Ravenstone Manor Hotel, a 4-star historic manor house hotel in the Lake District.

Address: Bassenthwaite, Keswick, CA12 4QG.

This was one of our most ambivalent hotel experiences. We booked the dog-friendly Ravenstone Manor Hotel based on its very high rating (9.1) on www.booking.com and we had lots of expectations, because it was our traditional wedding anniversary holiday. The location of the hotel  is pretty amazing, just a 10-minute drive from Keswick, so you have easy access to the town and there are lots of hiking opportunities as well.  

It is fair to say that the hotel itself is lovely. It is a 19th-century manor house with character and lots of original features. There are a few very comfortable lounge areas where you can have a drink, chat, read a book or just relax looking through the picture window. Food was tasty, service was quick and friendly. Dogs are allowed absolutely everywhere, including the main restaurant, so don’t be surprised at seeing dogs during breakfast time.

But there is a fly in the ointment. We booked a Classic Double Room, and it was the tiniest and the most uncomfortable room we’ve ever stayed in. All rooms in the hotel are dog-friendly, but their Classic Double Rooms, in our opinion, are not suitable neither for dogs nor for humans. We have a small cockapoo Winnie and usually we take a crate with us for his night’s sleep. We literally couldn’t find the space where to squeeze it. So we put it near the window and ended up having a 10 cm gap between the bed and the crate to sidle to the bathroom every time we needed to. Briefly about other downsides: no proper wardrobe (only a chest of drawers), tea and coffee tray on a windowsill, no space for suitcases (we kept them in our car), a ‘motel style’ tiny bathroom. And surprisingly, no welcome pack for a dog: no bowls, no poo bags or treats, and no bed. 

Would we recommend the Ravenstone Manor Hotel for a dog-friendly stay? Only if you decide to book a more expensive room.