It can feel like a heartbreaking wrench when you need a break but have to leave your pooch behind. Yet there are some lovely hotels that will not only welcome you, but your pet too. We highlight five pet-friendly hotels, all located in areas that provide unrivalled landscape for dog walking and who will happily roll out the red carpet, provide freshly made dog-biscuits and even bouncing balls to add a touch of canine luxury.
BEST WESTERN Mayfield Hotel, Cotswolds, England
The Cotswolds is idyllic for holidaying with your dog. For you, it has rich history, gorgeous limestone villages and historic castles. For quality time with your moggie, there’s the rolling wolds countryside to explore and frolic in.
The trick to getting the most out of this quintessentially English part of England is to stay in the heart of it. The small 28-suite BEST WESTERN Mayfield Hotel, set as it is within a sleepy village in the rural Avon Valley, offers a quaint, quiet base. It’s minutes away from Malmesbury and Cirencester and the historic city of Bath is just 45 minutes away.
But you can spend the day in too. It has lots of quirky appeal from croquet in their colourful garden – or simply sip an award-winning ale there – to being cyclist-approved by the Penny Farthing Society. And so dog friendly that there is a Doggie beach nearby.
There’s good locally sourced food on the menu at their AA Rosetted Mayfield restaurant. Steaks are a speciality. There’s also a cosy lounge bar where unusually there are 12 wines available to buy by the glass.
Pet-friendly facilities: Your pet is welcome everywhere in this hotel except the dining room. They can dine in the Snug bar or on the terrace in the walled gardens and they will be spoiled with dog treats. Nearby there is a dog beach and a dog friendly zoo. The cost is £10 per night for up to two dogs in the same room.
BEST WESTERN York House, Sussex, England
England may not be the beach destination of choice, yet it does have few appealing seaside towns. A fine example is the elegant coastal town of Eastbourne in Sussex whose life-guide patrolled beach has won awards for safe bathing, cleanliness and for the sheer amount of facilities on offer.
There is no better way to enjoy the town’s coastal pleasures than to book into a hotel not only close to the town centre but that’s less than 20 yards away, such as BEST WESTERN York House. Some of their rooms have sea views and come with plush four poster beds.
Your dog will love playing on the beach where there are no restrictions, and if it’s a bit too chilly to take a dip in the sea, you can still wet your toes in the small hotel pool.
There’s lots of walking potential along the four-mile promenade but a short boat trip will take you to Beach Head where you and your dog can enjoy long walks in stunning scenery.
Pet-friendly facilities: Dogs get their own dog bed and are allowed into the bar, lounge and verandah and can eat with you in the bar for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pet extras include towel, bowl, home-made bacon and peanut butter treats all for £10 per pet per night.
BEST WESTERN Philipburn Country House Hotel, Scotland
ocated on the Scottish Borders, overlooking the Ettrick Water – a tributary of the River Tweed – is this the historic town of Selkirk. This is where Scottish warrior William Wallace was declared guardian of Scotland a few centuries ago. Today, with only 6,000 inhabitants, it is as sleepy as they come.
The BEST WESTERN Philipburn Country House Hotel, an 18th century building, is situated on the outskirts of Selkirk, amid four acres of private woodland and gardens – with its own Koi pond – overlooking the Ettrick Water.
The estate comprises different styles of accommodation in the main house and in the garden but if you have both a dog and kids in tow, the lodges are ideal and come with views of sheep-dotted fields.
Breakfast is served in the restaurant, but you can take it in the bar too where dogs are allowed. If the weather is good, the same goes for the patio and terrace where dinner can be enjoyed alfresco.
The Ettrick Water is ideal for fishing, but before long you will be walking your dog along the river Tweed enjoying the glorious landscape.
Pet-friendly facilities: There are four bedrooms allocated for canine guests and the cost is £10 per night per dog. They are allowed into the hotel bar, gardens and patio and on arrival they will get dog biscuits as treats.
Copyright © 2014 by The Travel Magazine. This article was written by Sharron Livingston and originally published at thetravelmagazine.net
