Britain is known as a nation of dog lovers and a recent survey by Best Western Hotels GB has uncovered how deep that love runs.  With a quarter of UK households owning the estimated 9 million dogs in the UK, many dog owners admitted to taking their dog everywhere with them from the cinema to the dentist.   In the survey of more than 1800 dog lovers, more than a quarter take their dog regularly to the pub and one in ten brings their pet pooch to the supermarket with them, even if they are not allowed to.

Over half of the respondents said they plan their holidays around their four legged friend with one in seven opting to stay in a dog friendly hotel.  Being chastised for having a dog is one of the great fears of most dog owners when on holiday with 40% saying that they avoid pubs and over 30% avoiding hotels because they felt their dog wouldn't be welcome.

To combat this worry, Best Western Hotels GB has created a dog friendly guide to Great Britain featuring some of the brand's best pet friendly hotels from its portfolio of 270 hotels, of which over 100 are perfect for pooches and pals.

Researched by independent dog writer Rachael Sharpe and her faithful companion Poppy the rescue pup, the dynamic duo searched the length and breadth of the UK, from Scotland to the Isle of Wight sniffing out the perfect place to eat, sleep, walk and drink with humans and hounds in mind.

The Best Western 'Dog-Lover's Guide to Pet Friendly Hotels' includes:

BEST WESTERN Mayfield House Hotel, Malmesbury, Wiltshire

This former veterinary apothecary honours its animal-centric history and Freddie the resident Labrador welcomes fellow four legged friends and humans alike. The dog friendly rooms are in the cottage and courtyard, just a stone's throw away the main hotel which is close to Cotswold Water Park where dogs can get up close and personal with penguins and play on the dog friendly beach.

BEST WESTERN Lee Wood Hotel, Buxton, Derbyshire

BEST WESTERN Lee Wood Hotel is an imposing Georgian home with mature gardens a short walk from the spa town of Buxton which boasts a private dining room for guests staying with their dog and excellent nearby walks to local highlights such as Solomon's Temple.

BEST WESTERN Philipburn Country House hotel, Selkirkshire, Scotland

A grand country pile with plenty of woodland for dogs to run around in, a trio of Labradors welcome guests and the dog friendly lodges have incredible views and their own gardens.  The food is exceptional and guests can dine with their dog in the popular bar.

For more information or to download the guide, visit www.bestwestern.co.uk/hotels/petfriendlyhotels.asp 

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For more information please contact Amy Skelding, Tryphena Greenwood, Steele Paulich and Lauren Mayle at bestwestern@brightergroup.com or phone 020 7326 9880.

The survey was carried out by an independent third party who surveyed a cross-section of 1845 UK dog owners.

About Best Western Hotels GB

The Best Western Hotels GB logo is instantly recognisable; with a blue crown motif sitting proudly on 275 properties across Great Britain.

From humble beginnings in 1946 when MK Guertin took his family on a journey across America and was inspired to create a co-operative of hotels, Best Western Hotel is now the largest collection of independently owned and managed hotels globally.

The look and feel of every Best Western hotel is totally different; each has its own character and story to tell. From a spirit historian to whiskey and porridge for breakfast in the Lake District to hotels with vineyards and chocolatiers. For further details on the brand and the properties visit www.bestwestern.co.uk.

For hotel owners, Best Western offers a broad range of operational support, including sales, marketing and distribution, with online, mobile and social media booking capabilities. The award-winning Best Western Rewards® guest loyalty program also has 15 million members.

To speak to one of the award-winning reservations team call 08457 73 73 73.