The UK's Regions and Cities with the Highest (and Lowest) Numbers of Dog-Friendly Hotels (2024)
A new study conducted in the UK has identified the regions and cities with the highest and lowest numbers of dog-friendly hotels in 2024. The study provides insights into the accommodation options available for travelers with dogs in different parts of the country.
Key insights on dog-friendly hotel destinations in the UK
Cambridge
Cambridge ranks as the most dog-friendly city in the UK, with 46.3% of hotels welcoming dogs . Out of the 244 hotels in the city, 113 are listed as pet-friendly on Tripadvisor.
Carlisle
Carlisle stands out at the top of the charts for quality, with an impressive 28.4% of dog-friendly hotels rated at 4 or 5 stars.
Durham
Durham ranks third for dog-friendly hotels, with 19 out of 93 hotels (20.4%) being pet-friendly.
East of England
Leading the pack with the highest overall percentage of dog-friendly hotels at 27.5%.
South West England
South West England secures the second spot in the regional rankings, with 13.2% of its hotels welcoming pets.
Yorkshire and the Humber
Yorkshire and the Humber proudly ranks third with more than 11% of its hotels recognized as pet-friendly.
Ranking of UK Cities Reveals Top Destinations for Dog-Friendly Hotels in 2024
- Cambridge: Cambridge is the top city in the UK for dog-friendly hotels, with 46.31% of its accommodations (113 out of 244 hotels) welcoming dogs.
- Carlisle: Carlisle takes the lead as the top city for 4 and 5-star rated dog-friendly hotels on Tripadvisor. Carlisle also stands out with an impressive 31.90% of its hotels being dog-friendly, offering 37 out of 116 accommodations that welcome pets.
- Durham: Durham boasts a pet-friendly environment, with 20.43% of its hotels welcoming dogs, equating to 19 out of 93 accommodations.
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Swansea: Swansea blends coastal beauty with urban convenience, featuring 19.35% dog-friendly hotels—24 out of 124.
- Gloucester: Gloucester boasts 20.25% of its hotels as dog-friendly, with 16 out of 79 hotels opening their doors to furry guests.
- London: London ranks low in dog-friendly travel accommodations, with just 4.4% of hotels welcoming canine guests.
- Liverpool: Liverpool ranks lowest in dog-friendliness among the cities analyzed, with only 3.0% of its hotels allowing dogs, and just 1.7% of these rated 4+ stars.
- Please click to enlarge the infographic for a visual representation of the top dog-friendly cities in the UK, ranked by the number of hotels in each destination.
- To better understand the ranking methodology and factors that influence it, it is recommended to refer to the detailed section at the bottom of the page.
Top Cities for 4- and 5-Star Dog-Friendly Hotels:
Quality Ranking (based on Tripadvisor reviews)
Rank | Cities | Regions | No. of Hotels | No. of Dog-friendly Hotels | 4/5* Hotel Ratings | % Dog-friendly Hotels | % 4/5* Ratings |
1 | Carlisle | North West England | 116 | 37 | 33 | 31.9% | 28.4% |
2 | Swansea | Wales | 124 | 24 | 19 | 19.4% | 15.3% |
3 | Durham | North West England | 93 | 19 | 14 | 20.4% | 15.1% |
4 | Peterborough | East of England | 106 | 15 | 14 | 14.2% | 13.2% |
5 | Gloucester | South West England | 79 | 16 | 10 | 20.3% | 12.7% |
6 | Dundee | Scotland | 72 | 12 | 9 | 16.7% | 12.5% |
7 | Norwich | East of England | 214 | 27 | 25 | 12.6% | 11.7% |
8 | York | Yorkshire and the Humber | 369 | 50 | 40 | 13.6% | 10.8% |
9 | Portsmouth | South East England | 131 | 15 | 12 | 11.5% | 9.2% |
10 | Exeter | South West England | 88 | 9 | 8 | 10.2% | 9.1% |
11 | Sheffield | Yorkshire and the Humber | 179 | 20 | 15 | 11.2% | 8.4% |
12 | Kingston upon Hull | Yorkshire and the Humber | 86 | 9 | 7 | 10.5% | 8.1% |
13 | Nottingham | East Midlands | 144 | 11 | 10 | 7.6% | 6.9% |
14 | Leeds | Yorkshire and the Humber | 254 | 26 | 17 | 10.2% | 6.7% |
15 | Coventry | West Midlands | 137 | 14 | 9 | 10.2% | 6.6% |
16 | Cambridge | East of England | 244 | 113 | 16 | 46.3% | 6.6% |
17 | Bolton | North West England | 46 | 5 | 3 | 10.9% | 6.5% |
18 | Milton Keynes | South East England | 149 | 14 | 9 | 9.4% | 6.0% |
19 | Glasgow | Scotland | 252 | 19 | 14 | 7.5% | 5.6% |
20 | Bradford | Yorkshire and the Humber | 91 | 10 | 5 | 11.0% | 5.5% |
21 | Oxford | South East England | 230 | 18 | 12 | 7.8% | 5.2% |
22 | Cardiff | Wales | 258 | 13 | 13 | 5.0% | 5.0% |
23 | Bristol | South West England | 210 | 19 | 10 | 9.0% | 4.8% |
24 | Edinburgh | Scotland | 933 | 58 | 44 | 6.2% | 4.7% |
25 | Leicester | East Midlands | 153 | 10 | 7 | 6.5% | 4.6% |
26 | Manchester | North West England | 401 | 24 | 18 | 6.0% | 4.5% |
27 | Middlesbrough | North East England | 46 | 5 | 2 | 10.9% | 4.3% |
28 | Derby | East Midlands | 95 | 14 | 4 | 14.7% | 4.2% |
29 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | 266 | 12 | 11 | 4.5% | 4.1% |
30 | Wolverhampton | West Midlands | 52 | 3 | 2 | 5.8% | 3.8% |
31 | Newcastle upon Tyne | North East England | 199 | 8 | 7 | 4.0% | 3.5% |
32 | Brighton & Hove | South East England | 201 | 22 | 9 | 10.9% | 4.5% |
33 | London | Greater London | 4698 | 208 | 164 | 4.4% | 3.5% |
34 | Birmingham | West Midlands | 403 | 25 | 11 | 6.2% | 2.7% |
35 | Liverpool | North West England | 593 | 18 | 10 | 3.0% | 1.7% |
36 | Plymouth | South West England | 152 | 26 | 2 | 17.1% | 1.3% |
Methodology
Analyzing Top UK Cities: This ranking is based on data from the top 36 cities identified in a YouGov travel poll (Q2 2024).Â
The 36 UK cities analyzed in the study include: Cambridge, Carlisle, Durham, Gloucester, Swansea, Plymouth, Dundee, Derby, Peterborough, York, Norwich, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Bradford, Brighton & Hove, Bolton, Middlesbrough, Hull, Leeds, Exeter, Coventry, Milton Keynes, Bristol, Oxford, Nottingham, Glasgow, Leicester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Cardiff, Belfast, London, Newcastle, and Liverpool.
Assessing Dog-Friendly Hotels: Using Tripadvisor, we evaluated each city for the percentage of hotels that welcome dogs, providing insights into availability and quality.
Ranking Based on Availability & Quality: Cities were ranked not only by the number of dog-friendly accommodations but also by the quality of those options.
Data Sources & References:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotels
https://yougov.co.uk/ratings/travel/popularity/cities/all
https://www.statista.com/statistics/515379/dogs-population-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
The data on the page is up-to-date and accurate as it was collected in August 2024.