Francis Hotel Bath

The Francis Hotel occupies a run of Georgian townhouses on Queen Square, a few minutes' walk from the centre of Bath, and the address is what makes it work for a dog. The square's own gardens sit directly across the road, so the first walk of the morning and the last one at night are a matter of crossing the street rather than planning a route. From there the Circus, the Royal Crescent and the abbey are all within an easy stroll.

Dogs are welcome in any of the hotel's three room types rather than being restricted to a few ground-floor rooms, and bowls and blankets come on request. Dog owners return here regularly, with several describing the Francis as their standing base in Bath. Staff draw consistent praise for being friendly and helpful, and the downstairs bar and tea room are part of the appeal on a wet afternoon.

The fee is the thing to weigh up. At £30 per dog per night on top of a room rate that already runs high for Bath, a long weekend with two dogs adds a serious amount to the bill, and the welcome extras that fee is meant to cover have not always turned up: guests have reported the dog bed and bowl delivered to the wrong room and the advertised treat missing altogether. If the package matters to you, confirm what is included at check-in rather than assuming.

The rooms are the other reservation. A number of guests have found them tired relative to the price, with worn bathrooms and thin towels coming up more than once, and construction noise nearby has disrupted daytime stays. Refurbishment appears to be ongoing, so it is worth asking which rooms have been done.

The Francis suits a dog owner who wants a central, properly walkable Bath base with green space on the doorstep and does not mind paying for it. Anyone counting the pennies, or travelling with a pair of dogs on a longer stay, will feel the pet fee. It earns a 4.2/5 paw rating.