Cleeve Hill Hotel

Cleeve Hill Hotel is a small, friendly bed and breakfast perched on Cleeve Hill above Cheltenham, with sweeping views over the Cotswold escarpment, and it welcomes dogs free of charge. For owners who want a walking base on the doorstep of Cleeve Common, one of the finest stretches of open access land in the Cotswolds, the location is hard to beat, and dogs of any size are welcome.

It is worth understanding how the dog welcome works here before you book, because it comes with a few specific conditions. Only some of the bedrooms take dogs, so it is essential to say you are bringing a dog when you reserve rather than assuming any room will do. Dogs bring their own bedding and food, are not allowed on the furniture or beds, and, importantly, are asked not to be in the breakfast room during breakfast. There is no separate space set aside to eat with your dog, which some guests travelling with dogs have found limiting, so it is best to plan how you will manage breakfast in advance.

Experiences with dogs here have been mixed. Several guests have had a lovely, relaxing stay and found their dog made welcome, praising the breakfast, the clean and comfortable rooms and those stunning views. Others have run into friction when the room and dining arrangements did not match what they expected from the dog-friendly billing, which has occasionally soured an otherwise scenic stay.

On balance, this is a place that suits dog owners who book the right room, communicate clearly with the hosts in advance and are happy to work around the breakfast arrangement, in exchange for an outstanding walking location and good value. With that in mind it earns a 3.7/5 paw rating, held back less by the setting than by how the dog policy plays out in practice.