[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hi again Dog Pals & your Humans,
Hum took me to Manchester recently and we stayed at the dog friendly Travelodge Manchester Ancoats. @TravelodgeUK
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Now some folks say that Travelodge Hotels are good in they accept dogs but they don’t see them as really dog friendly. Well let me dispute that with The Travelodge Manchester Ancoats!

When we arrived, the staff were waiting for me to visit – ‘Oh this is the little dog’ they said! ‘We have so been looking forward to meeting you!’
I got lots of cuddles and a bowl of water and nothing was too much trouble.
Hum and I particularly want to thank the manager Julian and reception staff Shona and Tracey.

Julian has only been there a short time but he is making that particular Travelodge special. He is SO welcoming and makes you feel as though you are the most important person (or dog) in the hotel. He is genuinely interested in all his guests and makes a point of meeting and greeting each and every one of them! He has added flowers to the reception desk which is lovely and helps you with any enquiry.

Dogs are not allowed in the restaurant at Travelodge Hotels but I was allowed to sit in the little bar area so Hum could enjoy drinkies and chats with her son Jack who she was visiting and this was where Tracey came in to play. She was also super friendly and looked after us both exceptionally well!

Shona was also special as she made sure we were put into a nice quiet room with not too much through-traffic to disturb me; told us how to get to different places and was all round super helpful and kind!.

The rooms are pretty much standard in Travelodge Hotels – not luxurious but comfortable and mostly of a similar format. Hum likes the practicality of the rooms – always a power point near a desk/dressing table and a big mirror with good lighting for her to do her hair and make-up stuff.

The beds are big and very comfortable; the pillows good and tea and coffee making facilities are provided.
Hum has more issues with the bathrooms in Travelodge Hotels (this applies to all of them – not just Ancoats). She can understand there being no face flannel or luxurious toiletries in a budget hotel but why oh why is there no bath mat? The floor gets so wet!

Travelodge Hotels also don’t provide anything for dogs so you need to bring your own kit. I always bring my blankie anyway and Hum has a bag for me with treats and travel bowls so we was just fine.

We slept very well at Travelodge Manchester Ancoats. Shona offered to look after me and Hum got me some breakfast from the buffet to sample. The sausages have definitely improved since the last time we stayed in a Travelodge!

In the morning we found a nice walk by the canal close to the hotel where I could get of lead to play and explore. There are a few green areas nearby – just ask the friendly reception staff!

This Hotel is ideally situated just at the edge of the Northern Quarter in Manchester which is packed full of dog friendly bars and cafes which I will tell you about in a separate article.

Until then, if you are staying in Manchester, I can highly recommend Travelodge Manchester Ancoats – we will certainly return. Great location but most importantly, fantastic staff. If you do take your Humans there, please say ‘Hi’ to my new friends.

Zuki xx[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5727″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hello again dog pals,

Hum & Glenn took me to stay at the dog friendly Hart’s Hotel in Nottingham on Friday 26^th January @HartsNottingham .

They were attending something called a Burn’s Night Supper where apparently a human reads a poem out to a Haggis and then all the other humans eat the haggis and have a party. Humans are a funny sort indeed!

Anyway, it meant I got to stay at the lovely Hart’s Hotel overnight so I was a happy little dog. I has stayed at Hart’s before so it was good to see if it was as good as the last visit.

Well I can tell you my friends – it was as good as last time and even a little better as there was now somewhere I could have breakfast with my Hum and Glenn!

You will get a great welcome at Hart’s Hotel. All the staff make a huge fuss of us four-legs and I got lots of cuddles from Kelly on reception.

We had one of the Garden Rooms – there are 6 of these and they all open onto your own little patio and an enclosed garden which overlooks The Park (posh bit of Nottingham apparently). The garden is lovely and when we arrived the weather was good so I got to explore and play ball. I was the only dog staying I think so I had the whole garden to myself!!!

Hum rated the room extremely highly – beautifully decorated; power points and light by a desk for hair & make-up; full length mirror; good quality toiletries including soap and a face flannel provided; super fluffy pillows but best of all for her proper coffee with a cafetiere and fresh milk in the fridge!

I was disappointed that nothing was provided for me at Hart’s Hotel. I think it would be a nice idea if they provided a bed and bowls (could even support local suppliers) and some home-made biscuits from Hambleton Bakery might be something they could start producing……just an idea…..would make it extra special….

Anyway the room was very comfy and Hum had brought my Rovernighter bed and my blankie so it was fine.

I wasn’t allowed to go to the Burn’s Night Supper but Kelly said she would check I was OK and as Hum had given me the big grown up task of looking after the room, I took my responsibility seriously and was a very good girl indeed.

When Glenn & Hum got back, they had brought me some delicious steak from the dinner (I didn’t fancy the haggis) and I was allowed to go and sit in the foyer with the comfy sofas by the fire which was lovely.

This was also where we were served our breakfast. We could have had it as room service in the room but it was too wet to sit on our patio so the lovely staff brought it to the foyer so I could enjoy it too. I must say the food is super good at Hart’s Hotel!

You get exceptionally cooked scrambled eggs; locally sourced bacon & sausage and the bread is from Hambleton Bakery @HambletonBakery.

So how do I rate Hart’s Hotel this time? Well it was better than last time as although dogs are not allowed into the bar or restaurant, we can sit and have a meal or refreshments with our humans in the foyer.

However – I do think some nice goodies provided for dogs in the room would be very welcome and make it a 5 star place to stay!

Zuki x[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”5686″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hi dog pals,

I hope you had a good Christmas! We spent ours at 10 Ballaghmore Cottages, Portballintrae, Northern Ireland. The lovely Patrick, who owns the cottage let me stay there although up to now dogs were not allowed but I think since I have been and showed him how good us four-legs can be Number 10 Ballaghmore Cottages will now be dog friendly!

We chose 10 Ballaghmore Cottages as it is literally across the road from where Hum’s Mum lives (Gran Gran) and ‘cos there were 5 of us (including me) we couldn’t all fit into Gran Gran’s house easily.

Now Hum was brought up in Portballintrae, but for those of you who don’t know the area, Portballintrae is a small sea-side fishing village on the North Coast of Co. Antrim.

10 Ballaghmore Cottages is a mere 5 minute walk to the harbour and wonderful dog friendly beaches with sand dunes to run down and miles of beach to explore! Portballintrae is also just a mile from Bushmills (famous for its whiskey – humans can have a tour and taste) and a couple of miles (or 1 mile across the beach) from the famous Giant’s Causeway (another dog friendly place to explore). Other places to visit are Dunluce Castle; Portrush (old fashioned sea-side town with amusements for little people to enjoy), Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and the Glens of Antrim.

Hum was very impressed with 10 Ballaghmore Cottages. The cottage is in a small group of cottages with views over the fields as it is right on the edge of Portballintrae.

The cottage is upside down to make the most of the views so bedrooms and bathrooms are downstairs and there is a lovely lounge/kitchen/dining area upstairs. As it was Christmas, Patrick had even put up a Christmas Tree for us!!! Most thoughtful!!!

The whole cottage is tastefully decorated – lots of sea-side pictures and ornaments (as Portballintrae is a sea-side village). Hum was very pleased as it reminded her a bit of her caravan.

Downstairs there were 2 double bedrooms, one with en-suite bathroom (which Hum & Glenn nabbed straight away), a family bathroom and a small room with bunk beds. Now Ben Ben ended up in there but as he is the tallest, it was a bit unfair – I don’t know how he managed to fit into the little bunk bed!!!! This room would be more suited to young children methinks but Ben Ben managed fine – I think he just folded himself up somehow….

Upstairs was a very well equipped kitchen – hum was most pleased to see lots of cooking equipment and a cafetiere for her beloved morning coffee. There was a dishwasher; microwave; excellent cooker with full-size oven; lots of pots and pans, glasses and crockery; cooking utensils and an additional utility room with laundry facilities! Perfect for a family holiday!

The lounge had plenty of space for everyone to sit and there was a TV; games consoles; DVD player and lots of books, games and DVDs to enjoy! The 2 boys were extremely happy! And there was a lovely fireplace for us to hang our stockings and for Santa to come down the chimney!

All the floors were either wooden or tiled so it was super good for four-legged folk to be on and also be kept nice and clean.

We did have some problems initially with the heating – firstly Hum couldn’t get it to work (but Patrick helped her out even on Christmas morning!) and then the boiler was churning out black smoke which was filling a neighbour’s house! Even so, Patrick was really quick to send out people to fix it on Boxing Day which Hum found most impressive!

The only other complaint Hum had was the towels. There were towels provided but they were a random lot of mismatched items and Hum just felt that given the quality of everything else, some lovely fluffy towels and bathsheets would make the experience properly luxurious….

Apart from that, everything was super duper good and Hum reckons we can definitely stay there again – a lovely cosy, welcoming, charming dog friendly holiday cottage by the sea-side! What more could a little dog ask for!

Zuki

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hello dog friends,

On our way to N. Ireland for Christmas, we stopped for the night at the dog friendly Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel. This unique hotel is only about a half hour drive from the port of Cairnryan where we was to catch the ferry to N. Ireland the next day so it was a perfect place to break the long journey (we had travelled up from Nottinghamshire – a LONG way for a little dog like me!).

Still, the journey was worth it when we got to the Lighthouse! As we drove out of Stranraer and along the loch, it got wilder and wilder as if we were in the middle of nowhere. A bumpy drive down a twisty lane led to the Lighthouse and boy oh boy did that please Hum! She was squealing with delight at the views of the rugged coastline, the crashing waves, the setting sun and the lighthouse itself. She sounded like Craig Revel-Horwood on a good day with lots of cries of ‘A-Maz-Ing’ and ‘Fab-U-Lous’ but at least she was happy!

So Hum was in her element with the location, Glenn was in awe of it all – coming from India and then Australia, he had never been anywhere like it and I, well I just wanted to get out of the car and run free in the wind and have fun!

Corsewall Lighthouse is a unique place to stay. It is still a working lighthouse and you can see the beams of light at night but the hotel is in the main lighthouse building and other small buildings surrounding it.

We got a great welcome at reception from Pamela (who owns the hotel along with her mother). In fact Pamela gave me the biggest lot of fussing and said she wanted to take me home with her ‘cos I is so cute.

Pamela showed us all the places I could and couldn’t go as a dog and there were plenty of places where I was welcome including a lovely little lounge and the conservatory. Dogs are not allowed in the restaurant so I couldn’t go for dinner with Glenn & Hum but Pamela did say they could set up a table in the lounge as they had done that before and Hum said that would be great for breakfast.

We had the Lighthouse Suite (a 2 minute walk from the lighthouse ) which was a little house really, with 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, dining area, and comfy lounge in the conservatory which overlooked the lighthouse in one direction and the coastline in the other and from where Hum got her fix of sunset views! She took lots of photos and said how spectacular it was and who needed a sunset villa in the Maldives (her dream location apparently) when you had your very own sunset house here in Scotland.

Two of the Suites at Corsewall Lighthouse are dog friendly and of similar size and both with large conservatories but Hum reckoned ours had the best views!

There is nothing provided for dogs so you need to bring your own bed, blanket, bowls, toys etc. but there is lots of space and comfy sofas and such-like and you are allowed to stay in your little house when the humans go for dinner.

For the humans, the Lighthouse Suite was well equipped with tea & coffee facilities, Scottish Shortbread, toiletries in the bathroom, a great shower, fluffy bath robes and all round comfort. Hum & Glenn settled in famously saying it was most homely and they ensconced themselves in the conservatory to watch the ships go by.

After a trip to the lounge in the hotel part for refreshments, it was back to our house for Hum & Glenn to enjoy the sunset view and for me to enjoy the comfy sofa. A real home from home we all agreed!

There were a few improvements Hum said could be made such as having power points closer to mirrors and having a dressing table for doing hair & make-up (both sadly lacking). Hum did manage to sit on the bed and dry her hair using the big wardrobe mirrors but it was not ideal for her. And in the morning Hum did a lot of muttering as there was not much room for her TONS of make up in the bathroom and the mirror in the bathroom misted up so she took ages to get sorted!

The other thing Hum noted was that the kitchen is big but only equipped with tea & coffee making facilities – even though there was an oven and a hob, you couldn’t actually cook anything as there were no pots and pans….At this point Hum started redesigning the whole suite in her mind to make it more user friendly and give it a super luxury feel rather than just homely. She said with a bit of tweaking it could be a super duper honeymoon venue (she seems to have weddings on the brain these days ever since she and Glenn got engaged).

Corsewall Lighthouse to me however is just a lovely welcoming place to stay and genuinely friendly and comfortable so Hum should leave it alone I think!

The food is excellent at the Lighthouse with lots of locally sourced ingredients. Hum and Glenn brought me a ‘doggy bag’ from their dinner and it was delicious – especially the rack of lamb – I had all the bones! Hum said they had a 5 course meal and both of them were properly stuffed but happy when they returned to our little house.

I got to sample breakfast as they had set up a nice table in the lounge for us all and I must say it was a difficult choice between the full breakfast or the locally smoked kippers. In the end I had a bit of everything and it was extremely good!

SO – overall verdict:

Amazing location and unique. Great views. Isolated but Hum and Glenn loved that and it was a joy to be somewhere so peaceful (they both said). Food really, really good and local sourcing a real plus. Rooms a bit dated and more homely than luxurious but very comfortable. Everyone extremely friendly and accommodating to me as a dog. Would I recommend? Absolutely!

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hello all dog pals and your Humans,

It is with great pleasure that I can announce the 2017 Have Dog Can Travel Dog Friendly Hotel of the Year ‘PAWARD’ had been presented to Trigony House, Dumfriesshire, Scotland! @Trigonyhotel

Hum & I visited Trigony back in 2015 and we returned in December on our way back from celebrating Christmas in Northern Ireland.

I can honestly say that Trigony has retained all its charm and amazing qualities and fully deserves the first of my PAWARDS to be given out!

So dear dog pals, what makes it so special? At Trigony:

• All 4-legged visitors get a great welcome and are made to feel like VIP guests


• There is a welcome letter waiting in the room with a box/tin of goodies including homemade Trigony biscuits and a lovely letter/map telling where to go for walkies


• Beds, bowls, shampoo and even food are available


• There is a dog wash station in the grounds and….


• A box of towels in the entrance


• There is a waste bin in the grounds complete with spare poo bags


• There are more places in the hotel where dogs are allowed than where they are restricted, including…..


• A lovely lounge/sitting room with a roaring fire and comfy seats


• The bar area – again with cosy fire and where we can sit and have a meal with our humans


• Water is always provided freely


• At breakfast all dog guests are offered a locally sourced sausage


• There are fabulous grounds to explore and woods nearby for longer walks


• Even the Christmas decorations feature dogs!

Adam who owns Trigony House believes if you are going to do something then you should do it wholeheartedly and this means Trigony really goes above and beyond most dog friendly venues to make dogs feel completely at home.

You can add to this list that although all rooms are lovely at Trigony, if you are lucky enough to book into the Garden Room, you have your own conservatory and enclosed private garden to enjoy!

Finally, we mustn’t forget the human-folk. They also get a luxurious and comfortable stay at Trigony House. Rooms are beautifully decorated; the pillows are fabulous; toiletries luxurious; there is proper coffee and real milk provided in the bedrooms; home-made shortbread on offer; free WiFi and a newly opened mini Spa.

The food is exceptional – locally sourced, perfectly cooked, with lots of home-made produce such as bread and biscuits and the bar is well stocked with a fantastic range of local whiskey and gin!

All in all, this is a very deserving place for Have Dog Can Travel’s first PAWARD for Dog Friendly Hotel of the Year 2017. It could be a hard one to beat but do submit nominations for 2018 and I will check them out in the coming months.

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hi dog pals,

On Sunday Hum & I set off to Stourport Manor Hotel in Worcestershire. Stourport Manor is a Hallmark Hotel and we have many of them on the Listings on our website as they are a Dog Friendly Hotel Group. @HallmarkHotels

In fact on 26^th August 2016 Hallmark Hotels launched the Pawfect Package which offers Dogs a personalised card and Welcome Pack in their (owners’) room on arrival. The package comes complete with Dog Treats, Paw Mat and Dog Bowl in the room, a large bottle of still water, a towel and a map recommending hotel grounds/nearby parkland to explore whilst they stretch their legs.

So, we headed off to Stourport Manor to check out how good this all was!

First impressions were very good my dog friends. We got a fantastically friendly welcome from Lee in reception who wanted to take me home with him and there was a jar of yummy biscuits on the reception desk!

As Lee’s colleague had turned up to take over from him, Lee was free to show us all the places I could go including a lovely lounge with comfy chairs/sofas and the bar area. They even set up tables in the lounge/bar area in a bay window overlooking the garden for dog owners to enjoy meals and the humans can order from either the bar or restaurant menus.

Lee showed us around the grounds too! There are 23 acres of grounds to explore including a big field for playing ball; a tennis court and foot golf for human-folk and they even have their own bee-hives at Stourport Manor and you can buy the honey! We also noted two large dog waste bins in the grounds so that gives Stourport Manor a BIG plus point indeed!

DO PLEASE scroll through all the photos at the top of this write-up to see all the hotel and grounds offers!

Stourport Manor also hosts weddings (dog friendly of course) and there is a lovely bandstand for ceremonies as well as a big function room and in the gardens a tree with little hearts acknowledging the newlyweds – Hum thought that was very romantic!

After a good look round, we went to our room. Our room was not one of the newly refurbished rooms which disappointed Hum but it was perfectly fine – a good size; ground floor; near exits for me to go walkies.

As hoped for, we found my Welcome Pack in the room – a welcome letter with my name on it; map of where to go for walks and on a mat in the bathroom, a water bowl and a food bowl which was full of biscuits and treats! Missing from the package was the bottle of water but more importantly the towel (with 23 acres of grounds to explore, a towel is needed after for muddy paws…).

Back to the room and for Hum and your Humans there was a big bed, plenty of hanging space, a view towards the tennis court, a dressing table/desk with lots of power points and a huge mirror, tea and coffee making facilities, and lots of comfy seating. The TV also impressed Hum as it was huge and on a swivel bracket so she could sit on the sofa and watch Strictly in the evening.

Although she found toiletries in the bathroom including bar of soap, Hum thought the bathroom quite dated and there was a lack of towel rail by the wash basin and no face flannel.

After a trip to the bar so Hum & I could get refreshment, we went to explore the grounds and then for a walk on Hartlebury Common – an area of heathland and woods more or less opposite Stourport Manor that Lee had pointed out to us.

Back in the hotel and Hum made a few phone calls, I started my notes for my Blog and then Hum enjoyed a bubbly bath before getting ready for dinner.

Jack the barman organised our table in the bay window in the lounge – all properly set with white tablecloth etc. and with the Restaurant Menu to choose from.

Hum started with Garlic Bread but then made a great choice and ordered the Steak Frites which we shared (or rather I had lots of steak and she had lots of salad and fries with some steak)…Chef certainly knows how to cook a steak! It was perfectly medium rare, juicy and full of flavour. Simply delicious! Hum commented also about the lovely dressing on her salad and I can tell you dog pals there was no need for a doggy bag as we wiped the plate clean! 🙂

Back to the room and Hum watched Strictly on her big swively TV and I had a nap. Hum found the room a bit cold and rang reception who came immediately with a fan heater for her! Great service!

I slept very well at Stourport Manor but Hum said the pillows could have been a lot better – only 1 out of 4 met her standards of fluffy pillowness 🙁

However she was happier after a cup of coffee and a shower which she deemed surprisingly powerful.

Out for ablutions before breakfast – Hum was pleased the big bins were available! Well done on that Stourport Manor.

Breakfast was a buffet in the restaurant and lots of people made a fuss of me including Georgina (who also serves at the bar) – she made sure I was OK while Hum got our food. Buffet food very good indeed – delicious scrambled eggs and bacon and Hum enjoyed the quality coffee a lot!

After breakfast and another game of ball in the grounds, it was sadly time to pack and leave.

So what do we think of Stourport Manor overall? Well Hum felt it very much surpassed expectation and was unbelievably good value for money (dinner bed & breakfast on a Sunday night is priced at around £90). She would like to see the bathroom updated and have better pillows provided.

As for me, I certainly had a great time but those towels are a real necessity especially in winter!

So whilst I think Stourport Manor is an excellent dog friendly place to take your humans and you really should try it out (the staff are amazing); on a practical level, there is still a little room for improvement so I award it a really strong 4 paw prints and a high recommendation.

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hi Dog Pals & your Humans,

Today Mr. Postman delivered a special parcel addressed to ME!!! It was sent to me special delivery from Barc London @barc_london.

Barc London produces high-quality luxury dog accessories ranging from leads and collars to harnesses and they had sent me a gift to try and review for all my dog pals.

Well I was very excited and most curious to see what was inside my special parcel and my dear dog pals I was not disappointed! Inside was a lovely note and a beautiful new Barc London pink collar!

Now I do not know how they knew but my current collar is getting a bit shabby so this was perfect timing!

And how classy is the Barc London collar!

Barc London pride themselves on creating on-trend, high quality products. They produce time-less designs so us pooches can be treated to the same air of luxury our humans incorporate into their everyday style. Or in my case the collar will enable me to be the more stylish than Hum could ever hope to be 😉

My collar is a beautiful, subtle shade of pale pink, crafted in soft leather, embossed with the Barc London branding and with high quality rose gold fasteners.

Hum took my old scruffy collar off and put my stunning new collar on. Oh my dog friends – it is the most soft, comfortable collar I have had in my short life-time! Hum wanted to take it off to do more photos but I was having none of it – this is my new favourite collar and it is staying round my neck!

So dog pals, please do encourage your Humans to take a look at Barc London’s products and give them a try. You won’t be disappointed. Now if only I can manage to get Hum to buy me the matching lead I will be proper on-trend and the most stylish dog in town 🙂

A super high five Paw Prints for Barc London! https://barclondon.com

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hi dog pals,

On Sunday 24^th Sept we set off to Hambleton Hall @Hambleton_Hall in Rutland which is the smallest county in England. Hambleton Hall is listed on our website and Hum chose it as the place to take Glenn for his 60^th birthday as it is dog friendly so I could enjoy the event too 🙂

Hambleton Hall is one of Britain’s finest country house hotels and is in a spectacular setting overlooking the beautiful and impressive Rutland Water.

When we arrived, we got a fantastic welcome from all the staff including Katie who recognised us from when we visited The Whipper-In in Oakham, Rutland as she used to work there.I got a BIG hug from Katie and Ellie and Dean, who is the Housekeeping Manager told me he would put some treats in the room for me! Thanks Dean!

We had arrived early so the room wasn’t quite ready. This however gave us time to go for a lovely walk along the side of Rutland Water. Rutland Water is HUGE with a 23 mile walk round it. We didn’t do that distance but we enjoyed the scenery and watched people sailing and of course Hum was super happy as she does love being near water.

We also explored the beautiful and extensive gardens of Hambleton Hall which have lots of space for us doggie-folk to run around and play.

Back at the hotel, we had tea and yummy home-made biscuits and then went to see our room. Well dog pals, our room was lovely and Dean had left me not just a tin of biscuits, a lovely bowl and a towel for muddy paws – most thoughtful. I think I am a bit in love with Dean now 🙂

As ever, Hum had managed to bring my blankie that matched the stunning décor – clever Hum 🙂

We were in Bay room and Hum was super happy as it had a wonderful view of the garden and Rutland Water and Hum really enjoys a good view from her hotel windows!

There was a lovely note to welcome us all and to wish Glenn a Happy Birthday! That was a nice touch.

Hum checked out the room facilities for your human-folk and there were many, many good points indeed. Huge bed with the softest pillows ever she said. Lots of power points and several near mirrors, in fact lots of mirrors also which is always good for Hum. The wardrobe was enormous with a high quality range of hangers. In the bathroom there were even more mirrors and they were non-misting which Hum & Glenn really liked. The toiletries were high quality and plentiful with 2 bars of soap and Hum got her beloved face flannel as well as lots of fluffy towels and a super fluffy robe.

There were only a couple of things that Hum found lacking – firstly there was no hand towel rail next to the wash basin and secondly there were no tea and coffee making facilities in the room. Now we know how grumpy Hum is if she doesn’t get her caffeine fix first thing in the morning so later she asked Graeme, the manager about this and he said he thought it was because some of the rooms wouldn’t be big enough. Hum embarrassingly told him that the wardrobe was so big you could easily fit tea making stuff in there and it could be on a little sliding tray so it wouldn’t be in the way…Graeme said he would mention that to the owners but for our stay we could order coffee to the room at any time and it would be brought freshly ground and made so it would taste perfect. I am sure much better than sachets in the room Hum!

At Hambleton Hall there is only one place where us four-legs can sit with our owners and that is on the chairs and sofa in the entrance. The staff had kindly reserved this space for us to wish Glenn a Happy Birthday so I could be part of it. Katie and Ellie brought out his cake and sang Happy Birthday along with Hum and I helped him blow out his candles and it was lovely.

Later however was not so lovely for me. Because dogs are only allowed in the entrance area and not the bar, lounge or restaurant, I was left at Reception while Glenn & Hum went to dinner. I tried to chew through my lead and go and find them but didn’t quite manage it 😦

Hum and Glenn however saved the day as they not only enjoyed an excellent dinner – they raved about the food – BUT they brought me a little doggy bag of grouse, beef and cheese. Boy was that good.

For your humans, Hambleton Hall is renowned for its award-winning restaurant run by Michelin-star chef Aaron Patterson. As much as possible they use a small network of local suppliers, a lot of the herbs and vegetables are grown at Hambleton and they have their own bakery so the bread is delicious. The cooking is excellent and everything is top quality. Hum said the cheese trolley was to die for! And indeed they both were impressed with every course and the service and attention to detail was perfect.

Back in the room after dinner and Hum was again most impressed. When the staff had come in to turn down the bed, they had removed my little blankie and put a lovely big blanket on the end of the bed for me. They had also refreshed the towels in the bathroom which Hum thought was excellent as she had dropped one in her bubbly bath earlier!

Sleep-wise, unfortunately the room was extremely hot. Even with the fan blowing it was so hot we all found it difficult to get a really good night’s sleep in spite of the fact that the bed and for the humans, the pillows were extremely comfy.

In the morning a newspaper arrived at the door and Tony arrived with freshly brewed coffee for Hum so she perked up and was a happy Hum again 🙂

I went for my morning walkie before breakfast and we did notice there were no dog bins in the grounds so Glenn mentioned this to reception as it would be a good addition to provide a discreet bin somewhere…

For breakfast Lilly and Tony sorted Hum and Glenn a table just inside the lounge and said as the lounge was empty, I could join them. Once again the food was delicious and chef even brought me a sausage cooked especially for me 🙂

After breakfast a quick game of ball on the croquet lawn it was sadly time to say our goodbyes.

So is Hambleton Hall dog friendly? I would say it is. Everyone made me feel welcome and loved and made a huge fuss of me. BUT it would be nice to have a couple of tables in the bar or lounge where we could sit and have meals with our humans. And those dog bins should be provided.

Is Hambleton Hall a great place for events and humans to stay – I would say by Hum and Glenn’s reaction to everything absolutely a HUGE yes 🙂 Glenn has not stopped telling everyone what a super, wonderful 60th birthday he enjoyed at Hambleton Hall.

Does Hambleton Hall make you feel special – indeed it does – very special – so show this to your humans please and get them to take you there 🙂 You and your humans will feel relaxed, pampered and have a wonderful time.

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hi my doggie friends,

The lovely Kristy from Sainsbury’s Bank Money Matters Blog (www.sainsburysbank.co.uk/unitedkingdomofcatsanddogs) sent me this information to share with you Humans and I am pleased to say there are more people who prefer us dogs than those who prefer cats in the UK 🙂

 

Pet Ownership

• 19% of UK households have a dog.


• 19% of UK households have a cat.


• 8% of UK households have both a cat and a dog.


• Newcastle is the city with the highest level of dog ownership in the UK – 41% of households have a dog.


• Brighton is the city with the lowest level of dog ownership in the UK – 14% of households have a dog.


• Norwich has the highest level of cat ownership in the UK – 44% of households have a cat.

Attitudes to Pets

• Nationwide, 46% of people prefer dogs compared to 30% who like cats better


• Belfast has the highest proportion of dog lovers in the UK; 63% of people there prefer them.


• Brighton and Norwich have the joint highest percentage of people who prefer cats – 40%.

Pets and health

• 88% of dog owners say that they feel happier and have a better quality of life because of their pets


• 85% of cat owners say that they feel happier and have a better quality of life because of their cats


• 29% of people said that their pet helped them overcome loneliness.


• 28% of people said that their pet helped them improve their overall fitness.


• 24% of people said that their pet helped them combat depression.


• 18% of people say that their pets have made them more sociable by helping them meet more people.


• 6% of people say that their pet helped them to cope better with a disability.

Most Popular Dog Breeds (excluding crossbreeds)

Nationwide

Cocker Spaniel (5.8%)

Labrador (4.8%)

Labrador Retriever (4.5%)

Cockapoo (3.8%)

English Springer Spaniel (3.2%)

Scotland

Cocker Spaniel (7.4%)

Labrador (5.8%)

Labrador Retriever (4.8%)

Cockapoo (3.7%)

Pug (3.5%)

Eastern

Labrador (5.8%)

Cocker Spaniel (5.3%)

Labrador Retriever (5.3%)

Cockapoo (3.6%)

Staffordshire Bull Terrier (3.3%)

West Midlands

Cocker Spaniel (6.1%)

Labrador Retriever (4.3%)

Cockapoo (4.0%)

Pug (3.9%)

Labrador (3.5%)

South West

Cocker Spaniel (5.7%)
Labrador Retriever (5%)
Labrador (4.8%)
English Springer Spaniel (4%)
Jack Russell Terrier (3.4%)

 

North West

Cocker Spaniel (6%)
Pug (4.3%)
Cockapoo (4.2%)
Labrador (4.1%)
Staffordshire Bull Terrier (3.5%)

Yorkshire

Cocker Spaniel (6%)
Labrador (5%)
Cockapoo (5%)
Labrador Retriever (3.7%)
English Springer Spaniel (3.2%)

South East

Cocker Spaniel (5.7%)
Labrador (5.4%)
Labrador Retriever (4.8%)
Cockapoo (3.7%)
English Springer Spaniel (3.7%)

London

Cocker Spaniel (4.3%)
Staffordshire Bull Terrier (4.2%)
French Bulldog (3.9%)
Cockapoo (3.8%)
Jack Russell Terrier (3.2%)

Note – trend towards smaller dogs compared to other regions

Northern Ireland

Cocker Spaniel (6%)
Pug (6%)
Miniature Schnauzer (5.2%)
Border Collie (4.7%)
Staffordshire Bull Terrier 3.9%)

Wales

Cocker Spaniel (5.5%)
Pug (3.9%)
Labrador (3.9%)
Jack Russell Terrier (3.7%)
Border Collie (3.3%)

East Midlands

Labrador Retriever (5.1%)
Cocker Spaniel (5.0%)
Cockapoo (4.3%)
Labrador (4%)
English Springer Spaniel (3.5%)

North East

Labrador (6.6%)
Cocker Spaniel (6.5%)
Pug (4.8%)
Jack Russell Terrier (4.4%)
Labrador Retriever (4.1%)

Note – own the lowest % of crossbreeds in the whole of the UK.

Hope you and your Humans found this interesting! Are you one of the most popular breeds in your region?

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[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Hi again dog pals,

Last weekend, I stayed at Congham Hall Hotel & Spa, @Congham_Hall in Norfolk. Now Congham Hall doesn’t want to get listed on my website as a Dog Friendly Hotel but rather they say they host dogs who come there with their owners.

Not sure what the difference is my dog friends as they seemed pretty dog friendly to me!

When we went into reception, I got a great welcome and there were 4 little doggy doorstops, one which looked surprisingly like me!

Hum & Glenn Glenn were staying with me to celebrate yet another anniversary – this time the first day they spent together! I mean how many anniversaries are these two going to have!

I didn’t mind though as Congham Hall turned out to be a rather super place to stay for both human-folk and us four legs.

We were shown around by the exceptionally friendly staff and told all the places where I was allowed of which there were several – the library; the bar; our room of course and all the grounds.

Our room overlooked one of the gardens and had French Windows opening onto our own little patio.

Waiting for me just inside the door was a bowl and some yummy treats. Hum was super happy to see a HUGE bed with 6 pillows! She was delighted to find a coffee maker and fresh milk in the fridge – a real plus for her!

Other plus points for Hum was a dressing table with not just one but 3 power points and a big sofa to sit on and watch the ginormous TV.

I checked out the bathroom for her and things got even better for Hum when she found 2 bars of soap; face flannels; a super big rainshower; a lovely big bath and lots of other lovely toiletries.

We explored the grounds and found a lovely herb garden and also a big lawn where I could play ball.

There is one thing I do need to warn you of dog pals. Congham Hall has a spa for the humans and humans seem to love these places. However, I was not at all impressed with this spa place as Hum & Glenn Glenn lefted me in the room to go to it ‘cos dogs is not allowed in the spa L

They seemed really happy when they came back however so it must be a good place for the humans in your life.

After they had their spa fix they got ready for dinner. We had dinner in the library and it was lovely as we were the only people in there.

The food was excellent and of course this time I got to share not just Hum’s food but Glenn Glenn’s as well! I can highly recommend the slowed cooked beef and the chicken dish! And then Hum ordered cheese and there was the yummiest cheese ever called Stinking Bishop!

We all slept well in our lovely room except Hum didn’t find the fan so the room was quite hot.

In the morning I had a play and then we went to breakfast. Again I got to sample lots of food and so had a combination of sausage; smoked haddock and egg! Again delicious. And Glenn Glenn’s full English had lots of local produce including the thickest, tastiest bacon ever!

So dog pals I can highly recommend Congham Hall to you except for the spa but Hum says she can recommend that to your humans.

Taking a half paw print off as Congham Hall doesn’t want to promote itself as a dog friendly hotel and I do think they should. You would love taking your Humans there dog pals.

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