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Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Northumberland, United Kingdom
Photo: Derek Hall
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The Alnwick and Bamburgh coast, Hadrian's Wall, Kielder, Newcastle and County Durham

Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Northumberland

United Kingdom

20 dog-friendly luxury hotels.

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Where can my dog actually go?

Northumberland is one of the easiest places in Britain to take a dog. The coast from Alnmouth up to Bamburgh is long, sandy and open to dogs all year, English Heritage lets dogs into Dunstanburgh, Warkworth, Lindisfarne Priory and the forts on Hadrian's Wall, and almost every hotel takes a dog in a room. Twenty hotels on our list take dogs, from Alnwick and the coast to Hadrian's Wall, Kielder, Newcastle and across the border into County Durham.

What separates them is where the dog eats. The pattern here is dogs in the bar or a lounge and a dog-free main restaurant, so the hotels that break it are the ones to book. Headlam Hall, near Darlington in County Durham, lets dogs dine with you in the Brasserie, the lounge and bar, and at breakfast, lunch or dinner in the Library Bar, and charges nothing for them. Bailiffgate in Alnwick keeps selected tables for dogs in the Motte & Bailey restaurant as well as the Garden Room and the Commissioner's Bar. Battlesteads at Wark has dogs in the bar and the restaurant, and The Whittling House in Alnmouth has a dog section of the restaurant you choose when you book a table.

Then the no. Doxford Hall has dogs in the Lounge Bar and Morning Room but not the George Runciman Restaurant. Langley Castle keeps them to the Drawing Room. Lumley Castle takes dogs in the bedroom, reception and the outer courtyard only, with no lounges, bars or dining room. Grey Street in Newcastle has dogs in the lobby and on the terrace but not the bar or restaurant, and Seaham Hall keeps them out of the restaurant and the spa. Seaham Hall takes dogs only in its Coastal Lodges, by prior arrangement.

Fees run from nothing at Headlam Hall and GBP 12 a room at The Holly Bush Inn, through GBP 15 a night at Lumley Castle and The Whittling House and GBP 20 per dog per night at Doxford Hall and Grey Street, to GBP 30 per dog per night at Langley Castle. Bailiffgate charges GBP 30 the first night and GBP 25 after. For a big dog, Doxford Hall takes one larger dog per ground-floor room, and it's one of the few that lets you leave the dog in the room while you eat. Langley Castle doesn't take large dogs at all. Beadnell Towers takes up to three dogs a room for GBP 30 per dog per stay.

Two things catch people out. Alnwick Castle is assistance dogs only, so plan a walk on the Pastures below it instead. And Holy Island is cut off by the tide twice a day, so check the council's safe crossing times for your date before you drive over the causeway.

Daisy's picks

Where Daisy would book

  1. 01
    Headlam Hall

    Dogs dine with you in the Brasserie, the Main Hall lounge and bar, and at breakfast, lunch or dinner in the Library Bar, with an off-lead village green at the end of the drive. No dog charge at all. Two dogs in the Mews rooms, one smaller dog elsewhere, and it's in County Durham near Darlington.

    Free · max Unknown kg

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  2. 02
    Bailiffgate Hotel

    Selected dog tables in the Motte & Bailey restaurant, plus the Garden Room and the Commissioner's Bar, courtyard rooms and a welcome box with bed and bowls. The Pastures below Alnwick Castle are minutes from the door. GBP 30 the first night then GBP 25, up to two dogs, never left alone in the room.

    GBP 30 · max Unknown kg

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  3. 03
    Battlesteads

    Dogs are welcome in the bar and the restaurant, and the ground-floor dog rooms have level access to both. Mention the dog when you book a table. The fee and the size and number of dogs aren't published, so ask when you book.

    Unknown · max Unknown kg

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Before you go

What happens when you get there

Dogs at dinner
Most hotels here have dogs in the bar or a lounge and not the main restaurant, so always ask for a table in the dog area when you book. Headlam Hall, Bailiffgate, Battlesteads and The Whittling House seat dogs in the restaurant. Beadnell Towers, Lord Crewe Arms and The Holly Bush Inn have dogs in bars that serve food. The Tempus at Charlton Hall has dogs in the bar and orangery until 7pm.
Beaches
The county's seasonal beach bans cover exactly two marked sections, one at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and one at Blyth, from 1 May to 30 September. Bamburgh, Seahouses, Beadnell, Embleton, Craster, Alnmouth and Druridge Bay aren't named. Part of Beadnell Bay asks for dogs on a lead or at heel in the bird breeding season, near the tern colony.
Holy Island
The causeway floods twice a day and the safe crossing windows shift daily, so check Northumberland County Council's crossing times for your date. Never cross on a rising tide. Dogs are fine in the Lindisfarne Castle grounds on a short lead but only assistance dogs go inside, and Lindisfarne Priory takes dogs.
Castles and gardens
Alnwick Castle is assistance dogs only. The Alnwick Garden holds Dog Days on Thursdays and Sundays, dogs on leads and two per person, with The Bakery and The Potting Shed open to dogs every day. Bamburgh Castle takes dogs in the grounds but not the Staterooms or museum. Dunstanburgh, Warkworth, Housesteads, Chesters and Corbridge are all dog friendly with English Heritage.
Leaving the dog
Most hotels here ask you not to leave the dog alone. Doxford Hall lets it stay in the room while you dine, just not for long stretches or while you're off site. Headlam Hall allows it if your dog is calm alone, and The Tempus asks for a crate or the cottage kitchen. Bailiffgate, Lumley Castle and The Whittling House say never.
Hadrian's Wall
English Heritage asks for leads in fields with livestock, which is most of the Hadrian's Wall Path in spring. Matfen Hall, Langley Castle, Battlesteads and The County Hotel in Hexham are the bases for the Wall and the North Tyne.
Getting there
Most people drive up the A1. LNER stops at Durham, Newcastle, Alnmouth and Berwick and carries up to two dogs free, on a lead and off the seats. From Ireland dogs can't fly in the cabin into the UK, so it's the car ferry to Holyhead or Cairnryan and a long drive. We haven't confirmed the dog rules on Newcastle's Metro, so check with Nexus first.
Vets
Vets Now Gateshead, inside the PDSA Pet Hospital on Stoneygate Lane (0191 312 1665), covers out of hours from 6pm to 8.30am on weekdays, from noon on Saturday and all day Sunday. We haven't confirmed a named vet in north Northumberland, but Bailiffgate gives guests a card of local vets.
Best walks
The Pastures below Alnwick Castle by the Lion Bridge. St Aidan's beach from Seahouses north to Bamburgh Castle, Beadnell Bay, and Alnmouth beach with the Aln estuary path from the end of the village. The coast path from Craster to Dunstanburgh Castle, and Druridge Bay further south. Inland, Hareshaw Linn waterfall at Bellingham, Kielder Water's lakeside trails, Allen Banks and Staward Gorge near Langley, Blanchland Moor and Derwent Reservoir. In County Durham, the village green at Headlam, the River Wear below Lumley Castle and a mile of off-lead beach north of Seaham harbour wall. In Newcastle, the Quayside under the Tyne bridges.
When to go
Winter is peak dog season for these hotels. The beaches are empty and the fires are lit, and heat is never the issue. Kielder and the Wall are exposed in bad weather, so pack properly. Spring means livestock and leads on the Hadrian's Wall Path and the bird breeding season at Beadnell Bay. From 1 May to 30 September the only beach bans are the two marked sections at Newbiggin and Blyth, so summer on the Bamburgh to Alnmouth stretch is wide open.

Dog-friendly hotels in Northumberland

Questions we get asked

Dogs in Northumberland

Is Northumberland dog friendly?+

Very. Twenty hotels on our list take dogs, the coast from Alnmouth to Bamburgh is open to dogs all year, and most English Heritage castles and Roman sites let dogs in. The thing to check is the restaurant, because most hotels keep dogs to the bar or a lounge.

Which Northumberland hotels let dogs in the restaurant?+

Headlam Hall in County Durham lets dogs into the Brasserie and the Library Bar for any meal. Bailiffgate in Alnwick has selected dog tables in the Motte & Bailey restaurant, Battlesteads at Wark has dogs in the restaurant, and The Whittling House in Alnmouth has a dog section you book with your table. Doxford Hall, Langley Castle, Lumley Castle and Grey Street keep dogs out of the main restaurant.

How much do Northumberland hotels charge for dogs?+

Nothing at Headlam Hall. GBP 12 a room per night at The Holly Bush Inn, GBP 15 a night at Lumley Castle and The Whittling House, GBP 20 per dog per night at Doxford Hall and Grey Street, and GBP 30 per dog per night at Langley Castle. Bailiffgate is GBP 30 the first night and GBP 25 after. Beadnell Towers, The Tempus and Wildhive Eshott Hall charge GBP 30 per dog per stay.

Where should I stay in Northumberland with a big dog?+

Doxford Hall takes one larger dog in its ground-floor rooms and lets it stay in the room while you dine. Headlam Hall's Mews rooms take two dogs, while its other rooms take one smaller dog. Avoid Langley Castle, which doesn't take large dogs.

Which Northumberland hotels take more than two dogs?+

Beadnell Towers takes up to three dogs in its ground-floor rooms, at GBP 30 per dog per stay, in a beach village with the bar open to dogs. Most others cap at two.

Are dogs allowed on Northumberland beaches?+

Yes, almost all of them, all year. The county's summer ban covers just two marked sections, at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and Blyth, from 1 May to 30 September. Part of Beadnell Bay asks for leads in the bird breeding season.

Can I take my dog to Alnwick Castle?+

No, Alnwick Castle is assistance dogs only. The Alnwick Garden takes dogs on leads on Thursdays and Sundays, and the Pastures below the castle are the place to walk. Bailiffgate, opposite the castle, is the dog-friendly base in town.

Can I take my dog to Holy Island?+

Yes. Dogs can walk the Lindisfarne Castle grounds on a short lead and visit Lindisfarne Priory, but only assistance dogs go inside the castle. Check the council's safe crossing times for the causeway before you set off.

Where can I stay in Newcastle with a dog?+

Grey Street Hotel has dogs in the lobby and on the terrace, with a bed, bowls and a treat, for GBP 20 per dog per night. The Crowne Plaza by the station and INNSiDE on the river publish no weight limit. Malmaison on the Quayside takes dogs in the room, and the fee isn't published.

Research updated 2026-09-27. Policies change, always confirm with the hotel.