Set in thirty acres of grounds in Wiltshire, just outside the charming town of Warminster (a mere eighteen miles from Bath) and dating from 1817, Bishopstrow is the very model of a modernised country house hotel.
I stayed at this bolt hole earlier this year as guests of Alfa Romeo whilst test-driving the new Tonale compact SUV. They were generous enough to invite my canine sidekick along too: Lettice, the Miniature Dachshund.
It’s always disappointing when country house hotels only pay lip service to being dog friendly: too often we’ve turned up to discover that dogs are banished to the most basic rooms in far flung extensions, whilst all public areas are often off limits. Recently we discovered that one much lauded boutique mini chain requires dogs to stay in their owners’ cars during check in lest they sully any of the interior by their presence.
Not so at Bishopstrow, where dogs are welcome nearly everywhere in the hotel, including the lounges and bar. No hiding dogs in the furthest rooms here: they are welcome in all the bedrooms bar, quite understandably, the Hot Tub Suites. (No one needs a pooch taking a lap through the hot jets.) Just the spa and restaurant are canine-free zones, but guests are free to order food in the bar or drawing room if they’d like to be accompanied by their dogs at mealtimes
Upon arrival, the hotel places a 'Woof Box' in the bedrooms, filled with Lily’s Kitchen food, treats and a ball, along with dog beds and bowls.
The icing on the dog-friendly cake are a comprehensive walking map and the dog agility course in the extensive grounds, which caters for hounds of all sizes: if, like our canine reviewer, your furry friend is built more for scooting under limbo poles then they will enjoy the series of ramps and tunnels just as much as a Lab will enjoy leaping through the series of huge tractor tyres.
Then when dogs have had enough outdoor play there is an outside washing station with a tin bath, hose and spray attachment.
This admirable attention to detail where their canine guests are concerned isn’t an anomaly: Bishopstrow is a hotel where the quality of every guest’s experience will always be paramount.
Contained within a classical Palladian-inspired Georgian building and adjacent stable block, the hotel is a mid-size establishment with thirty-six rooms, each individually decorated. There’s no hint of the corporate here, even though it’s part of Kaleidoscope, an established group of hotels in the UK.
Entering through the portico of the main house there is a rack of wellies immediately to the right, whilst check in with the nothing-is-too-trouble front of house staff takes place in a charming small antechamber. The feel is that of a relaxed country house party with a well-appointed bar with cheery staff on hand in the central double height hallway, and two luxurious large drawing rooms with suitably squishy sofas and real fireplaces.
There is an extensive wellness offering, with indoor swimming pool, treatment rooms and thermal suite. Guests booking in from August will be able to luxuriate in the glorious new outdoor pool area, set within a pergola-bordered courtyard and surrounded by herb-filled flower beds.
When exploring with your dogs look for the red brick tunnel under the main road at the entrance to Bishopstrow, which links the gardens to the river Wylye. Here, guests can explore an eighteenth-century walled garden with a temple folly built around 1770, a summer house, and the remains of a historic boathouse and vine house jutting out over the river.
The Bishopstrow dog experience is an extra £40 per night, and. £30 per night when staying 3 nights or more.
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