81 Promenade Studios

81 Promenade Studios puts you on Cheltenham's best address: the Promenade itself, with the town's smartest shops, cafes and gardens outside the front door. The studio format is what makes it work with a dog. You get your own space and a kitchen rather than a hotel room, so there is no corridor-and-lift routine every time the dog needs to go out, and no shared breakfast room to negotiate in the morning.

Dog-specific feedback is short and warm. Families who have stayed with a dog describe a clean, comfortable apartment and rate the location highly. The listing states outright that dogs are allowed, which is less common than it should be among central Cheltenham stays and saves a phone call before booking.

The address works harder for dog owners than it first appears. Montpellier Gardens and Imperial Gardens are two minutes away for a quick loop before bed, and Pittville Park's bigger green spaces are a longer stroll north. Cheltenham's cafe culture is heavily terrace-based, so sitting outside with a dog is straightforward for most of the year.

Two things are worth planning around. The studios are individually fitted out and they vary: some sit on the upper floors up a narrow staircase with no lift, and the occasional guest has found their room less polished than the photographs promised. If stairs are a problem for your dog, or you are carrying a small one, ask which studio you are being given before you commit. Second, no pet fee is published, so confirm any charge and what the property expects on dog size at the same time. Overall guest scores average 8.1 out of 10.

Cheltenham's events calendar also fills the centre. The literature and jazz festivals and the race weeks push rates up and bring crowds, so book well ahead if you are travelling then and expect a busier street outside.

Best suited to couples or small families who want a smart, central Cheltenham base, with a dog that takes a busy town in its stride.