The Good Hotel Guide 2018 celebrates 424 of Great Britain and Ireland’s best hotels. Selected by a team of experienced inspectors and reports from trusted readers, the guide recognises our ‘most revered independent properties, from refined gastropubs to plush country house hotels’, say co-editors Adam Raphael and M. Astella Saw.

The Good Hotel Guide 2018 has even picked out 10 of Great Britain and Ireland’s most dog-friendly hotels, where your precious pooch will be treated like a VIP…

1 The Wentworth Aldeburgh, Suffolk We understand that your four-legged friend is part of the family,’ say the owners of this welcoming Victorian hotel on the Suffolk coast, who charge a modest £2 per dog-night. A reader’s pooch this year loved the shingle beach opposite (open to dogs from October through April), as well as the canine-friendly beaches nearby and miles of trails to sniff out.Wentworth Road, Aldeburgh IP15 5BD; wentworth-aldeburgh.com

2 The Traddock Austwick, Yorkshire Dales The Yorkshire Dales and its peaks, rivers and hamlets have walks aplenty for active dogs, and this family-run hotel in its own gardens is the place to let tuckered pooches stretch out afterwards. Towels, scoop bags and washing facilities are provided; for a fee of £5 per dog, clean, well-behaved mutts are ‘very much part of the ambience’, the owners assure, in bedrooms and on a lead in the public rooms.Austwick, Settle LA2 8BY; thetraddock.co.uk

3 The Master Builder’sBeaulieu, Hampshire Call room service: Sir would like the pork sausages with gravy and sprinkles; Madam will have a rump steak. Dogs are so welcome at this New Forest hotel on the Beaulieu river that they have their own menu, bed, bowl and treats in nine dog-friendly bedrooms. The restaurant is out of bounds, but there will be everywhere else, no end of bounding.Bucklers Hard, Beaulieu SO42 7XB; hillbrookehotels.co.uk

4 Overwater Hall Ireby, Cumbria Well-mannered dogs stay free and are ‘genuinely welcome’ at this 19th-century house amid large gardens and extensive grounds incorporating a woodland boardwalk. Beyond, there are the lakes and fells of the northern Lake District to explore. Canines are allowed in one bar and lounge; meals can be brought to the bedroom for guests wishing to eat with their pet. Dog-sitting services can be arranged.Ireby, Wigton CA7 1HH; overwaterhall.co.uk

5 The Arundell Arms Lifton, Devon With Dartmoor almost on the doorstep, this fishing hotel is an ideal base for Rover. Friendly staff fuss over well-behaved dogs, who are allowed everywhere except in the restaurant and on the riverbank. The £15 nightly charge includes a bed, a bowl, waste bags and a welcome chew – perhaps even a sausage at breakfast. The hotel has plenty of pet-friendly places of interest nearby.1 Fore Street, Lifton PL16 0AA; arundellarms.com

6 MullionCove Hotel Mullion Cove, Cornwall The dog-friendly lounge is the social hub of this traditional family hotel overlooking harbour and fishing cove. Canine guests stay free in the off season; in peak months pay £9 a night. Descend to the small, sandy beach: at low tide, a chink in the harbour rock leads to Porth Pyg, along the cove. Another day, walk (and scamper) the Coastal Path to Lizard Point, stopping at a pub along the way.Mullion Cove, Lizard Peninsula TR12 7EP; mullion-cove.co.uk

7 Prince Hall Two Bridges, Dartmoor Fido has his fill of treats at this 18th-century manor on Dartmoor, from the pooch-friendly snacks at reception to the all-natural chews in the bedroom. Owners have a bucket, sponge and towels for mucky pups; scoop bags and a bin; access to refrigerated food storage; a torch for night time dog-walking. One or two dogs stay free; three or more are charged £15 each.Two Bridges, Dartmoor PL20 6SW; princehall.co.uk

8 Coul House Contin, Ross-shire A Guide inspectors cockerpoo vouches for the friendliness at Stuart and Susannah Macpherson’s Georgian house in the Highlands ‘the lovely people made a tremendous fuss’. Dogs are allowed in some bedrooms and all public rooms except the restaurant, at a charge of £7.50 a night. The wide outdoors sets tails wagging in the large ground and on surrounding forest trails.Contin, Ross-shire, Scotland IV14 9ES; coulhousehotel.com

9 Trigony House Thornhill, Dumfries A gourmet box of treats always new arrivals to this 18th century sporting lodge in gently rolling Dumfriesshire countryside. Beds, bowls, towels, walk maps and dog-sitters are available as well. A delicious bonus: the free breakfast sausage – or vegan alternative, if doggy dietary restrictions are made known in advance. Rest assured that resident retriever Roxy keeps an eye on proceedings.Closeburn, Thornhill, Scotland DG3 5EZ; trigonyhotel.co.uk

10  The Falcondale Lampeter, Ceredigion Chicken and gravy with a garden view are on the menu at this Italianate villa in wooded acres within west Wales – dogs can join their owner in the conservatory at mealtimes. A £10-a-night charge includes snacks and the use of a blanket and water bowl; upgrade to a ‘doggy box’ (£20) containing a rope toy, a chewy ear, more treats and a blanket for keeps. Veterinary help is forthcoming in case of collie wobbles.Falcondale Drive, Lampeter, Wales SA48 7RX; thefalcondale.co.uk

Extract taken from The Good Hotel Guide 2018, which is on sale now priced £16 from goodhotelguide.com or £20 from all good bookshops