Best dog-friendly hotels UK

If you’re keen to bring your dog on a getaway where they’ll be truly welcome, our undercover inspectors stay at hundreds of hotels across the UK, to bring you honest and impartial reviews you can trust.

As well as receiving glowing appraisals (each scored four out of five stars or above) overall, all of the hotels below welcome dogs. There are beach side stays such Fife and Margate, but we've also got city stays, including a rare pet-friendly hotel in the heart of London. 

 Prices are for a classic double for a Saturday night (peak price) and correct at the time of publication. All scores are out of five.

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Well-rated dog-friendly hotel in Snowdonia: Penmaenuchaf

Score: Four stars

Peak price: £299

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The manicured topiary and geometric gardens of this ivy-clad manor come as a surprise amid the craggy scenery of southern Snowdonia. Located at the foot of the rocky massif of Cadair Idris, Penmaenuchaf sits at the top of a driveway that winds up through dense woodland until you’re high above Mawddach Estuary.

Rooms: Recently decorated bedrooms are awash with colour and floral patterns – a playful homage to the hall’s Victorian architecture. Our spacious, slightly mismatched superior room hasn’t had a makeover, but it makes up in comfort what it lacks in style – the rolltop bath is a treat after a hike. Request a room at the front of the house for estuary views.

Dining: Choose between a daintily plated three-course menu in the conservatory (£76) or a casual meal in an oak-panelled lounge. We plump for the latter, tucking into local smoked trout (£10) and moreish pumpkin pesto pasta (£20). The room rate includes a cooked-to-order breakfast, such as perfectly spiced kedgeree, hollandaise-smothered eggs Benedict and a full Welsh.

Where are dogs welcome? Five dog-friendly bedrooms must be booked directly with the reservations team (not online). Lounge spaces offer dog-friendly dining, but they are not allowed in the main restaurant. It’s £25 per dog on an overnight stay.

Our verdict: A romantic hideaway with great views and classy food. 

penmaenuchaf.co.uk/

This hotel was reviewed by an inspector for the Jul/Aug 2025 issue of Which? Travel.

Well-rated dog-friendly hotel in Margate: No. 42 by Guesthouse

Score: 4.5 stars

Peak price: £353

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What’s stayed with us since our visit to No. 42 is not the sunset view over Margate’s Main Sands from the private balcony, nor the gorgeous interiors embellished by hand with gold leaf. It’s not even the record player in our room. No, it’s the free sweets. A vintage ticket booth groans with glass jars of fudge and jellybeans alongside serve-yourself paper bags. This, coupled with the traditional ice cream tricycle used to collect guests’ luggage from the station so they can enjoy the 10-minute seafront stroll, shows just how much care has gone into getting the breezy beach club look and feel just right.

Rooms: Our generous sea-view room felt like a suite. The bedroom with its upholstered ceiling is separated by glass and wood panelling from a little nook containing a cocktail fridge and a bag with towels for you to take to the beach. 

Dining: Breakfast in the brasserie is a luxurious two-course affair. Pastries and overnight oats are served as ‘starters’, while a full English and other classic mains are cooked to order.

Where are dogs welcome? It’s £25 per dog per night to stay at the hotel. You'll need to book one of the 'Large Guest Rooms' or 'Large Guest Rooms with Sea View' as these are the rooms that can accommodate dogs. Hounds are provided with blankets and unlimited treats from the pantry. Canines are not allowed in Pearly Cow restaurant or the Treatment Rooms at Field Trip.

Our verdict: You’ll pay through the nose for a summer stay, but if the sun shines it will be worth every penny. 

guesthousehotels.co.uk/no-42-margate

This hotel was reviewed by an inspector for the Jul/Aug 2025 issue of Which? Travel.

Well-rated dog-friendly hotel in Fife: The Ship Inn

Score: Four stars

Peak price: £295

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East Neuk’s charming fishing villages are a highlight on Fife’s Coastal Path and many walkers rest and recharge in Elie. The ancient port, home to the welcoming Ship Inn (open since 1832), surrounds a sheltered bay with almost a mile of uninterrupted golden sand. The beer garden in the terrace above the sea wall is the best view point. 

Rooms: Six rooms, named after British naval heroes, are decorated in sea-green and duck-egg-blue hues. Our dog-friendly double, Sir Francis Drake, had a subtle seafaring theme, but alas no sea view. If that’s a priority, opt for a Captain room (£351) or Admiral Nelson (£384).

Dining: Book ahead if you want to nab a view, as tables beside the picture window get reserved first in the upstairs restaurant and breakfast room. Cullen skink (£12), a soup made with smoked haddock, potatoes and leeks, was one of the hearty starters on the menu when we visited. Mains included steelhead trout (£32) and Scottish wild mushroom stroganoff (£22).

Where are dogs welcome? Dogs (£25 per dog) are allowed in the downstairs bar and table area, but not upstairs in the more formal restaurant. 

Our verdict: A beautiful beachside bolthole, popular with locals, walkers and their sea dogs. Nautical and very nice. 

shipinn.scot

This hotel was reviewed by an inspector for the Jul/Aug 2025 issue of Which? Travel.

Well-rated dog-friendly hotel in Aberdeen: The Marcliffe

Score: Five stars

Peak price £185

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From the moment you climb the sweeping drive of this Victorian manor house on the outskirts of Aberdeen, to the waistcoated staff who swing open the doors and usher you into a reception warmed by a blazing fire, every minute at the Marcliffe feels special. There is no bling, no gold wallpaper or cocktail-snapping influencers, not even a hot tub in the small spa. The tartan carpets, high tea in the drawing room and impeccable service feel almost old-fashioned, but it’s this elegance that appeals and keeps minor royals – who can’t fit into nearby Balmoral – coming back.

Rooms: Bedrooms in muted greys and browns, with reproduction Chippendale desks, don’t especially wow, but they're spacious. The locally made mattresses are wonderfully comfortable, and crucially you’ll find snacks, robes, same-day laundry service and other amenities that are slowly being cut at other properties.

Food & drink: Guests still dress for dinner, lending a sense of occasion to taking whisky in the deep armchair of the drawing room, before being escorted to tables with crisp white linen and rattan chairs in the Conservatory restaurant. Locally caught langoustines in chilli and garlic, and sirloin of Aberdeenshire beef, are exquisitely presented and taste excellent. With prices for mains starting at £25, it’s also brilliant value. You’re back in the morning for the sort of breakfast buffet Willy Wonka would dream up: smoked haddock, grilled kippers, salmon and everything else you could possibly want. Staff are exceptional. Able to answer any question you ask about the food, they're smartly dressed but make sure dining here still feels comfortable and relaxed.

Where are dogs welcome? Executive Rooms are pet friendly and dogs cost £25 each per overnight stay. They are not allowed in the Drawing room and Restaurant areas but can enjoy the hotel’s grounds.

Our verdict: It's the value that makes this the best UK hotel we've stayed at in the UK in the past seven years. To be so completely swept off your feet for less than £200 (including breakfast) makes The Marcliffe remarkable. 

This hotel was reviewed by an inspector for the March 2025 issue of Which? Travel.

Well-rated dog-friendly hotel in Devon: Hotel Endsleigh

Score: 4.5

Peak price: £290

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This Dartmoor hotel was once the enviable rural retreat of the Duke and Duchess of Bedford, who, in 1814, enlisted the help of landscape designer Humphry Repton to transform its grounds. Now part of The Polizzi Collection, both the Grade I-listed house and surrounding gardens are resplendent. Pick up a map and explore the 108 acres – you’ll discover follies, grottos, waterfalls and an arboretum, as well as a yew arch and fragrant rose walk with views down to the River Tamar.

Rooms: All 19 rooms have been elegantly designed by Olga Polizzi and many retain period features – we loved the fire buckets and hose reels on the landing upstairs. Our Classic Double (room 16), with its botanical paintings and roll-top bath (not all rooms have separate showers), overlooked the stables and clock tower. For the best garden views, choose one of the Repton rooms. Original hand-painted wallpaper is still on show in the Bedford rooms. A two-night stay is often required. There is a £25 charge for dogs. A dog bed, bowls and treats will be waiting on arrival.  

Food & drink: Venison, duck breast and turbot with seaweed beurre blanc were among the mains on our three-course dinner menu (£67.50), although many visit simply to enjoy a garden stroll followed by afternoon cream tea (£35).

Where are dogs allowed? They're not permitted in the main restaurant, but staff offer to take your dog on a walk while you dine. Dogs are allowed in other public rooms and the terraces.  

Our verdict: Everything about Hotel Endsleigh is enchanting, including the attentive staff. A first-class escape.

Reviewed: May 2023.

Well-rated dog-friendly hotel in Inveraray: The George Hotel

Score: 4

Peak price: £175

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Near Loch Fyne, this convivial hostelry has been owned by the Clark family since 1860, and on our visit Kris, who’s currently at the helm, chatted with locals, overnight guests and four Austrians who’d travelled to Inveraray to tour the neo-Gothic castle. A former coaching inn, the George has an atmospheric cocktail bar which is the main dining area – it still has its original 18th-century stone walls and flagstone floor, as well as settle benches and a crackling open fire. Meals are also served in the modern, light conservatory. 

Rooms: Access to the main building’s 18 bedrooms is up a winding, tartan-carpeted staircase and along creaky corridors filled with antiques and oil paintings. Our standard room had a spacious en suite bathroom with a walk-in shower, and two love seats in a ‘chit chat corner’. Book the Merchant’s Suite for a raised spa bath, double rainfall shower and wood-burning stove. There is no additional charge for dogs.

Food & drink: Food is served from midday and includes the likes of haggis, neeps and tatties (£12), a seafood selection featuring Loch Fyne salmon (£16) and pan-fried scallops (£18). Do enjoy a nightcap too – if you’re unsure which whisky to order (there are 400 to choose from), knowledgeable bar staff are only too happy to help you find your favourite.

Where are dogs allowed? Everywhere in the hotel, including the restaurant and bar.

Our verdict: A friendly, good-value haunt that’s full of character – one visit won’t be enough.

Reviewed: November 2022.

Well-rated dog-friendly hotel in London: One Hundred Shoreditch

Score: 4

Peak price: £223

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Shoreditch is the byword for hipster cliches, and you’ll find every single one inside OneHundred. There’s a co-working space upstairs, a Peloton studio downstairs and a cocktail lounge in the basement where they’ll mix your gin with dandelion leaves. Yet behind the scenes are 258 stylishly furnished rooms with comfortable beds just a 15-minute walk from the City.

Rooms: Here, even the ‘studio’ rooms (the smallest) feel spacious. The effect is helped by neutral paints, woollen cream carpets and a sleek scarcity of clutter. And with a generous checkout time of noon and blackout blinds pulled down, the comfy bed is the sort of place you want to live in. You need to book specific dog-friendly rooms although these are available across all different room types. It's an extra £35 and dog bowls, beds and treats will be provided. 

Food & drink: Something equally miraculous is happening in the downstairs restaurant: a stylish bistro of deep woods, brass rails and leather seats where mains (like Cornish Fish stew and a garlic spelt risotto) come in at under £20. For Shoreditch, that’s remarkable. Sadly, breakfast was underwhelming – the full English and healthier options were there, but items were slow to be refilled. Plus, it feels cheap that hotel guests receive lukewarm filter coffee while baristas whip up frothy flat whites for walk-ins off the street.

Where are dogs allowed? All dogs are welcome everywhere except the Seed Library.

Our verdict: Ignore the hipster theatrics and One Hundred is one of London’s best mid-range bargains.

Reviewed: January 2023.

Well-rated dog-friendly hotel in Rye: The George

Score: Four stars

Peak price: £248

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If you didn’t know The George was almost destroyed by fire in 2019, you might wonder how the owners got away with such a complete, rip-it-up-and-start-again refurb. Where’s the musty smell you normally get in 16th-century coaching inns? While there are still oak beams and an original fireplace in The Dragon Bar, the smart wood panels and end-grain flooring look like they were sawn yesterday. 

The modern art and statement décor – a sailcloth hanging on the dining room wall, bold red paintings – should be an affront to this venerable old Rye institution, but instead it’s like a stylish new suit on an old friend.

Rooms: All the 41 rooms have their own personality, even the new ones in an annex by the courtyard. Five are dog-friendly (in classic and luxury categories) and cost an extra £50 per night.

For couples it’s worth paying extra for a Classic – rather than Cosy – room. The latter only just squeezed in a bed (although they still have a bath as well as shower). The extra varies, but we found one upgrade in December for £36 extra. Go one step further and choose a Superior Room and you get a roll-top bath and even more space - around another £50 on top.

Food & drink: The fish stew at dinner is rich with garlic and cream, giving it a lush, generous flavour and silky texture. At breakfast, the eggs with smashed avocado have the perfect amount of chilli for first thing in the morning – a gentle nudge rather than a kick.

Where are dogs allowed?  The bar is dog-friendly, but the restaurant is not. However, guests with dogs are welcome to eat in the snug (part of the bar), which has the same menu as the restaurant.

Our verdict: A hotel as good as this makes a trip to charming Rye even more appealing. 

Well-rated dog-friendly hotel in Norfolk: The Gunton Arms

Score: 4

Peak price: £175

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Set within a thousand-acre deer park near Cromer, the Gunton Arms is a traditional gastropub with rooms – with a difference. Owner Ivor Braka, a rock ‘n’ roll Chelsea art dealer, has hung pieces from his provocative collection (which includes works by Damien Hirst and Lucian Freud) in every bohemian cubbyhole. This rock ‘n’ roll energy is further confirmed by a receptionist who remarks that a guest is planning to drop in for lunch in his helicopter. Yet, on our visit, rugby-watching locals outnumber extravagant flying visitors.

Rooms: Our room in the coach house is an elegant jumble of country-house fabrics and vintage lampshades. There’s a free-standing bath, and twin sinks in the huge grey-marble-tiled bathroom - plus a range of local toiletries. The cheapest rooms (£135) in the main house are snapped up months in advance. There are a few select bedrooms at The Gunton Arms that permit dogs, so book accordingly - and let the hotel know in advance so they can prepare the room. It costs £20 extra. 

Food & drink: Chef Stuart Tattersall cooks succulent, locally sourced steaks on the open fire under the fossilised skull of a 10,000-year-old elk. It’s not something you see every day. Neither are you likely to often eat a first-class full English breakfast under the neon glare of Tracey Emin’s illuminated signs.

Where are dogs allowed? Your dog can accompany you to dinner, but let the restaurant know you'll have a dog in tow so that they can seat you accordingly. 

Our verdict: Braka could have hidden his art away, but his collection – like his unpretentious inn – is accessible to all. A decadent feast for the eyes. 

Reviewed: May 2024

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How we review hotels

Unlike all other national UK travel magazines and newspaper travel sections, Which? Travel never accepts freebies. We pay wherever we stay.

All our hotel inspections take place anonymously. We book a standard double room online, just as you would, and we sample the hotel’s facilities, just as you would.

That means no special treatment, no reviewer upgrades and no opportunity for the hotel to influence our verdict.

And no matter how badly the hotel fares, we always publish the review, warts and all.

Our ratings

We use an overall star rating for the hotel based on what we think you should expect for the type of accommodation (B&B, luxury hotel etc) and price.

All our ratings strictly adhere to the following criteria:

• 0 stars – A dreadful hotel. We would not recommend staying here.
• 1 star   – A sub-standard hotel we think is well below average in its category.
• 2 stars – An adequate hotel we think has room for improvement.
• 3 stars – A solid hotel that meets our expectations.
• 4 stars – An excellent hotel we think is above average in its category.
• 5 stars – An exceptional hotel we think is among the best of its type.