Four legs are just as good as two when it comes to UK stays, says Joanna Booth
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“But don’t you love me any more? What did I do wrong?” At least, that’s what your dog’s trusting, wounded eyes seem to say.
The guilt-filled journey to the kennels before a holiday could put you off travel for life – and that’s before the cost causes you to shed an extra tear or two.
But with the need for pet passports and flights, taking four-legged friends abroad with you can be tricky and costly too. That’s where a UK holiday comes into its own, and with accommodation providers increasingly welcoming man’s best friend, there’s plenty to choose from.
More than 35,000 pets travelled with Hoseasons this year, and the operator reports that pet bookings are rising at 11% per year. Time to make sure you can sell creature comforts…
Parks with Pedigree
With easy access to the great outdoors, it’s easy to see why a lodge or caravan is perfect for a pet. More than 5,000 – about 25% – of Hoseasons lodges and park units are pet friendly, plus 90% of its boats.
Three pets per lodge are welcome at Argyll Lodges, Strathyre Lodges, Cropton Lodges, Deerpark Forest, Forest of Dean Lodges, Keldy Forest Lodges, Sherwood Forest Lodges, Blackwood Forest Lodges and Thorpe Forest Lodges.
It also sells Doggy Deli Delight Packs, which for just £15 include a week’s worth of necessities (think dog shampoo for after muddy walks) and treats, such as Cherry Barkwells and Peamutt Butter Cups. Henlle Hall Lodges, and Henlle Hall Cottages provide treats, bowls and a dog towel, and Griffon Forest Lodges offers day kennels, so visitors can go out and enjoy their day knowing their pet is in safe hands.
Haven allows dogs in standard and standard plus caravans at all but three of its 35 parks (Burnham-on-Sea, Riviere Sands and Lydstep Beach), and asks guests to pay £20 per dog for stays of five nights or less, or £40 for up to eight nights, with up to two dogs per caravan. Campers can bring dogs for just £1 per night. It’s worth noting that Haven doesn’t allow certain breeds at its parks: pitbull terriers, dogo Argentino, Brazilian mastiffs and Japanese tosas.
If clients prefer individual stays to parks, more than 1,000 of the Cottages4You properties are dog-friendly – click on the ‘collections’ tab on the homepage to navigate to properties that welcome pets.
Hound Hotels
Best Western has just launched a guide to its properties with ‘pawsonality’. It focuses on seven of the most suitable (more than 100 of the chain’s hotels are dog-friendly), and highlights walks in the local area and dog-friendly places to visit, alongside hotel facilities for the four-legged.
Examples include Best Western Mayfield House Hotel in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, where Freddie the resident Labrador welcomes canine guests, and dog owners can dine in the snug of the AA Rosette-winning restaurant; and Best Western Forest Hills Hotel in Cheshire, which has a ‘woof bag’ with treats and balls for each arrival, and offers free dog-sitting at reception, while owners dine in the restaurant.
Even those looking for the highest pedigree of hotel can be satisfied. Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, has three dog-friendly rooms with terraces where pampered pooches can stay too, for a supplement of just £10 a night.
The hotel is set in 27 acres of grounds, which should get tails wagging, and although dogs aren’t allowed in the main house, there are complimentary heated dog kennels where they can while away an hour or two as owners enjoy the two Michelin-starred cuisine or take a cookery class at the Raymond Blanc Cookery School. Dog-friendly rooms start at £765 per night, including the supplement.
Sea Dogs
Dogs with sea legs can venture further afield, and a trip to the Scilly or Channel Islands can maximise the chance of sunshine without leaving UK turf.
Jersey and Guernsey are a number one canine holiday choice for Premier Holidays, which flags the wide range of hotels and self-catering accommodation that welcomes dogs. Short-haul product manager Beverley Scarr often takes her dog, Billy, to the Channel Islands.
“There are a wide selection of lovely, dog-friendly beaches for them to run around on, such as Saintands Bay and Bordeaux Harbour in Guernsey, or Le Braye and Watersplash Beach (both at St Ouen’s Bay) in Jersey, and there are lots of pretty trails across both islands, including the cliff walks, which are perfect for dog walking.”
Energetic dogs can enjoy exploring the huge grounds and surrounding countryside at Jersey’s five-star Longueville Manor, while the Miramar and the Beausite suit small dogs. Guernsey’s four-star Duke of Richmond Hotel offers a selection of dog treats and toys, plus a dog-walking service available to book at the hotel reception.
Prestige Holidays’ Nicky Shafe recommends St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly due to the ferry crossing, which is easy and cheap, just £5 per dog each way.
“I did it this summer with my dog Blue and from the ferry port it’s a 10-minute walk or a short transfer up the hill to the Star Castle Hotel, which doesn’t charge extra for dogs.
The hotel’s spacious, dog-friendly rooms are in the gardens and not in the historic main building – but this meant I was able to step out of our room and take Blue for a brisk walk before breakfast.
Local charity the Veterinary Support Group will ensure whatever dog accessories you want are delivered to the hotel including dog baskets, blankets, bowls and toys – you simply need to make a small donation to the charity.”
Prestige offers four nights’ B&B at Star Castle from £469 including return ferry crossings.
