Five of the best luxury dog-friendly cottages in the UK
It often feels like you get forced to choose between taking your dog on holiday and staying somewhere amazing, but our collection features luxury dog-friendly cottages in the UK where you can have it all. These are five of our favourites, from Scotland to Sussex, where you’ll be perfectly pampered and your dogs will be more than welcome to curl up in the corner.
1. Benallack Barn
Cornwall
Along with all the classic seaside fun that Cornwall is packed with and your dog will love, comes a truly welcoming place for dogs. There are towels, bowls, bags and beds all provided for your stay, and a doggy welcome pack bursting with pet-friendly Cornish treats. The garden is completely secure, so morning business is simple and safe, but hop through the gate and you’re on any one of several scenic trails in seconds. Both coasts are within easy reach, as are famous attractions like the gardens of Trewithen (about five minutes away), Eden and Heligan. St Mawes is a great spot for lunch al fresco and there are plenty of dog-friendly pubs around if the weather isn’t right for fish & chips on the beach.
2. Buddha Beach House
2. Buddha Beach HouseCornwall
This is the sort of place you want to book in secret then have all your friends and family turn up at as a surprise, just to see the look on their faces. The sea views from the terrace and its deck-height hot tub are staggering, with seating and a sophisticated bbq for al fresco meals and evening lounging. Inside there’s a sense of ‘beach cottage meets spa hotel’ with splashes of colour against a pale, driftwood background, big bathtubs and a spiral staircase down to the games room. Dogs have space to roam and you can tire them out with rockpooling and beach walks straight off the deck. It’s an incredible space that’s gone from being a 400-year old fish cellar to one of the most luxury dog-friendly cottages in Cornwall we’ve ever seen.
3. Moon Barn
The Lake District
With a chic, understated style, Moon Barn is the place to come for a refined weekend of wonderful walks and fabulous food. The kitchen is geared for chefs and the owner Caroline actually knows a few that can come in and cook for you serving meals either by the big windows in the dining room or out on the patio. With the Pennines to the east and The Lake District to the west, you’re perfectly placed for some spectacular long hilly walks or gentler strolls along the banks of the river. You can also drop into King’s Meaburn, a lovely village in this hidden corner of the Eden Valley and visit the White Horse Inn, a special treat on pie Fridays. Caroline lives just up the road and you might bump into her, her hens or her dogs as you stroll through this beautiful, historical part of the country.
4. Cartshed Cottages at Sharrington Hall
4. Norfolk
Shell Cottage is a two-bed bolthole close to the Norfolk coast, with a laid-back luxury that’s part beach house, part farmhouse and all lovely. There’s another dog-friendly cottage, Sky, elsewhere in the clutch of converted farm buildings, so you can gather a few folk together and head off, pets in tow, to explore all that diverse Norfolk has to offer. There’s an award-winning deli just down the road, the majestic broads to explore on foot, or by bike and boat and miles of coastal hiking. Just a few miles north is Blakeney Point, with its colony of grey seals, which often come up to sleep in the sand dunes, so you’d probably best keep the dog on a lead. When you get back from exploring, big baths and the cosy lounge make for an achingly indulgent end to the day.
5. Harbour View House
Sussex
Harbour View House is, exactly as it sounds, perfectly placed for gazing out over the water for hours. Your options for exploring it are irresistible, from walking and boating to sitting on the seawall for dinner, but the house itself is as much of a draw. The spacious place has folding doors that allow the lounge to become part of the spectacularly set up garden and for conversation, boardgames and fun to flow in and out. There’s even a second sitting room with an open fire, so anyone in search of some peace and quiet can slip away, snuggle in and doxze off. The garden is enclosed for dog safety; towels, toys, bowls and even shampoo are provided for dogs, and there’s a dog-friendly about 20 steps away!
Written by
Chris Elmes
Chris is our copywriter, who spins enticing articles out of rough notes and travel tales. Having grown up in rural Wiltshire with only cats, he defected to Team Dog and now roams the countryside with Porth, a gorgeous spaniel named after a Welsh town in what he considers to be a joke. They love disappearing into the hills and coming back hungry for a good pub meal, although Porth has not been convinced to follow Chris into vegetarianism.
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