Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Channel Islands

Before you go

What happens when you get there

Paperwork from the UK

None for either island. Jersey says a pet from the UK needs no pet passport or other documentation, and Guernsey asks for no documentation, vaccination or pre-notification from the UK (excluding Northern Ireland), just a microchip on any dog over 8 weeks old. One narrow exception in Jersey: XL Bully, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Pit Bull Terrier types need an import licence, and those are only issued to resident dogs coming home. That affects owners of those five types and nobody else.

Ferries to Jersey

DFDS lists Poole to Jersey (about 4 hours 30), Portsmouth to Jersey (about 9 hours) and St Malo to Jersey (about 1 hour 55). It says pets are welcome on the Poole and Portsmouth routes, with a charge per pet each way and advance booking, and it describes a pet lounge and pet cabins on the Portsmouth ship. The fee, and whether the dog can stay in the car, are not confirmed here, so get both from DFDS before you book. The States of Jersey says that since 1 January 2026 DFDS has limited space for pets travelling with foot passengers between St Malo and Jersey.

Ferries to Guernsey

The Guernsey service is booked on the Condor Ferries site, which lists Guernsey from Poole, Portsmouth, Jersey and St Malo. Dogs stay in the car with the windows slightly open and water, or in a pet cabin on Condor Islander and Commodore Clipper (two pets at most), and must be muzzled between the car deck, the cabin and the outside deck. They aren't allowed in the passenger lounges, lobbies or restaurants, and a foot passenger's dog travels in an RSPCA-standard cage in a pet area on the car deck. Published fees are nothing for a pet in a vehicle between the UK and the islands, GBP 11 each way with a foot passenger and GBP 20 each way to or from France in a vehicle only, so confirm them when you book.

Flying

Loganair carries pets in the hold only, at GBP 50 one way, with puppies at least 12 weeks old, and lists Jersey as a destination but not Guernsey. At Jersey Airport the dog stays in its travel crate inside the terminal and wears a muzzle through security screening. Blue Islands suspended trading on 14 November 2025 and cancelled all flights. Aurigny's pet rules are not confirmed here, so ask the airline directly before you plan around it.

Coming from France

A dog needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination (for Jersey at least 21 days before travel), tapeworm treatment (for Jersey 1 to 5 days before arrival) and a pet passport or Animal Health Certificate, and Guernsey also wants 24 hours' pre-notification. It has to arrive on an approved carrier: Jersey's list names DFDS from St Malo and Condor Ferries from St Malo and Cherbourg into St Helier, and Guernsey's names Brittany Ferries and Channel Seaways into St Peter Port Harbour. Jersey does not let pets in on a private boat or private aircraft. Manche Iles Express, the fast ferry from Granville, Carteret and Diélette, does not take pets at all.

Jersey beaches

The rule covers every beach on the island and it is a lead rule, not a ban. From 1 May to 30 September dogs must be on a lead between 10.30am and 6pm. Before 10.30am and after 6pm in summer, and at any time from 1 October to 30 April, dogs can run free. Pick up after your dog, as the fine runs up to GBP 500.

Guernsey beaches

Guernsey's rule is a full ban, all day, on eight named beaches only. From 1 May to 30 September dogs are not allowed on Fermain, Petit Bot, L'Erée, the northern end of Vazon (from the drainage pipe near Richmond Kiosk), Cobo, Port Soif, L'Ancresse and Pembroke. Every other Guernsey beach is unaffected by the seasonal ban. All year, dogs aren't allowed on Lihou Island or its causeway or around the bathing pools, and Richmond beach has a voluntary winter ban from 1 October to 30 April to protect wading birds.

Sark, Herm and Alderney

With a dog, Sark is reached through Guernsey on Isle of Sark Shipping, about 40 minutes, with the dog on a lead or in a carrier, at the captain's discretion, and you need to be able to carry it on and off. Sark has no cars: a tractor bus runs up Harbour Hill with a woodland footpath alongside. Herm says dogs on leads are welcome on the short crossing from Guernsey, which makes it a good day trip, though no Herm hotel is on our list. Alderney's tourism office says Aurigny takes dogs and that they travel free on the inter-island boat, but neither operator's own rules are confirmed here, so ask both before you book Braye Beach Hotel.

Best walks

On Jersey, the flat seafront promenade from St Helier round St Aubin's Bay towards St Aubin, the sand at St Brelade's Bay with Ouaisné and Portelet Common at its eastern end, the Railway Walk from St Aubin to Corbière, the long open sands of St Ouen's Bay and the lanes of St Peter's Valley. On Guernsey, the cliff path from La Vallette in St Peter Port to Fermain Bay and on towards Jerbourg Point, Cambridge Park above the town, and the southern end of Vazon Bay, which stays open to dogs all year. On Sark, the wooded path down Dixcart Valley to Dixcart Bay and the walk across the island to La Coupée, the narrow ridge over to Little Sark. On Alderney, Platte Saline, Clonque Bay and Cat's Bay, which are open to dogs all year. On Herm, Bear's Beach and Moissonniere Beach, the two that take dogs in summer.

When to go

October to April is when the beaches open up. From 1 October to 30 April dogs can run free on every Jersey beach at any hour, Guernsey's eight summer-ban beaches are open again and so is every beach on Herm, and Alderney's Braye, Saye, Arch Bay and Corblets are open outside 1 June to 15 September. The honest warnings for the cooler months: Isle of Sark Shipping runs a reduced winter timetable, and Richmond beach in Guernsey has a voluntary winter ban for wading birds. May to September still works on Jersey, where the rule is only a lead between 10.30am and 6pm, and on most of Guernsey's coast, where the ban touches eight named beaches. Two hotels are better outside summer if the beach is the point: the sand in front of Braye Beach Hotel is closed to dogs from 1 June to 15 September, and Fermain beach below Fermain Valley from 1 May to 30 September.