South Place Hotel in London, LEVEN in Manchester, Captain’s Club Hotel & Spa in Dorset and Oxwich Bay Hotel on the Gower Peninsula are among nine places to stay and visit voted Britain’s favourite dog-friendly venues by the public in the first UK Pet Industry Awards.
The regional winners range from city-centre hotels to farm holidays, a holiday park and a self-catering cottage, giving dog owners a ready-made shortlist for breaks across England, Scotland and Wales. Winners were decided entirely by public vote, following eligibility and animal welfare screening.
The 2026 regional winners are:
- London: South Place Hotel
- South East England: Tulleys Farm, West Sussex
- South West England: Captain’s Club Hotel & Spa, Christchurch, Dorset
- East of England: The Grantchester Green Man, Cambridgeshire
- West Midlands: Rowley Farm Holidays, Worcestershire
- North West England: LEVEN, Manchester
- North East England: Between a Rock and a Calm Place, Northumberland
- Scotland: Pease Bay Holiday Park, Scottish Borders
- Wales: Oxwich Bay Hotel, Gower Peninsula
The results reflect how far travelling with a dog now shapes holiday choices. Research by Direct Line Pet Insurance and Aviva found that 62% of UK cat and dog owners take their pets on holiday and 40% choose pet-friendly accommodation when they do, while a Booking.com-commissioned survey found that 29% of UK dog owners pick destinations based on how dog-friendly they are.
Operators have seen the same trend in bookings. Haven has reported a 15% increase in demand for pet-friendly breaks, specialist provider Paws & Stay a 125% rise in bookings since 2023, and Hoseasons a 30% increase in pet-friendly summer holiday bookings in 2025 compared with 2024. Research from the University of Surrey puts the global dog-friendly travel market at around £40 billion by 2030.
What owners look for is becoming more specific: 77% of respondents to a Canine Cottages survey said an enclosed garden was very important when booking dog-friendly accommodation. For hotels and holiday lets, that points beyond simply allowing dogs towards practical amenities, suitable facilities and a comfortable stay for four-legged guests.
The Pet Industry Awards were established in Dubai in 2021 by British founders to raise standards, champion animal welfare and recognise excellence across the pet sector. The inaugural UK edition attracted more than 200 finalists across national and regional categories, with the full list of national and regional winners published on the awards’ website.
Publisher of Hospitality and Leisure News, 365 Retail, Retail Source and organiser of the Creative Retail Awards.
