How To Find Pet-Friendly Hotels in the UK

Traveling With Pets in Great Britain

More of us are choosing to travel with our dogs than ever before, with one survey findings that 77% of us let our pets affect our travel plans.

But while the UK may be as dog-mad as many other nations, finding pet-friendly accommodation isn’t always the easiest task. Many hotels shun dogs, making travelling a complicated and expensive affair.

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay with your pooch the good news is that we’ve done the hard work for you. Read on for a detailed list of pet-friendly hotels you might like to consider in the British Isles…

What to Expect from British Pet-Friendly Hotels

Our research has revealed a number of common themes in pet-friendly British hotels. The first of these is that dogs rarely stay for free; there’s almost always a nightly supplement for having a dog in your room, and some hotels will also charge a refundable deposit to cover damage or additional cleaning.

In addition to this, there is a distinct lack of uniformity among well-known hotel chains, with some members of the chain accepting pets while others only permit guide dogs. Prices can vary considerably between hotels within the same chain too, so if you’re travelling on a budget be sure to compare all the possible options.

Generally speaking domestic pets are banned from restaurants and bars, and many hotels expect pets to remain leashed at all times outside of your hotel room. This frequently includes hotel grounds too.

In general it is safest to ring any hotel you are considering to be certain of the rules and fees surrounding bringing Fido with you, in order to avoid any nasty surprises on arrival.

Accor

Accor own the IBIS chain of hotels in Britain, and are proudly pet-friendly. Simply search their website for hotels in your chosen area, making sure to highlight the “Pets Welcome” checkbox. Rather annoyingly it seems that prices are quoted in Euros rather than Sterling, so be sure to check conversion rates if you’re travelling on a budget. Prices start at around £20 per night.

Best Western

One of the larger hotel networks, roughly half of Best Western’s British hotels are willing to accommodate well-behaved dogs. To find a pet-friendly hotel search their website and look for those marked as “pet friendly”. Best Western request that dog owners telephone them in advance to discuss your requirements, and ensure pampered pooches of a first-class reception.

Britannia Hotels

At the time of writing Britannia offered 47 pet-friendly hotels spread across the UK. Prices are quite reasonable, with a £25 deposit being requested and a charge of £10 per night for stays.

As with Best Western, not all hotels in the chain are pet friendly so be certain to check on their website that suitable accommodation exists in your chosen destination.

IHG

IHG are one of the largest hotel networks in the world, owning a number of familiar brands such as Holiday Inn. Fortunately, most of IHGs hotels are pet-friendly, meaning hundreds of options across the UK. Prices vary between hotels, but at the time of writing seemed to average around £20 per night, with most charging a £20 deposit in addition. You can search for pet-friendly hotel here.

Marriot

Marriot seems not to have fully embraced the concept of dog-friendly travel yet, offering only a very limited selection of hotels willing to accommodate pets. The charges are steep too – coming in at up to £40 per dog per night at the time of writing. More information is available here.

Travelodge

The budget hotel group Travelodge is one of the few to accept pets on all its sites. At the time of writing the cost is £20 per night, with a maximum of two dogs per room. Full details are available here.

Independent Hotels

Of course, it’s not just the big—name chains that accept dogs, though of course their coverage is impressive. There are also a range of individually-owned hotels and holiday cottages more than happy to accommodate dogs.

Searching for these individually can be troublesome, so it’s worth consulting sites which are dedicated to such accommodation. Dog People and Dog Friendly Britain are two such examples.

*******************************
About The Author:  This article was provided by PBS Pet Travel, a specialist pet shipping firm based in the UK. If you need help in transporting your pet globally then click here to learn more.
*******************************
Image Source:  Pixabay