‘The hotel had a dog spa’: readers’ favourite dog-friendly holidays

Off the lead at Gunwalloe, Cornwall

Recently, Cornwall Council lifted the season-long dog ban on many of the county’s beaches, restricting it to just July and August rather than the six months or so it had been previously. The council publishes a list of beaches, with all restrictions listed, that it’s important to check before heading out (there are still 11 beaches where dogs are banned between 10am and 6pm, and there are three protected wildlife areas where they are banned at all times). One of the best beaches, we think, is at Gunwalloe where visitors can stay at the National Trust holiday cottage right by the beach and the cafe has water bowls for dogs. Church Cove is restricted for dog owners in July and August but Dollar Cove next door is dog-friendly at all times. The coast path runs right along the beaches and takes you over to Poldhu or Porthleven, so there are plenty of options for walkies.
Layla Astley

Dog-friendly inn in the Lake District

Inn on the Square hotel, Keswick

The four-star hotel Inn on the Square (doubles from £100 B&B) in Keswick is very dog-friendly. It provides a dog spa – very useful after a lovely walk in the fells – dog beds, and tips on green spaces for dogs to do their business. Keswick is a beautiful town with fantastic pubs on gorgeous Derwentwater. The hotel charges a nightly supplement of £25 a dog. Up to two dogs can stay in your bedroom.
Dee

A castle fit for a canine in South Ayrshire

Culzean Castle. Photograph: Iain Masterton/Alamy

North Firbank Cottage (from £700 a week, sleeps four) in the Culzean Castle and Country Park Estate near Maybole is a delightful cottage with two sizeable secure gardens for your dog. It is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is on a short private road that leads only to a couple of rentable cottages. A few minutes’ walk in one direction is the estate’s public car park, lake, cafe and children’s adventure park, while a few minutes’ in the other is the huge sandy Maidens beach (dogs welcome all year) with views of Arran and Ailsa Craig. Included in the price are miles of footpaths in the Culzean Estate and admission to the castle (but no dogs inside).
David Gilmore

Isle of Man’s best friend

The Isle of Man has miles of lead-free walking around the sandy beaches at the top of the island. There are 18 preserved national glens all suitable for off-lead walking – with clean rivers to splash in – and several have a lovely beach at the end. Dash around Gansey Bay beach (dogs welcome all year) in the south, then sit with your well-behaved dog in the bar of the Shore Hotel overlooking the bay.
Sue

Pamper your pooch in Norfolk

‘We’ve been expecting you …’ East Ruston Cottages are particularly dog-friendly

East Ruston Cottages in north-east Norfolk are totally devoted to dogs, providing everything you need for you and your dog. All cottages take at least three dogs. The cottage we stayed in earlier this year had a dog shower and toys, towels, treats and even a birthday card for our border collie. It was lovely for us as well. The company will even provide dog sitters if needed.
Margaret Dennis

Bracing beach walkies on Anglesey

Traeth Yr Ora on the Lligwy to Dulas coastal path. Photograph: Ian Brown/Alamy

Ynys Môn (Anglesey) is the sort of place where you wake to gulls not traffic. We booked a cottage above Red Wharf Bay then spent each tide-out morning striding sand to Traeth Lligwy, dogs off lead (there are no dog restrictions there) and noses full of salt. Lunch meant fish and chips outside the Ship Inn where water bowls appear before menus. For rainy days there is the dog-friendly cafe at the Oriel Môn museum and arts centre or woodland walks in Newborough Forest where red squirrels flit overhead. Every evening our spaniel snored beside the log burner while we planned tomorrow’s ideal beach.
Pamela

Pooch on the loose in Pembrokeshire

Dog domes at The Little Retreat. Photograph: Owen Howells

Explore ancient oak woodlands and secret beaches at The Little Retreat in Lawrenny (domes sleeping four from £120 a night), Pembrokeshire. Nestled in the walled garden of a 12th-century castle, these luxury domes are fully dog-friendly and overlook the Daugleddau estuary – perfect for wild swims and kayak adventures. Nearby, stroll to hidden coves or visit Carew Castle’s dog-welcoming (on the lead) grounds. It’s a wildly peaceful escape packed with history, beauty and charm.
Rosa

Set tails wagging in the Cotswolds

Sunrise on one of the lakes at Cotswold Water Park. Photograph: Loop Images/Alamy

We really enjoyed a visit to the De Vere at Cotswolds Water Park with our dog. Our ground floor room had doors opening out on to a wide wetland panorama and a boardwalk to pootle along with the dog. The usual extras (beds etc) are provided, you can take your dog to breakfast and use the spa. Nearby towns such as Cirencester are fantastic for dogs, and the biggest hit of all was the Cotswold Wildlife Park nearby, a superb dog-friendly (dogs must be kept on a lead) animal park and gardens.
Jenni

Beach heaven at Ballymastocker, County Donegal

Walkies at Portsalon on Ballymastocker Bay. Photograph: David Lyons/Alamy

We spent our childhood summers at Rita’s chalets in Portsalon in County Donegal. The accommodation was basic and cheap. There was no heating, TV or shower but they allowed Sandy, our faithful dog, to stay every year. We still go back but the accommodation, now called the Pier Apartments (from €310 for two nights, two apartments, sleep 5 each) has been massively upgraded. But some things have stayed the same. The harbour is still full of kids jumping into the sea from the pier. The views are as spectacular as ever, and dog-friendly Ballymastocker beach is still the best in the world. And Sandy has been replaced by Benji.
Keiran

Winning tip: Mull – the isle of dogs

George the labrador on the Isle of Mull Photograph: Hywel Sedgwick

The Isle of Mull is the most dog-friendly island I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. George the labrador was welcomed with open arms on the ferry crossing from Oban – where they even had a special dog seating area with bowls of water and treats available. All the beaches are breathtaking, and dogs can roam off-lead to their hearts’ content. We even managed to take him on the tiny foot ferry over to The Boathouse restaurant on Ulva, where he made best friends with celebrity pooch Grampa, owned by the well-known interior designer Banjo Beale.
Hywel Sedgwick