Novotel Southampton Hotel

Novotel Southampton sits beside West Quay on the western edge of the city centre, which makes it a straightforward base if you are travelling with a dog and would rather walk than drive. It is a four-star hotel built around city breaks, cruise departures and business stays, and dogs are specifically listed as welcome rather than tolerated as an exception.

A pet charge applies. No current amount for it is published anywhere we could verify, so settle the exact figure with the hotel when you book. Service animals are welcome and are exempt from the charge. One rule is worth planning around: pets should not be left unattended in the room. That matters more in a city-centre hotel than it does in a cottage, so if you were hoping to head out for dinner without your dog, you will need another plan.

The rooms themselves are a reasonable size, with soundproofing that holds up and blackout curtains that help when you are settling a dog somewhere unfamiliar. Location is the other reason to choose it. The shops and city centre are a couple of minutes away on foot, Southampton Central station is around ten minutes' walk, and the cruise terminals are close enough that plenty of guests use the hotel as a pre-sailing stop. Southampton's Central Parks are a short walk east for a proper leg-stretch.

The main thing to weigh up is the lack of air conditioning, which comes up repeatedly in guest feedback. Rooms can get stuffy in warm weather, and opening a window lets in road noise. A stuffy room is harder on a dog than it is on you, so a summer stay needs more thought here than a spring or autumn one.

Feedback from guests travelling with dogs is still limited, and what there is has been positive. Best suited to owners who want a practical, walkable city-centre base - a night before a cruise, a weekend in town, a stop on the way somewhere - rather than anyone after green space on the doorstep. On that basis it earns a 4.3/5 paw rating.