1 / 8The King's Arms
Dorchester, Dorset
Yes. Dogs can stay in selected rooms.
A Grade II* listed coaching inn in central Dorchester, where dogs stay in first floor rooms and join you in the bar for the full menu.
Behind a grand Georgian façade in the centre of Dorchester, The King's Arms is a Grade II* listed coaching inn and boutique hotel, with 28 bedrooms and a foliage-filled bar. It suits anyone after a dog friendly hotel for exploring a market town with your dog in tow, then coming back to a bar where both of you are welcome.
Dogs stay in the rooms on the first floor. Inside, original features meet vintage finds and playful modern furniture, with rich velvets, beautiful linens and hand-painted wallpaper in greens, greys and blues. The hotel's site does not state a maximum number of dogs, or say if your dog can stay behind in the bedroom while you see the town, so settle both before you travel.
The restaurant isn't open to dogs; the bar, the old smoking room and the outside terrace all welcome them, and the full menu is served in each. In the bar and on the terrace, keep your dog on a lead; the hotel can provide water in a bowl on request. The cooking is fresh and unfussy, local, wild and organic wherever possible, from local fishermen's catch to organic old spot pigs, with Sunday roasts served all day and homemade cake with coffee in the old smoking room.
The Epic Double rooms have roll-top bathtubs in the room itself, and afternoon tea can be booked on Saturdays. Dorchester sits in the heart of Thomas Hardy country, and when your dog needs a proper outing, Puddletown Forest and River Piddle Walk is 4.6 miles away, while the nearest dog friendly beach Wildpack lists, Ringstead Bay, is 6.8 miles off.
Facts checked October 2026 from the hotel's own website. Details can change, so please confirm anything important, especially the dog rules, with the hotel before you book.
At a Glance: Dogs
- Rooms for dogs
- Selected rooms
- Dogs per room
- The hotel doesn't say
- Size or breed limits
- The hotel doesn't say
- Dog fee
- £20 per stay
- Left alone in the room
- The hotel doesn't say
- In the bar
- Welcome
- In the lounge
- Welcome
- Eating with your dog
- In a dog friendly dining area
- In the grounds
- The hotel doesn't say
- Dog extras
- Bowls
- Walks from the door
- The hotel doesn't say
- Nearest dog friendly beach
- Ringstead Bay, 6.8 miles
Where the hotel doesn't say, check with the hotel when you book.
Book your stay
The King's Arms is booked through Booking.com. Tell the hotel you are bringing your dog when you book.
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For You
- Eating and drinking
- All day dining and afternoon tea
- Rooms
- Roll top baths and ground floor rooms
- Children
- Children welcome
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The King's Arms dog friendly?
Yes. Dogs can stay in selected rooms. This comes from The King's Arms's own website. Details can change, so check with the hotel when you book.
How many dogs can I bring to The King's Arms?
The hotel doesn't say how many dogs you can bring, so check with the hotel when you book.
Is there a charge for dogs at The King's Arms?
£20 per stay.
Can I eat with my dog at The King's Arms?
You can eat with your dog in a dog friendly dining area. Dogs are welcome in the bar and the lounge.
Can I leave my dog in the room at The King's Arms?
The hotel doesn't say whether dogs can be left alone in the room, so check with the hotel when you book.
Are there dog walks near The King's Arms?
Dog friendly walks on Wildpack within 5 miles include Puddletown Forest and River Piddle Walk (4.6 miles).
Is there a dog friendly beach near The King's Arms?
The nearest dog friendly beach on Wildpack is Ringstead Bay, 6.8 miles away. Check its page for any seasonal dog restrictions before you go.
Check dates and availability for The King's Arms
Book now with Booking.comWhat’s Nearby?
Walk4.6 mi awayPuddletown Forest and River Piddle Walk
Dorset
A Dorset heath and forest walk following the River Piddle through Puddletown Forest near the Hardy Country.
Attraction5 mi awayThe Nine Stones
Dorset
A small Bronze Age circle in a wooded glade beside the A35, with pub parking, and a fast road right there, so leads on from the car with your dog.
Walk6.4 mi awayHardy’s Monument and Portesham Downs Circular
Dorset
A downland circuit from Hardy's Monument with dramatic views over the Chesil Beach and West Dorset coast.
Walk6.8 mi awayRingstead Bay Coastal Walk
Dorset
A serious Jurassic Coast walk with significant elevation changes and big cliff views, quieter than the headline stretches.
Beach6.8 mi awayRingstead Bay
Dorset
A quiet, clear-water shingle beach on the Jurassic Coast with year-round dog access and views across Weymouth Bay to Portland.
Beach7.3 mi awayWeymouth Beach
Dorset
A classic sandy beach with designated year round dog areas and wide open space outside the summer restriction months.
Dog Friendly Hotels Nearby
The closest dog friendly hotels to The King's Arms. Every dog fact comes from the hotel's own website.
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All dog friendly hotels in Dorset