Lake District Windermere
Squirrel Cottage, Windermere
Independent pet-friendly review by Four Legged Guests · updated August 2026 · paw rating built from 3 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 Windermere / the Lake District and want a pet-friendly anchor for day trips
- The wider guest experience is strong - guests rate this 9.2/10 overall on booking platforms
Worth knowing
- Paw rating is based on 3 reviews - limited sample, treat as directional
- Pet fee and any size restrictions aren't published - confirm directly with the property before booking
How this review was built Evidence, sources, refresh cadence
- Evidence: 3 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 32 guest reviews overall across booking platforms, averaging 9.2/10 - the paw rating reflects only the pet-mentioning subset.
- Last refreshed: August 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-friendly summary
Squirrel Cottage is a small self-catering cottage on a quiet street in the middle of Windermere, within easy walking distance of the town's shops, cafes and restaurants. It is set up well for a short Lake District break with a dog, and the feature that sets it apart from other central options is a genuinely secure, enclosed back yard.
That enclosed yard is what guests travelling with dogs mention first. For anyone who has stayed somewhere central only to find nowhere safe to let a dog out, a private space right by the door makes a real difference, and reviewers with small dogs in particular found it ideal. The cottage is also handed over with a parking permit, which takes the usual town-centre parking headache off the table.
Inside, the picture is consistently good: spotlessly clean, well equipped and comfortable, with two bathrooms that families rate as a bonus and enough room for a group of four plus a small dog. The location does the rest, with shops and places to eat only a short walk away and the wider Lakes an easy drive. The only minor niggle anyone raised was fiddling to get live TV working, with the usual streaming apps available as a fallback.
With three positive reviews from guests who brought dogs, Squirrel Cottage suits dog owners who want a central Windermere base with a safe, enclosed space of their own. It is best for smaller dogs and families of around four, and for anyone who values being able to step straight out into the town. For a comfortable, low-fuss stay with a dog, it is a strong choice.
Highlights from pet-mentioning reviews
What reviewers travelling with dogs consistently noted about staying here.
- Secure enclosed back yard for dogs
- Central Windermere, walk to shops
- Parking permit provided
- Spotlessly clean, well equipped
- Ideal for smaller dogs and families
About this hotel
Squirrel Cottage is a small, spotlessly clean self-catering cottage on a quiet street in central Windermere. With a secure enclosed back yard, two bathrooms and a parking permit provided, it suits families of around four with a small dog who want the town's shops and restaurants a short walk away.
Hotel facts
Photos
Location
1 Hazel Street, Windermere, LA23 1EL
