Spanhoe Lodge, Harringworth

Spanhoe Lodge is a country hotel set in open Northamptonshire farmland near Harringworth, and its main draw for dog owners is space. The grounds are big enough that dogs can be walked off the lead, which is close to unheard of at a hotel with a pool and a restaurant attached. Guests travelling with dogs describe it as the rare property where the walk is part of the stay rather than a chore squeezed around it.

Dog-friendly rooms are bookable directly, and the rooms are generously sized, with tea, coffee and fresh milk provided rather than the usual sachets. There is an indoor pool and hot tub, opening from 9am, and breakfast draws consistent praise.

The house rules are stricter than the setting suggests, and they are worth understanding before booking. Dogs are not allowed in the dining room, and the rule for a dog left in a bedroom is that it must be crated. Guests without a crate have ended up leaving dogs in the car over mealtimes and eating out instead, which takes some of the shine off a hotel with its own restaurant. Housekeeping entering a room during breakfast has also been reported as an unwelcome surprise on a short stay, read by the guests as a check that the crate rule was being kept: a reasonable rule, handled in a way that unsettled them.

Elsewhere the picture is mixed but fair. Staff come across as friendly and accommodating and the property is clean, though mattress comfort divides opinion and the restaurant food is priced above what its pub-grub billing leads guests to expect.

At 4.3/5 for pets, Spanhoe Lodge suits owners whose dog is settled in a crate and who are here for the grounds, the pool and the quiet. The pet charge is £20 per stay and is non-refundable; no weight or size limit is published, so confirm that directly if you are travelling with a large dog.