The dog-friendly hotel in a vibrant Surrey town that feels like its own holiday destination

I’d rather not leave my dog behind if I plan on a UK staycation. I spend pretty much all day, every day with my puppy, he’s like my little shadow.

When I was invited to visit the White Horse, a pub hotel and restaurant in Dorking, I was so pleased at the thought of being able to bring Rupert along. Some places claim to be dog-friendly, but resign our fur friends to sit outside, which doesn’t feel like it lives up to the dog-loving claim.

However, the White Horse goes above and beyond to accommodate pooches, thinking of everything to make a stay as comfortable as possible. I couldn’t believe how well thought out everything was during our stay, the only thing we needed to pack for him was food.

Even then, the pub also sold food for dogs, so he didn’t even need that.

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Arriving at the hotel

I decided to drive to Dorking, which was easy enough and was a lovely scenic journey through the Surrey Hills. I’d never been to the town before and was blown away by how pretty it is.

The hotel was easy enough to find and had a narrow entranceway leading into the courtyard. Beyond the courtyard, I found parking spaces before heading inside.

We walked up to the hotel entrance at the back overlooking the courtyard. Friendly staff welcomed us and checked us in.

Upon first glance, the interior of the hotel was warm, cosy and fresh feeling. Inge Watrobski designed the decor, which was stunning with bright colours, green plants and soft lighting.

I couldn’t wait to see the hotel room, and from first impressions, I had high expectations.

The hotel room

Once checked in, we were directed to the room and headed up the stairs. The landing was bright and airy, with a large mirror and sofa.

We followed the corridor around until we found the door, and I braced myself. Unlocking the door revealed a large hotel room, with a vintage Robert’s radio playing in the background.

To my right was a huge bed, a tiled bathroom with a shower and Bramley products, a television opposite the bed and a large wooden wardrobe to the left.

The walls were painted a pale salmon colour, with a patterned headboard, curtains and chair. It was rustic and elegant with mixed textures, for example, the bathroom had painted wooden panelling, with star tiles.

I turned the corner to the left and was baffled to find a coffee area, dressing table and stand-alone bath with tiles matching the shower room. Cute towelling gowns were hung by the bath and I found Bramley bath salts, body wash, shampoo and conditioner next to it.

Pampered pooch

While I was gawping at the gorgeous room and decor, Rupert made himself comfy on a dog bed set out just for him. He also found a water and food bowl next to the bed and spent some time checking out the smells of the new environment.

The side table next to the dog bed had a sweet Bramley gift box for dogs, I found two lavender calming dog biscuits and a delicious smelling shampoo. The wash smelt like lavender and mandarin oils, it was gorgeous and left Rupert feeling fluffy and soft as a teddy bear.

Outside of the hotel room, in the courtyard, I found an enamel dog bath, and a stick library, which Rupert loved perusing. While we had dinner in the hotel, Rupert was allowed to sit with us and got plenty of fuss from the staff.

I found a dog menu in the restaurant, with dog food by Sir Woofchester. Rupert had a bark brew beer, for £3.50, and a Sunday roast treat pot for £3.50 which he wolfed down.

After dinner, we took Rupert for a walk around the church and found a grassy patch for him to go to the bathroom at Meadowbank Park. There are parks at Cotmandene near the hotel.

The food

We were seated in the restaurant by a window and had plenty of space for Rupert to stretch out on the floor. The staff were friendly and had great knowledge of the menu and were able to make great recommendations.

I went for the prawn and crayfish cocktail starter, and dressed crab as a main, paired with a bottle of Italian prosecco. The prawn and crayfish cocktail arrived, with slices of toasted baguette, crunchy lettuce, and was layered with prawn and crayfish resting on a thick avocado bed.

After polishing off my starter, my main course was served, it was a huge dressed Devon crab in the shell, with crab mayo, salad and chips. It was really fresh, and the chips were moreish.

For dessert, I tried the flourless chocolate torte with vanilla cream anglaise, lime caramel and salted hazelnuts. The torte was rich and bitter, and gooey, paired really well with the crisp hazelnuts.

After a refreshing night's sleep, I couldn’t wait for breakfast the next morning and was shown to the breakfast room, with a large olive tree and skylight in the centre. There were warm, fresh pastries, and amazing options on the menu.

I went for the full English, with sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs and controversially, black pudding. It was such a treat, I feel like a proper full English just sets you up well for a good day.

I also tried the French toast with compote berries. I’d never had this dish before, and it reminded me of hearty bread and butter pudding, which went well with the slightly sharp berries.

Another thing to add is that there is a separate dining room, it’s the only spot dogs aren’t allowed to go. This is fair enough, as not everyone wants to be around dogs and shouldn’t be expected to, especially if they don’t want dog hair or drool on their glad rags while going out for a nice dinner.

If you’re not a dog person, don’t let the dog-friendly element put you off! The pub is still very much well worth visiting and is very clean and well kept.

Final thoughts

Dorking is a stunning place to visit, I’d recommend it to anyone who loves historic market towns and going for long walks. I loved the antique shops and gorgeous architecture the town has.

Despite the hotel being just under a 40 minute drive from my home, I’d go again. The stay felt like a holiday, it was hard to believe we were so close to home, which made waking up the next morning a bit easier, knowing I didn’t have far to go.

The thoughtfulness gone into making the place as dog-friendly as possible is a massive draw and takes the stress out of travelling with a dog. I didn’t need to lug around a heavy bed and bowls for Rupert.

Overall, I really enjoyed the stay, and I’d totally recommend it as a mini-break or holiday, even if you live in Surrey.

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