Dog-friendly hotels in Poole and Sandbanks: fees compared
Poole hotel dog fees run from £10 a night at The Antelope to £25 at Hotel du Vin, The Canford and both Travelodges. Haven Hotel takes dogs on Sandbanks.
Facts checked against official sources on 1 November 2026. How we research
Dog fees and rules at Poole and Sandbanks hotels
Each fee and rule below is from the hotel's own website, or for The Antelope its group's, read on 27 October 2026. The last column pairs each hotel with the nearest stretch on BCP Council's list of beaches open to dogs all year, matched by location rather than measured.
| Hotel | Area | Dog fee | How many dogs | Where dogs can go | Nearest all-year dog beach | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haven Hotel | Sandbanks, Banks Road by the chain ferry | Not stated | Not stated | Specific bedrooms and the front terrace only. Dogs and cats, by prior arrangement | Sandbanks promenade, western end to Haven Point | FJB Hotels: Haven Hotel rooms |
| The Canford | Canford Cliffs, Cliff Drive | £25 per dog (the page says both per night and per stay) | Up to two per room, in rooms furnished for dogs | Everywhere except the conservatory, on a lead. Meals in the pub area, not the restaurant | Branksome Dene | The Canford: dog friendly stays |
| Hotel du Vin Poole | Poole Old Town | £25 a night for one dog, £40 a night for two. Paid at check-in, non-refundable | Up to two small to medium dogs per room | Not the main dining room. Other areas vary by hotel and are explained at check-in | Hamworthy Park or Lake Pier, across the harbour | Hotel du Vin dog policy |
| The Antelope | High Street, Poole Old Town | £10 a night (Greene King Inns charge) | Not stated | Limited dog rooms, first come, first served, pre-booked with the hotel. Not all areas of the pub and restaurant may take dogs | Hamworthy Park or Lake Pier, across the harbour | Greene King Inns: The Antelope, Greene King Inns FAQs |
| Travelodge Poole | Holes Bay Road, Poole | £25 for one pet, £50 for two, per room (per night or per stay not stated) | One or two (the two options offered) | Pet-friendly rooms. Guide dogs exempt from the charge | Hamworthy Park or Lake Pier, across Holes Bay | Travelodge: Poole |
| Travelodge Poole North | Fleets Corner, Poole BH17 | £25 for one pet, £50 for two, per room (per night or per stay not stated) | One or two (the two options offered) | Pet-friendly rooms. Guide dogs exempt from the charge | Hamworthy Park or Lake Pier | Travelodge: Poole North |
- Area
- Sandbanks, Banks Road by the chain ferry
- Dog fee
- Not stated
- How many dogs
- Not stated
- Where dogs can go
- Specific bedrooms and the front terrace only. Dogs and cats, by prior arrangement
- Nearest all-year dog beach
- Sandbanks promenade, western end to Haven Point
- Source
- FJB Hotels: Haven Hotel rooms
- Area
- Canford Cliffs, Cliff Drive
- Dog fee
- £25 per dog (the page says both per night and per stay)
- How many dogs
- Up to two per room, in rooms furnished for dogs
- Where dogs can go
- Everywhere except the conservatory, on a lead. Meals in the pub area, not the restaurant
- Nearest all-year dog beach
- Branksome Dene
- Source
- The Canford: dog friendly stays
- Area
- Poole Old Town
- Dog fee
- £25 a night for one dog, £40 a night for two. Paid at check-in, non-refundable
- How many dogs
- Up to two small to medium dogs per room
- Where dogs can go
- Not the main dining room. Other areas vary by hotel and are explained at check-in
- Nearest all-year dog beach
- Hamworthy Park or Lake Pier, across the harbour
- Source
- Hotel du Vin dog policy
- Area
- High Street, Poole Old Town
- Dog fee
- £10 a night (Greene King Inns charge)
- How many dogs
- Not stated
- Where dogs can go
- Limited dog rooms, first come, first served, pre-booked with the hotel. Not all areas of the pub and restaurant may take dogs
- Nearest all-year dog beach
- Hamworthy Park or Lake Pier, across the harbour
- Source
- Greene King Inns: The Antelope, Greene King Inns FAQs
- Area
- Holes Bay Road, Poole
- Dog fee
- £25 for one pet, £50 for two, per room (per night or per stay not stated)
- How many dogs
- One or two (the two options offered)
- Where dogs can go
- Pet-friendly rooms. Guide dogs exempt from the charge
- Nearest all-year dog beach
- Hamworthy Park or Lake Pier, across Holes Bay
- Source
- Travelodge: Poole
- Area
- Fleets Corner, Poole BH17
- Dog fee
- £25 for one pet, £50 for two, per room (per night or per stay not stated)
- How many dogs
- One or two (the two options offered)
- Where dogs can go
- Pet-friendly rooms. Guide dogs exempt from the charge
- Nearest all-year dog beach
- Hamworthy Park or Lake Pier
- Source
- Travelodge: Poole North
Which Sandbanks hotels are dog friendly?
Of the three FJB hotels on and next to the Sandbanks peninsula, only Haven Hotel says on its own pages that it takes dogs. Its rooms page reads: "Dogs and cats welcomed by prior arrangement", in "specific bedrooms and on the front terrace only". It publishes no fee or size limit, so call before booking and confirm a dog room is held for you.
The pages for Sandbanks Hotel on Banks Road and Harbour Heights on Haven Road say nothing about dogs either way. Ask those hotels directly rather than relying on a booking site's pet filter.
Haven Hotel sits at the ferry end of the peninsula, beside BCP Council's year-round dog stretch from the western end of the Sandbanks promenade to Haven Point. The main Sandbanks beach is closed to dogs from 1 May to 30 September; the Sandbanks beach page has the full summer rules.
Across the water at Studland, the National Trust allows dogs on the beaches all year, on a lead under 2 metres from 1 May to 30 September (National Trust: Studland Bay). The Sandbanks ferry carries dogs free on a lead, but it is out of service for a planned seven-week refit from 2 November 2026, with the return date due to be announced in December.
Check prices for Haven Hotel on Expedia →
The Canford, Canford Cliffs
The Canford is a pub with 11 bedrooms on Cliff Drive, above Canford Cliffs. It takes up to two dogs per room, in rooms furnished for dogs, which come with treats, a dog bed or blanket and a bowl. Dogs can go everywhere in the building except the conservatory, on a lead at all times, and can eat with you in the pub area but not the restaurant.
Damage or mess caused by a dog is charged at check-out. Its rules also ask guests to keep dogs off beds and soft furnishings, and to bring an extra blanket for a large or muddy dog.
Canford Cliffs beach below holds a 2026 Blue Flag, so it is closed to dogs in summer. The nearest year-round stretch on BCP's list is Branksome Dene, from Branksome Chine beach office east to Alum Chine beach office.
Check prices for The Canford on Expedia →
Poole Old Town and the quay
Hotel du Vin Poole calls itself a pet-friendly hotel on its own page (Hotel du Vin Poole), and the group's dog policy sets the terms. Up to two small to medium dogs share a room, at £25 a night for one or £40 for two, paid at check-in. The same page also lists a "Dog Pack for 2 dogs: £50" without saying how it relates to the £40 rate, so confirm the total for two dogs when booking. Each dog gets a bed, mat, two bowls, treats and poo bags. Dogs are not allowed in the main dining room; staff try to find another place to eat where one is free.
The Antelope on Poole High Street is a Greene King inn. Its page says it is "a dog friendly hotel" with limited dog rooms, offered first come, first served, and every dog booking has to be made with the hotel or on Greene King's booking line, 0345 608 6040. Greene King charges £10 a night for a room with a dog, which it says covers cleaning; guide, assistance and hearing dogs are exempt.
Neither page says which bars or lounges take dogs at these two hotels. The nearest BCP year-round dog beaches are on the Hamworthy side of the harbour: Hamworthy Park and Lake Pier, both of which BCP calls "a designated dog beach" for use all year.
Check prices for Hotel du Vin Poole on Expedia →
Check prices for The Antelope on Expedia →
Is Travelodge Poole dog friendly?
Yes, both Poole Travelodges list pet-friendly rooms. Travelodge Poole is on Holes Bay Road by Lifeboat Quay, and Travelodge Poole North is at Fleets Corner Business Park (BH17 0AE). At both, a pet is added as a booking extra: £25 for one or £50 for two, per room. Guide dogs are exempt. Neither page says whether the charge is per night or per stay.
Check prices for Travelodge Poole on Expedia →
Can you leave a dog alone in the hotel room?
At Hotel du Vin, no: its policy says dogs "must not be left alone in the room at any time". The Canford allows it only briefly: dogs must not be left in bedrooms if you leave the premises, and must not be left unsupervised "other than for short periods of time if wanting to dine in the Conservatory".
Haven Hotel, The Antelope and the two Travelodges do not publish a rule. If you plan to eat out without the dog, ask the hotel before you book.
Dogs on Poole beaches during your stay
From 1 October to 30 April, BCP Council allows dogs on every beach, which covers any stay up to 30 April 2027. From 1 May to 30 September they are banned from its Blue Flag and Seaside Award beaches, which in Poole include Sandbanks, Shore Road and Canford Cliffs, and must be on a lead on promenades, piers, zig zags and footpaths (BCP Council dog rules).
The Poole stretches that stay open to dogs all summer are the western end of Sandbanks promenade to Haven Point, Branksome Dene, Hamworthy Park and Lake Pier. Every beach's summer status, with maps, is in dog-friendly beaches in Bournemouth and Poole.
Frequently asked questions
Which Poole hotels take cats?
Haven Hotel is the one whose page names cats: "Dogs and cats welcomed by prior arrangement." Travelodge's charge is worded for a "pet" rather than a dog. Hotel du Vin's policy and The Canford's rules are written for dogs only.
Do Poole hotels charge for guide dogs?
Not at the Travelodges or The Antelope. Travelodge says guide dogs are exempt from its pet charge, and Greene King exempts guide, assistance and hearing dogs from its £10 charge.
Are there dog-friendly hotels in Bournemouth instead?
Yes. Eleven Bournemouth hotels, from the Riviera at Alum Chine to The Ashleigh in Boscombe, are compared in dog-friendly hotels in Bournemouth, with fees from £5 to £30 a night.