The Mug House Inn

The Mug House is a riverside inn on Severnside North in Bewdley, facing the Severn with the Georgian bridge a few doors along, and it is one of those pubs with rooms where the dog is simply part of the furniture. Dog owners rate it consistently highly, and the reasons they give are the same ones every time: the staff, the food, and the fact that nobody blinks at a dog coming through the bar.

Only some rooms take dogs - three of them, named as pet-friendly at the time of booking - and there is a charge of £15 per dog. Book early if you are travelling with one, because the pet-friendly rooms are a small share of a small inn. Pets other than dogs are not charged.

The position does most of the work. The Severn towpath runs from the front door in both directions, Wyre Forest is a short drive for a proper long walk, and Bewdley is dense with pubs and cafes that take dogs, so an afternoon out does not need much planning. The river views from the front rooms are the ones guests mention.

Noise is the recurring caveat, and it comes in two forms. Some of the rooms sit in an older house next to the pub, where footsteps from the room above carry badly. And the front of the inn is on a busy riverside walkway, so there is foot traffic past the windows from early on, along with more light than some would like, since one rear window is uncovered. A dog that barks at passing footsteps will have plenty to work with.

None of that dents a 4.5/5 paw rating. The Mug House suits owners who want good food and a proper riverside pub atmosphere with the dog beside them, and who sleep through a bit of noise.