Ascot House, York

Ascot House is a Victorian guest house on East Parade in York, about fifteen minutes on foot from the city centre, and it is one of the easier city stays to bring a dog to. Dogs are welcomed rather than tolerated, there is a park immediately next door for toilet breaks, and the house has a resident dog of its own, so the place is dog-accustomed from the front door in.

The house does not charge a pet fee. No dog limit or weight restriction is published, so confirm those with the owners directly. Guests travelling with dogs return to the same three points: the park next door, the warmth of the owner, and a made-to-order breakfast that starts the day properly. The rooms run to four-poster beds and good bathroom fittings, which is more character than a city guest house at this price usually offers.

York is a genuinely good city to walk a dog in, and the location is what makes this work. The centre is a quarter of an hour away on foot, with a large number of bars and restaurants along the route that take dogs, and the park next door covers the first and last walks of the day without a drive. It keeps set opening hours rather than being accessible around the clock, which is worth knowing if your dog is an early riser.

The one practical catch is the stairs. Top-floor rooms are reached by a final flight that is steep and narrow, awkward with a large or elderly dog, and guests who have made that climb suggest asking for a lower floor at the time of booking. Anyone with a small dog is unlikely to notice it.

Best suited to couples and solo travellers with dogs who want a characterful, walkable York base rather than a chain hotel, and who are happy to ask for the right room when they book.