Devon Lynton
Blue Ball Inn
Independent pet-friendly review by Four Legged Guests · updated October 2026 · paw rating built from 5 verified guest reviews mentioning pets
Bring your dog if
- You want a whole-property rental - no shared lobbies or corridors to navigate with your dog
- You're basing yourself in Lynton / the Devon and want a pet-friendly anchor for day trips
- The wider guest experience is strong - guests rate this 8.9/10 overall on booking platforms
Worth knowing
- Pet fee: £15 per pet per night - research-verified; confirm at booking
- Shared corridors and common areas mean nervous or vocal dogs may find it harder to settle
How this review was built Evidence, sources, refresh cadence
- Evidence: 5 pet-mention guest reviews sourced from major booking platforms - guests who explicitly mentioned travelling with a dog. Each review is screened for pet-relevance, then judged for sentiment to compute the paw rating.
- Not a personal visit. We don't stay at every hotel we cover - we summarise patterns from real guest reviews, paraphrased and never quoted verbatim. Full standard on our editorial policy page.
- Wider context: The property has 1,421 guest reviews overall across booking platforms, averaging 8.9/10 - the paw rating reflects only the pet-mentioning subset.
- Last refreshed: October 2026. Policies and pricing drift; we re-check on a rolling basis. Confirm specifics with the property at the moment you book.
- How the paw rating works: Full detail on the methodology page, including the three verification gates and known limitations.
Pet policy at a glance
- Pet fee: £15 per pet per night
- On-site pet amenities: Dog welcome hamper, dog treats, tennis ball, poo bags
- Call before booking so you are allocated one of the dog friendly rooms.
- Dogs must not be left on their own in the rooms.
- Dogs may join you in every area of the inn except the main restaurant.
- Dog friendly seating can be requested when you book a table.
Pet-friendly summary
The Blue Ball Inn is an old coaching inn at Countisbury, high above Lynmouth on the edge of Exmoor, and it is one of the most dog-centred places to stay on this stretch of the North Devon coast. Guests with dogs love the setting: open hillside and coast path walks start almost from the door, Lynmouth is a short drive or a walk down the coast path, and the views and sunsets are spectacular. It earns a 4.6/5 paw rating.
Dogs are welcome in every part of the inn except the main restaurant, and dog-friendly seating can be requested when you book a table. Selected rooms are set aside for dogs, so call before booking to be allocated one. Dogs get a welcome hamper with treats, a tennis ball and poo bags, and the pet charge is £15 per dog per night. Dogs must not be left alone in the rooms.
The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, and staff are praised for the way they treat dogs as well as their owners. Breakfast and dinner are good and the restaurant is busy, so book a table early.
The building is listed and some rooms show their age, with small windows that make them hard to air, tired bathrooms and occasional lapses in housekeeping. Expect plenty of other dogs around, as the inn leans firmly into its dog-friendly reputation.
For walkers exploring Exmoor and the coast who want a characterful inn where the dog is part of the welcome, the Blue Ball Inn is an excellent choice.
Highlights from pet-mentioning reviews
What reviewers travelling with dogs consistently noted about staying here.
- Coast path and moorland walks nearby
- Dog welcome hamper on arrival
- Dogs allowed everywhere except restaurant
- A £15 charge per dog per night
- Some rooms dated and hard to air
About this hotel
The Blue Ball Inn is a historic coaching inn at Countisbury, on the A39 above Lynmouth at the northern edge of Exmoor National Park in North Devon. It offers traditional rooms, a restaurant serving breakfast and dinner, and a bar, with the South West Coast Path and open moorland walks close by.
Hotel facts
Photos
Location
Countisbury, Lynton, EX35 6NE
