion, they will have a motley crew to hang-out with as well. The hotel also has dog food and biscuits on hand, to placate empty-bellied pets.
Rates Doubles are £105–£140 a night. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
THE FEVERSHAM ARMS HOTEL & SPA
Where? North Yorkshire
One-liner The Feversham Arms Hotel & Spa is more Mykonos than moorland, with its warm pool water all year round, spa treatments on tap and idyllic surroundings.
Recommended rooms This homely Victorian-built boutique hotel allows pets in all bedrooms. The Courtyard suites have direct access to the courtyard, where your pup can frisk and frolic to its heart’s content.
Creature comforts This hotel goes the extra mile in trying to satisfy your furry friend, providing food and water bowls, walking maps, and towels to dry off your dog. The friendly staff are happy to introduce your dog to other canine companions bedding down in the hotel.
Rates Doubles are £140–£340 a night.
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TUDDENHAM MILL
Where? Suffolk
One-liner Tuddenham Mill is a 17th-century converted water mill set in 12 acres of land, with super-stylish boudoirs and high-spec Starck-fitted ensuites.
Recommended rooms Dogs are welcome in every bedroom at Tuddenham Mill, and if the hotel know what type of guest to expect, there may just be a bowl of doggy-delicacies in your room upon arrival.
Creature comforts This beautiful hotel sits upon 15 acres of land – a great area for your pooch to run, stretch, and play in.
Rates Doubles are £185–£395 a night.
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HOPE STREET HOTEL
Where? Liverpool
One-liner Liverpool’s first boutique bolt-hole, the Hope Street Hotel sits pretty within the city’s cultural quarter, near many restaurants and theatres, and the art deco Philharmonic Hall.
Recommended rooms Each of the fabulous rooms is pet-friendly.
Creature comforts Hope Street Hotel can provide a bowl or basket for your dog. Treats are also dished out, although many of their frequent guests (look out for loyal canine customer, Minty) tend to be on strict doggy diets.
Rates Doubles are £140–£350 a night, with an extra £30 charge for cleaning.
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HOTEL TRESANTON
Where? Cornwall
One-liner A former yachting club, Hotel Tresanton in St Mawes was built from a cluster of old houses, hence its charming higgledy-piggledy levels and portside setting.
Recommended rooms There are two lovely, dog-friendly rooms, Room 1 and Room 30. Both of these come with a private terrace. Dogs are also accepted onto the main terraces, as well as in the bar.
Creature comforts This hotel is great for beautiful scenic walks along the beach, both by the hotel and in the village. The beach in front of the hotel is only open to dogs from October through to Easter, but there are plenty of other beaches nearby where your companion can run free all year round.
Rates Doubles are £230–£340, with a £20 charge per night for dogs.
wow, it’s great to know that luxury boutique hotels that are also pet- friendly actually exist, thanks for this! It would be great to also see a similar list for hotels in Europe…
By Katie
On August 18th, 2009
And see it you shall, Katie. A European pet-friendly hotels list is in the pipework as I type this…
By Anthony
On September 9th, 2009
Great guide. I will definitely be checking some of these places out, my dog would love staying in any of these hotels. Thanks for including information about bowls, bedding etc.
Its always difficult to find places where you know your dog will be treated as well as you.
By Lucy
On September 15th, 2009