We have to admit, we do love dog-friendly historic hotels. If only the walls of these hotels could talk… just imagine the stories they’d tell! For those who want to make their holiday extra special and memorable, we would definitely recommend staying at a historic hotel that can transport you to a different era. They offer much more than just a place to stay. Unique architectural charm, a cosy atmosphere and quirky interiors are some of the striking features of historic hotels.
These are five amazing historic hotels we’d come back to without hesitation. Our stays at all five were genuinely memorable, and we’d happily return, with Winnie in tow.
Built over 500 years ago by Edward Stafford, the third Duke of Buckingham, Thornbury Castle was designed to impress. At the time, he was the second wealthiest man in the country and set out to create a home that could rival that of the richest man of all — King Henry VIII. In 1510, Edward Stafford was granted permission to transform his manor house into a castle. More than five centuries later, it still does. With its elegant oriel windows, striking red-brick chimneys and beautifully kept gardens, it captures the essence of a Tudor residence.
Today, Thornbury Castle has 26 rooms, including the Catherine of Aragon Suite, named after Henry VIII’s first wife and featuring the largest four-poster bed in any UK hotel. There’s also the Henry VIII Suite, where the King himself stayed with Anne Boleyn during their visit in 1535.
Dogs at Thornbury Castle: Only a small number of rooms are dog-friendly. Winnie was provided with a sleeping mat, a bowl and a very generous bag of treats. Dogs are welcome in all public areas except the fine dining restaurant. The charge is £25 per dog, per night.
The price range: ££££
DogStaycation Rating:
Dog fee: £25 per dog per night
Off-lead area: No
Dogs are welcome in the restaurant: No (although dogs are welcome in the lounge and library areas)
Welcome pack (bed, treats, bowls): Yes
Information about dog policy & fee on the website: Yes
The house owes its existence to Thomas Shew, a painter, collector and art dealer. While working on a project, he discovered that Bath Abbey was removing its beautifully carved marble altarpiece. Shew bought the entire altar and decided it deserved a proper home — so he built Grosvenor Villa around it, creating the impressive entrance hall you see now, complete with stones said to have come from the Abbey floor.
It’s a wonderfully unexpected bit of history: a Georgian villa that exists because an artist fell in love with an ornate Italian-style altar and built a house to preserve it. Today, Grosvenor Villa is a tiny B&B with just three rooms, but honestly, the level of service is the sort many much bigger hotels would be lucky to match.
Dogs at Grosvenor Villa: This is one of the most dog-friendly places we’ve ever stayed. Dogs are welcome everywhere, including the dining room — and there’s no extra charge. There’s also a small, fully enclosed garden where Winnie could have a proper run around.
The price range: ££
More about Grosvenor Villa…
DogStaycation Rating
Dog fee: Free of charge
Off-lead area: Yes
Dogs are welcome in the restaurant: Yes
Welcome pack (bed, treats, bowls): Yes
Information about dog policy & fee on the website: Yes
The home of the Ducie family for over 350 years, Tortworth Court later suffered a devastating fire before rising from the ashes and becoming the splendid country house hotel it is today, with 201 bedrooms set in 30 acres of countryside.
The house you see today was built between 1849 and 1853. Henry George Francis, the 2nd Earl of Ducie, who owned Tortworth at that time, suffered from rheumatism and arthritis and hated cold winters at his country home in Woodchester. He decided to build a house in a place more favourable for his health conditions. And so De Vere Tortworth Court came into being — a hotel that oozes elegance and has retained many of its original features.
Dogs at De Vere Tortworth Court: Pampered pooches are treated like one of the family, with their own bowls and a bed to enjoy during their stay. The charge is from £30 per dog, per stay.
The price range: ££
DogStaycation Rating
Dog fee: £30 per dog per stay
Off-lead area: No
Dogs are welcome in the restaurant: No
Welcome pack (bed, treats, bowls): Yes
Information about dog policy & fee on the website: Yes
The Tudor House Hotel, in the heart of the market town of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, dates back to 1546. It is one of the most distinctive and historically important buildings in the town. It was turned into a hotel in 1926 and has kept lots of original features, including 300-year-old oak beams, open fireplaces and even a priest’s hole.
This dog-friendly historic hotel has 25 bedrooms, each unique in shape and size. We stayed with our cockapoo Winnie in a Standard Double Room in a small annex, with a separate door outside.
Dogs at Tudor House Hotel: Dogs are welcome almost everywhere apart from the main restaurant. However, there is an ample bar area with tables where dogs are allowed to join you for breakfast or dinner. There is also a charge of £15 per dog per room. Unfortunately, they don’t provide a welcome dog pack in the room, and there are no doggy treats at reception.
The price range: ££
DogStaycation Rating
Dog fee: £15 per dog per room
Off-lead area: No
Dogs are welcome in the restaurant: Yes
Welcome pack (bed, treats, bowls): No
Information about dog policy & fee on the website: Yes
In the 1800s, Meudon was home to Falmouth’s famous Fox family. The Foxes, Quakers by faith, owned several properties in and around Falmouth, among them Glendurgan and Trebah Gardens, both just a 5-minute drive from Hotel Meudon.
The hotel still retains much of its old-fashioned charm: pristine white tablecloths in the dining room, an unhurried atmosphere and those breathtaking views. It boasts 9 acres of subtropical gardens leading to the private beach, Bream Cove, where you can go wild swimming and paddle boarding, as well as easy access to the picturesque Cornish countryside and coast, an award-winning restaurant and 29 bedrooms with stylish interiors.
Dogs at Hotel Meudon: Dogs are very welcome in all areas except the main restaurant. We were disappointed by the lack of a welcome pack for our dog in the room, because three years ago (our first stay at Hotel Meudon) Winnie was provided with a comfy bed, a red towel, bowls, some treats, a ball to play with and a lovely handwritten letter from the hotel team.
The price range: £££
DogStaycation Rating
Dog fee: £25 per dog per night
Off-lead area: Yes (including the private beach)
Dogs are welcome in the restaurant: No
Welcome pack (bed, treats, bowls): No
Information about dog policy & fee on the website: Yes
We love that these dog-friendly historic hotels offer something a little different from the usual dog-friendly stay, while still making four-legged guests feel genuinely welcome. And after staying at all five with Winnie, we’d happily return to any of them for another memorable getaway.
So… which hotel would you choose for your next adventure?
Keep exploring with Winnie:
