Cumbria and the Lake District are about as dog-friendly as the UK gets, which also means there’s an enormous amount of choice to wade through. Our Cumbria hub page covers what to do once you’ve arrived, and our dog swimming spots guide is worth a look too. For somewhere to stay, we leaned on the official Lake District tourism board’s own dog-friendly accommodation listing, which gives a genuinely useful spread of fees and access rules across the whole county. Here’s what we could confirm.
Chain hotel
ibis Carlisle City Centre
At Botchergate, Carlisle, CA1 (Google Maps, booking platform listing), dogs are welcome at £10 per pet per night, with service animals exempt from the fee. We checked directly for a Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, voco and Mercure anywhere in Cumbria and couldn’t find one — ibis is the only one of the brands we check present in the county at all. Premier Inn is left off by default, as with every AboutDogs guide.
Hotels and inns
The official Lake District tourism board’s own dog-friendly hotels list runs to 90 properties across the county, each with its own access rules, so it’s worth checking directly if your preferred town isn’t below. A representative spread we could confirm fee and access detail for:
The Borrowdale Hotel, Keswick (Google Maps) — £10 per dog per night, up to two dogs, in most rooms plus the lounges and bar.
The George Hotel, Penrith (Google Maps) — £10 per night per dog, 22 of 35 rooms, both bars.
Langdale Chase, Windermere (Google Maps) — £10 per dog per night, most areas except the restaurant, conservatory and bar.
Crown Hotel Wetheral, Carlisle (Google Maps) — £10 per dog per night, includes a bed and treats, bar access, no restaurant.
Crown & Mitre Hotel, Carlisle (Google Maps) — no extra fee, room service available, no bar or restaurant access.
The Inn on the Lake, Glenridding, Ullswater (Google Maps) — £10 per dog per night, up to two dogs, 15 rooms, plus the Orangery and bar.
Newby Bridge Hotel, Ulverston (Google Maps) — £10 a night, bar only, not the restaurant.
Tebay Services Hotel, Orton, near Penrith (Google Maps) — £10 per pet per night, some rooms, no lounge or bar.
Days Inn Kendal Killington Lake, M6 services (Google Maps) — £10 per pet per night, up to three dogs.
Around a quarter of the 90 listed properties don’t publish their pet fee online — Hallmark Hotel Carlisle, Best Western Ambleside Salutation Hotel, Best Western Burnside Hotel in Bowness-on-Windermere and Netherwood Hotel and Spa in Grange-over-Sands are all confirmed dog-friendly but with the fee itself unstated, so worth a call before booking.
Bed and breakfast
Lane Head Farm Country Guest House, Troutbeck, near Keswick (Google Maps, tourism listing) welcomes dogs in bedrooms, the dining room and lounge, with walks straight from the doorstep, and no fee stated. 1 Park Road, Windermere village (Google Maps) charges a £20 surcharge for one dog or £25 for two, and provides a hose and towels for muddy paws.
Camping and caravan parks
Lowther Holiday Park, Eamont Bridge, Penrith
At CA10 2JB (Google Maps, Pitchup listing), dogs are welcome year-round at £4 per dog per night, up to two dogs per pitch, though not in the camping pods.
Skelwith Fold Caravan Park, Ambleside, LA22 0HY, confirms dogs up to three per touring pitch for a small, unpublished charge (call 015394 32277 to confirm) — dogs aren’t allowed in the shop, reception or amenity blocks, and Dangerous Dogs Act breeds aren’t accepted. Park Cliffe Camping & Caravan Estate, near Windermere, allows dogs by prior arrangement in certain static caravans only, for a flat £40 per booking. Whinfell Hall Farm Campsite near Cockermouth is confirmed dog-friendly with no fee stated.
What we couldn’t confirm
Cottages are the weakest category here, as in every county we’ve covered — Pitchup and cottage-booking sites return large numbers of dog-friendly properties, but their search results don’t expose an individual cottage’s name, address or fee, so we’re not listing specifics rather than guess. If a cottage matters to your trip, get the dog policy from the owner directly and in writing before booking.
A new place to sleep can unsettle even a well-travelled dog. Our Cumbria vets guide is worth bookmarking before you go, and we’ve found the calming collars and treats at Calmshops a useful complementary option — always check with your vet first if your dog has any underlying health conditions. Our local dog walks guide is the natural next stop once you’ve booked somewhere to stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a dog-friendly chain hotel in Cumbria?
Yes — ibis Carlisle City Centre takes dogs for £10 per pet per night. We checked directly for Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, voco and Mercure and found no branch of any of them in Cumbria.
What are the best dog-friendly hotels in the Lake District?
The official Lake District tourism board lists 90 dog-friendly hotels across the county. The Borrowdale Hotel in Keswick, The George Hotel in Penrith and Langdale Chase in Windermere all confirm a specific dog fee of around £10 a night.
Can I bring my dog camping in Cumbria?
Yes — Lowther Holiday Park near Penrith confirms dogs at £4 per night, and Skelwith Fold near Ambleside and several other sites also welcome dogs, though not all publish their exact fee online.
Written by Georgiana & Figo.
