Orange Grove Hotel & Gardens, Fareham

Orange Grove Hotel & Gardens sets aside actual pet-friendly rooms rather than making a dog fit into whatever is spare, and owners notice the difference straight away. Three room types are designated for pets, including the basement studios that come up again and again in reviews from dog owners: large rooms with big windows, their own facilities for self-catering, and enough floor space that neither dog nor owner feels shut in. One couple has now stayed four times in the same pet room.

The grounds are the other reason this works. There is a proper stretch of green to walk a dog on before breakfast without leaving the site, and guests consistently describe the setting as one of the things that made travelling with a pet easy rather than a logistical problem. Parking is straightforward, staff are repeatedly described as friendly and attentive, and the kitchen gets good marks at both breakfast and lunch, with a discount for guests eating in.

Where it falls short is upkeep. Parts of the building are dated, and the specifics guests raise are real: broken window sashes, patchy wifi that did not reach one room at all, and dust under a bed that a dog found before its owner did. The bath with a shower over it has been described as narrow and slippery, with no grab rail, which is worth knowing if you are planning to wash a sandy dog in it.

None of that touches the pet welcome, which is the strongest thing here, but it does mean this is a comfortable and genuinely dog-friendly stay rather than a polished one. No pet fee or dog limit has been published, so confirm both when you book. It suits owners who would rather have space and grounds than new fittings, and it earns a 4.5/5 paw rating.