The Temperance Inn, Ambleside

The Temperance Inn is a lively pub with rooms in the middle of Ambleside, and it is the kind of place where a dog is simply part of the party. Dogs are welcome in the bar and dining areas as well as the bedrooms, so nobody has to choose between dinner downstairs and keeping the dog company, and guests travelling with dogs regularly say theirs could go everywhere they did.

Dogs cost £15 per pet, per night, with up to two per booking, and the inn asks to be told at booking that one is coming. The Walk Inn break package includes free pet stays, which is worth checking before you book a plain room. There is no published weight or breed restriction.

The staff are the thing dog owners mention first. Guests describe a warm, easy welcome, staff who stop to make a fuss of dogs, and a team that goes out of its way to help, and several say they now look for the same group's inns elsewhere because of it. Breakfast and the beer garden both get warm praise, and the bar has a good range of beers.

Location is the other big draw. Lake Road puts the head of Windermere, the village shops and walks up Loughrigg and Wansfell within reach on foot, which suits a dog-centred walking break. There is no parking on site, though public car parks are a short walk away.

A few things are worth knowing in advance. There is no lift and some rooms are up several flights of stairs, which matters with an older dog. Rooms are on the small side for two people and a dog, and they can hold the heat on warm nights with windows that open only a little and no fan. There is a charge for dogs but no bowl or bed provided, so pack your own. The bar is busy at weekends, though most guests found their rooms quiet once they turned in.

For dog owners who want a sociable, central base for Lake District walks, with a dog welcome in every part of the inn, The Temperance Inn earns a 4.5 out of 5 paw rating.