Dog-friendly Breaks in Britain (Alastair Sawday's Special Places to Stay) [Paperback]

I bought this as I'm a regular browser online of the Sawday website, which is an invaluable catalogue of hotels, inns etc of guaranteed great quality. I've previously been really disappointed with other books written to recommend dog-friendly destinations, as they tend to be way off the mark in practice and just don't give enough information as to how dog friendly an establishment is - do they let the dog in the restaurant, can the dog sleep in the room or on the bed, where's the nearest park or open space for safe off-lead walking? - and when the advert for this dropped into my inbox I bought it immediately.
I travel all over the UK with my trusty canine pal, rarely leaving him indoors (he's never kennelled, and he's currently getting the vaccinations for travelling on the continent with us next year), and it's sometimes a real struggle to try and find an inn or self catering cottage that welcomes dogs with open arms (eg. Some places market themselves as being dog friendly but when you read the small print they perhaps don't let the dog indoors at all and provide an outdoor kennel instead or the dog has to be sequestered in the kitchen at all times. Some inns and guest houses won't let dogs into the breakfast room but won't allow the animal to be left alone in the room which means putting him in the car to howl for half an hour while we rush our meal to get back to him. Hardly dog friendly).
The Sawdays book is extremely well researched and brilliantly presented, with easy to use keys and maps and all the information you'd ever need to know in relation to taking the dog away for a short trip or an extended break. Coupled with the high quality of the chosen destinations and places to suit all pockets, I love this guide and am really looking forward to putting it through its paces. It also states at the beginning of the book that none of the hotels, inns etc pay to put themselves in the guide, they'll only get in if they pass some stringent tests, the principal ones being atmosphere and welcome. Top notch.

I heard about the book via an article in The Times. I travel regularly in the UK with my two dogs and have already visited a couple of the dog friendly pubs from the book. The Millbrook Inn near Salcombe was the first(with chef from Britains Best Dish) and our dogs had the choice of warming themselves on the sofa (not allowed to do this at home!) or to paddle in the stream behind the Inn. The second place to visit was a pub/hotel I had always driven past but which looked too good to be true. The Brigands Inn in Powys gave us all a warm welcome. As the book has recently been published you can visit the pubs with confidence that they will not be closed when you arrive from a good long dog walk. The places to stay are varied and inform you of additional extras your dogs will receive as part of their stay. I plan to book somewhere from the book for our next weekend break. A "4 Paws Up" from us for a beautifully crafted dog friendly guide. I plan to buy a few for gifts this Christmas.

I was delighted to see this addition to the Sawday range. The quality and welcome at establishments recommended in their books or on their website rarely disappoint.

This guide is thinner than some of Sawday's others, probably a reflection of a paucity of special places that allow your dog(s) to sleep in the room with you as opposed to leaving them in the car. That's not a privilege allowed at home, I hasten to add, but in strange surroundings dogs can be unsettled if separated from their owners for long. As long as they know they mustn't jump on the bed we're happier to have them with us.

The 6 pages of maps, as always in Sawday guides, are useful in locating establishments in the area you're visiting. Their only shortcoming, in my view, is that while they distinguish between catered and self-catering, they don't indicate whether the entries in the catered category are b&bs, inns, and hotels. It's clear enough on the details page, but I'd prefer to be able to select from a map. And therein lies my second disappointment - so few b&bs are included, again probably a reflection of a dearth of suitable contenders. There are, though, for England and Wales, separate sections for dog-welcoming pubs (in the bar, garden, or a separate room, although not normally in the dining area), and quick indexes of which properties are licensed, wheelchair-accessible, occupied by the owners' pet(s), or take bikes etc.

It's beautifully presented, as always, with some tempting places to stay. All in all, despite my disappointed at the small number of b&bs, it's a lovely guide to have.