Best dog-friendly holidays in the UK

Planning dog-friendly holidays in the UK this summer and want to save hundreds? Head north to Cumbria for an affordable, pet-friendly break.

We assessed more than 140,000 prices of dog-friendly holiday cottages across the UK to find the cheapest locations for a week-long stay in August 2024*. 

Destinations including Durham and Shropshire offer bargain prices and varied landscapes to explore on dog walks. 

However, Cumbria was the cheapest and still has plenty of availability during the peak season. Across Cottages.com, Holidaycottages.co.uk and Sykes, the average week-long stay in the middle of the school summer holidays is £913 a week if you’re planning to take your dog with you.

The county is idyllic for dog owners, with stunning hikes, beaches without restrictions and dog-friendly pubs aplenty. Plus, choose a stay with Which? Recommended Provider National Trust, and you won't pay extra for your furry pal (in its properties that accept dogs).

Below, we round up where you can find dog-friendly accommodation in the UK, whether you're after a hotel or cottage break.

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Cheap dog-friendly holidays UK: cottage accommodation

• Cumbria £913
• Durham/Tyne and Wear £923
• Herefordshire £923
• Lancashire £927
• Shropshire £933

Figures show the average cost for a week-long stay in August 2024.

Dog-friendly holiday cottages in Cornwall

At the other end of the scale, the average cost to stay in a dog-friendly property in popular holiday location Cornwall this August is £1,508.

Dog-friendly holiday cottages in Devon

Devon is another key UK holiday destination in summer. The average cost to stay in a pet-friendly property this August is £1,316.

Can I take my dog on a cottage holiday?

Most cottage holiday companies have pet-friendly properties in their inventory (and specific ones that are pet-free). Adding a dog to the booking often incurs a small fee to cover the extra cleaning required afterwards.

Be aware that while plenty of properties permit one dog, they don’t all accept multiple pets, so be sure to check in advance.

The best holiday cottage companies – as rated by Which? readers

The highest-scoring holiday rental companies in our most recent survey** were:

• The Landmark Trust, 92%
• Classic Cottages, 85%
• Sally’s Cottages, 85%
• National Trust, 84%
• Rural Retreats, 82%

Find out where the big holiday rental companies such as Cottages.com, Holidaycottages.co.uk and Sykes came in our table of cottage holiday providers.

Does the Landmark Trust allow dogs?

The Landmark Trust might only have 200 properties on its books, but each is a piece of history. Of those, more than 113 are dog-friendly, and you’ll pay an extra £20 per week (or short break) to take your pooch with you. It’s not the cheapest, but Landmark Trust stays are worth it, according to Which? members. It scored the full five stars in all categories, from quality to cleanliness and value for money, and it’s the best-rated brand in our survey.

Book a dog-friendly holiday cottage with the Landmark Trust

Does Classic Cottages allow dogs?

Classic Cottages has 820 dog-friendly cottages to choose from, and nearly 300 of them have enclosed gardens. You’ll pay £38 a week to add a dog to the booking. According to holidaymakers, you won’t be disappointed with a Classic Cottages holiday rental – it got the full five stars for the quality of its cottages.

Book a dog-friendly holiday cottage with Classic Cottages

Does Sally’s Cottages allow dogs?

With Sally’s Cottages’ properties all based in Cumbria – the cheapest dog-friendly region according to our data analysis – you should be able to secure a bargain stay. Bringing a dog with you will typically cost an extra £20 (although this varies by cottage) and there are 716 pet-friendly properties to pick from.

Book a dog-friendly holiday cottage with Sally’s Cottages

Does National Trust allow dogs in its cottages?

The National Trust is a smaller provider with just 296 dog-friendly properties to choose from. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for with the history, quality, and cleanliness of its properties – plus, there’s no extra charge for your furry friends.

Book a dog-friendly holiday cottage with National Trust

Does Rural Retreats allow dogs?

Rural Retreats says it offers ‘exceptionally fine’ accommodation and it's one of the pricier brands in our survey, at £56 per person per night. Members think its properties are worth it – it earned the full five stars for value for money in our survey. Of its 865 holiday rentals, 548 are dog-friendly. Most cottage owners charge £25 per dog per stay, although a few charge more.

Book a dog-friendly holiday cottage with Rural Retreats

Hotel chains that allow dogs in the UK

Not all hotel chains will let your four-legged friend join you. Some will have a few dedicated pet-friendly rooms. But just because a chain permits pets doesn’t always mean it’s pet-loving. Some will tolerate dogs, while others will pamper them. Read our review of the most dog-friendly hotel we’ve stayed in. 

Below, we’ve listed the most-visited hotel chains in our survey and indicated whether they let pups sleep over. Be aware that where we’ve stated that pets are permitted, it doesn’t mean they will be in every branch – it can vary by location, so check before booking.

Can dogs stay at Premier Inn hotels?

No. Premier Inn doesn’t permit dogs in any of its hotels.

Book a stay at Premier Inn

Can dogs stay at Travelodge hotels?

Yes. There are almost 600 pet-friendly Travelodge hotels across the UK, Ireland and Spain. However, you will pay extra to cover a deep clean.

Book a dog-friendly stay at Travelodge

Can dogs stay at Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express hotels?

Yes. Both offer dog-friendly rooms at various locations across the UK. Bringing a dog costs an extra £20, and you must inform the hotel in advance.

Book a dog-friendly stay at Holiday Inn (IHG Hotels)

Can dogs stay at Best Western hotels?

Yes. Not all of Best Western hotels will let dogs stay, but there are more than 100 branches in the UK where they’re welcome for an extra £10 a night.

Book a dog-friendly stay at Best Western

Find out how these chains scored in our UK hotel survey results.

Research notes

*To calculate the cheapest dog-friendly regions, we analysed prices of holiday cottages across Cottages.com, Holidaycottages.co.uk and Sykes, once a month for the past eight months. We looked at prices for a week’s stay in August 2024 for one, two and three-bed properties. We excluded any regions with consistently low availability (less than 30 properties) and that had little to no availability left for August 2024.

**Cottage holiday survey results are based on a 2022 survey of 3,025 Which? members .