Black Horse Inn, Kirkby Fleetham

The Black Horse Inn is a village gastropub with rooms in Kirkby Fleetham, a quiet North Yorkshire hamlet a few miles from Northallerton, and it is about as easy a dog-friendly stay as this part of the county offers. Dog owners describe staff who are welcoming about dogs rather than merely tolerant of them, and that sets the tone for everything else.

Most of the bedrooms sit in a separate annex away from the pub itself, so a dog is not walking through a busy bar to get to bed, and the rooms feel closer to a small hotel than the usual room-above-a-pub arrangement. At least some come with their own outdoor space, which guests travelling with a dog single out as the thing that made the stay work: somewhere to let the dog out last thing without going anywhere. A pet charge applies, though the amount is not published in the property's booking listings, so it is worth confirming when you book.

Food is the reason most people come. The kitchen holds an AA rosette and guest feedback on it is close to unanimous, with the pub side lively enough in the evening to feel like a proper local while the rooms stay quiet. Interiors are smarter and more designed than the village setting suggests, and the whole operation runs with an attention that shows in small things, with cleaning, bar and reception staff all named in guest write-ups.

The setting is the other draw. Kirkby Fleetham is quiet farming country, with lanes leading out of the village in several directions and almost no traffic, so walks need no planning at all. The Black Horse Inn earns a 4.7/5 paw rating, and it suits dog owners who want a serious dinner and a comfortable room without leaving the dog behind, particularly couples on a short break.