The Penn

The Penn is a small, family-run boutique B&B on Church Street in the middle of Windermere, and it is one of the more thoughtfully dog-friendly places to stay in the village. Five of its rooms take dogs, and the welcome that comes with them goes well beyond a bowl by the door: a dog bed, treats, and often a hand-written note addressed to the dog by name. Guests travelling with dogs mention those touches more consistently than anything else about the stay.

Up to two dogs can stay, and assistance dogs stay free of charge. The hosts answer questions quickly before arrival, which dog owners mention alongside the easy keypad check-in, and the rooms themselves carry a 9.2 out of 10 guest score across nearly 900 reviews, with the bathrooms and the decor taking most of the credit.

Church Street is about as convenient as Windermere gets with a dog. The train station is a few minutes on foot, there is a good cluster of dog-friendly pubs and cafes in the village, and the walk down to the lake at Bowness is easy enough if you take the bus back up. There is no restaurant at the property, so the hosts ask guests bringing a dog to book a dog-friendly pub for the evening, which in this village is no hardship.

Two caveats. The five dog rooms sit toward the smaller end of the range, so a room upgrade is generally not available to you if you are travelling with a dog, and a large dog plus luggage will feel the squeeze. Some rooms are close to the front door or the road, and dog owners have found the door slamming and the traffic noise unsettling for a nervous dog overnight. Ask for a quieter room at the same time as you request the dog room.

Best suited to a couple with one or two well-mannered dogs who want a stylish, walkable Windermere base and are happy to eat out. It earns a 4.6 out of 5 paw rating.