The Kings Arms, Cartmel

The Kings Arms sits directly on the square in Cartmel, which is close to the ideal position for a dog-friendly stay in the southern Lake District. The village is small enough that everything is a minute or two on foot, the priory and the racecourse are on the doorstep, and the footpaths out into the Cartmel valley start more or less from the front door. You can arrive, park up and not move the car again.

The booking listing publishes no pet fee and no written rules for the rooms, so confirm what applies when you book. Downstairs is more clear-cut: dogs are welcome in the pub itself, and in practice they are a normal part of the trade here rather than an exception. Guests travelling with dogs consistently describe the welcome as warm rather than grudging, and the staff are quick to suggest walks and other places in the area that take dogs, which is the sort of local knowledge you only get from a village pub.

Atmosphere is what the place trades on. It is an old inn with a fire, a proper bar and a kitchen that guests rate highly, particularly the roasts and the puddings, and the management draws a lot of praise by name in reviews. Rooms are comfortable and individually named, and the four-poster room over the square is the one people mention.

Two things are worth planning around. The pub shuts on Mondays and Tuesdays, so if you were counting on eating in with the dog rather than driving somewhere, check the days before you book. And the building is showing its age: guests who love the location and the staff still note that the rooms are due a refresh, and breakfast draws mixed comment where the evening food does not. This is a village pub with rooms, not a smart hotel, and it is priced and rated accordingly.

Best suited to walkers and couples who want a dog-friendly base in the middle of a Lake District village, value a good bar and good local advice over a polished room, and are happy to eat elsewhere on a Monday. It earns a 4.6/5 paw rating.