Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in the Lake District (2026)

Ten Lake District hotels where pet-travelling guests rated the welcome highest, independently scored from real Agoda guest reviews mentioning pets.

Traditional Lake District country hotel exterior
Updated How we review →
By Rob Griffiths3 June 2026 · 7 min read

The Lake District is one of the most dog-friendly regions in the UK by reputation, but the picture across the National Park is patchy: Keswick and Borrowdale concentrate the bulk of high-quality pet-friendly hotels, Ullswater has a smaller selection skewed toward country-pub-with-rooms format, and the central Windermere-Ambleside-Bowness corridor is busier and more variable on pet welcome. Below are ten Lake District hotels where pet-travelling guests have rated the welcome highest, in our independent paw rating (1-5 scale, computed from real Agoda guest reviews mentioning pets).

1. Ravenstone Manor (Keswick) - Top pick

Paw rating 5.0/5 | Agoda 9.2/10 from 1,836 guest reviews | Read our full review

Ravenstone Manor has the largest sample-size-backed perfect paw rating in our Lake District set. Country-house format on the western shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, with fell-and-lake-views grounds and easy access to the Skiddaw / Bassenthwaite walking circuit. The 1,836-review wider sample means the dog-friendly signal is very well tested.

2. The Coledale Inn (Braithwaite, near Keswick)

Paw rating 5.0/5 | Agoda 9.1/10 from 1,572 guest reviews | Read our full review

The Coledale Inn at Braithwaite is our top country-pub-with-rooms pick for the Lake District, sitting at the foot of the Coledale Round fell walk. Dogs are welcomed in the bar, restaurant and bedrooms, the location works for both Keswick-day-trips and proper fell-walking from the door, and the 1,572-review sample backs a 5.0/5 paw rating.

3. The Crown Inn Pooley Bridge (Ullswater) - Best for Ullswater

Paw rating 4.7/5 | Agoda 9.1/10 from 1,367 guest reviews | Read our full review

The Crown Inn at Pooley Bridge sits at the northern tip of Ullswater and is the polished pub-hotel-with-rooms pick for the eastern Lakes. Dogs welcomed throughout, the Barn rooms have private external access useful after fell days, and the village itself is unusually dog-welcoming. The £25 per dog per stay fee is at the upper end for the area but proportionate.

4. The Ruddings (Keswick area)

Paw rating 5.0/5 | Agoda 9.4/10 from 1,081 guest reviews | Read our full review

The Ruddings combines a 5.0/5 paw rating with the second-highest wider Agoda score in our set (9.4 across 1,081 reviews). Best fit if you want country-house comfort and reliability in a single package.

5. The Royal Oak (Rosthwaite, Borrowdale) - Best for Borrowdale

Paw rating 5.0/5 | Agoda 9.2/10 from 850 guest reviews | Read our full review

The Royal Oak in Rosthwaite sits deep in the Borrowdale valley on the walking route up to Sty Head and the Honister Pass. Dogs welcomed throughout, working country pub format, and the 850-review wider sample backs a perfect paw rating.

6. Armathwaite Hall Hotel (Keswick) - Best for luxury

Paw rating 5.0/5 | Agoda 9.2/10 from 397 guest reviews | Read our full review

Armathwaite Hall is the country-house-hotel option in our Keswick set, with full-service spa, restaurant and grounds. The most polished entry on this list for a celebration stay or for guests who want hotel rather than pub-with-rooms service levels alongside the dog welcome.

7. The Kings Arms Temple Sowerby (Penrith) - Best for A66 stopover

Paw rating 4.8/5 | Agoda 9.3/10 from 260 guest reviews | Read our full review

The Kings Arms in Temple Sowerby is the highest-rated A66-corridor pub-with-rooms in our Lake District set. Useful as a Scotland-to-southern-England stopover, and the most complete in-room pet-amenity set we have seen in the area: dog bed, bowls, treats and poo bags all provided. Manager Nicole repeatedly named in pet-travelling reviews.

8. The Mount B&B (Keswick) - Best small-property B&B

Paw rating 5.0/5 | Agoda 9.9/10 from 99 guest reviews | Read our full review

The Mount B&B is the highest-rated small B&B in our Keswick set, with a top-1%-level 9.9/10 wider Agoda score across 99 reviews. Hand-run, with attention-to-detail-style pet-traveller touches across the recent reviews. Best fit for a guest who specifically wants a small-property B&B rather than a hotel or pub.

9. The White House Guest House (Clifton, Penrith)

Paw rating 4.8/5 | Agoda 8.8/10 from 24 guest reviews | Read our full review

The White House Guest House in Clifton (just south of Penrith) has the deepest pet-traveller review pool in our Lake District set: 34 confirmed pet-traveller reviews backing the 4.8/5 paw rating. Host Prue is a genuine dog lover; community woodland next to the property doubles as a safe dog walk straight from the door. Useful both as a Lake-District-edge walking base and as a Scotland-stopover.

10. Kotel Windermere - Best for central Windermere

Paw rating 5.0/5 | Agoda 8.7/10 from 1,371 guest reviews | Read our full review

Kotel Windermere is the central-Windermere serviced-apartment-style option, with own-entrance units and no shared lobby to navigate with a muddy dog. Walking distance to the village shops, the bus to Bowness and the lakeshore.

How we choose

Our paw rating is computed from real Agoda guest reviews that explicitly mention pets. Each pet-mention review is screened for pet-relevance, then judged for sentiment, and the score is the average of those judgements on a 1-5 scale. We do not pay properties for inclusion. Full standard at our methodology page.

For this Lake District page specifically: every entry is within the National Park or its immediate surrounds, every entry has a paw rating of 4.7/5 or higher, we cap the list at ten, and we cover the four most distinct Lakes areas (Keswick / Borrowdale, Ullswater, Windermere, eastern Lakes / Penrith corridor) so the list works for whichever side of the Park your trip is anchored to.

Frequently asked questions

Q01Which Lake District area is most dog-friendly?
Keswick and the Borrowdale valley are the most dog-friendly part of the Lake District by reputation. The town itself welcomes dogs in most cafes, pubs and shops, the bus routes to Borrowdale and Buttermere allow well-behaved dogs, and the fell walks (Cat Bells, Skiddaw, the Borrowdale valley floor) are accessible for a wide range of dog fitness and recall levels.
Q02How much do Lake District hotels charge for dogs?
Typical pet fees range from £10 to £25 per dog per night or per stay. The Kings Arms Temple Sowerby's policy explicitly states a fee may apply but doesn't publish the amount; The Crown Inn Pooley Bridge has been reported at £25 per dog per stay; Manor Inn Galmpton (Devon) at £10 per dog per night is representative of the regional range. Confirm at booking.
Q03Are dogs allowed on Lake District buses and ferries?
Generally yes. Stagecoach Cumbria buses accept well-behaved dogs at the driver's discretion (free of charge). Windermere Lake Cruises accept dogs on the open deck (free) but not in the indoor saloons. Ullswater Steamers and Coniston Launch both accept dogs free of charge. Always check the current operator policy before travelling.
Q04Which hotel is best for a Scotland-to-southern-England stopover?
The Kings Arms Temple Sowerby is our top pick for a Scotland-to-southern-England A66-corridor stopover, with the M6 a five-minute drive away and the most complete in-room pet-amenity set in our Lake District set. The White House Guest House in Clifton works as a quieter alternative.
Q05Is the Lake District good for big dogs?
Yes. The fell terrain suits most active medium-to-large breeds, the walks are generally off-lead-suitable above the valley floor (subject to livestock seasons), and most hotels accept one or two dogs of any size without special arrangement. Properties that specifically welcome large breeds without surcharge include the country-pub-with-rooms options on this list.