Westonbirt is one of those places that people visit once and go back to seasonally for the rest of their lives. Spring blossom, summer shade, autumn colour, winter frost on bare branches, it gives you a different reason to return every few months. If you’re planning a weekend around it and want somewhere nearby that earns its keep beyond just the arboretum visit, Pettifers Hotel is worth knowing about.
The hotel sits in the village of Crudwell, about ten minutes from Westonbirt’s gates. It’s a 16th-century building that started life as a veterinary apothecary. That history is still in the bones of the place,now running as a relaxed, family-run hotel with 18 rooms, a proper restaurant and bar, a walled garden, and a genuine enthusiasm for dogs that goes well beyond a token welcome policy.
What the weekend looks like from here
Crudwell is a proper Cotswolds village, quiet and unhurried, with The Potting Shed pub a short walk from the hotel. Malmesbury, one of those ancient market towns that doesn’t overdo it for tourists is five minutes by car. Tetbury, with its independent shops and antique dealers, is the same distance in the other direction. Cirencester is about fifteen minutes away.
It’s a good part of the world for an easy weekend. Drive somewhere in the morning, come back to the hotel in the afternoon, eat at Asha’s Indian Kitchen in the evening. The restaurant is the hotel’s on-site Indian fusion kitchen. Chef Parvez’s personal influence can be found throughout the menu, from the vibrant Ruby Murray curry to distinctive house specialities including Achari Masala, Shashlik Masala and the much-loved Plazza. Unusual for a Cotswolds country hotel, and consistently the thing guests mention first. It’s worth booking a table when you arrive if you want to dine both evenings.
The walled garden and terrace are a lovely place for sitting in after a day out, and there’s a water meadow directly opposite the hotel with walking routes right from the door. If your weekend calls for less planning and more wandering, the countryside around Crudwell handles that perfectly.
Explore accommodation at Pettifers
Visiting Westonbirt itself
Westonbirt has two distinct sections, the Old Arboretum, more formal with its wide avenues and planted collections, and Silk Wood, wilder and better for a longer walk. Dogs are welcome in Silk Wood, which makes it one of the better dog-walking days out in this part of the Cotswolds. The Old Arboretum has seasonal restrictions on dogs, so it’s worth checking the Westonbirt website before you go.
In May the blossom and azaleas in the Old Arboretum are at their peak. It’s a good time to visit, busy on sunny weekends, but earlier in the morning or on a weekday the paths are quieter and the light through the trees is worth lingering over.
The hotel team keep walking maps at reception and are familiar with the local routes if you require suggestions beyond the arboretum.
If you’re bringing a dog
Pettifers take dogs seriously. Several rooms are dog-friendly, dogs are welcome in the bar, lounge and snug for breakfast and dinner with full table service, and breakfast comes with a free sausage for your dog alongside your own. The walled garden is safe and enclosed. Silk Wood at Westonbirt is genuinely good dog-walking territory. The water meadow is right across the road.
The practical details: a supplement of £10 per dog per night applies, dogs shouldn’t be left unattended in the rooms, and you’ll need to bring your own dog bed and bowls. Worth a quick call to the team before you book to confirm room availability for your dog’s size and confirm what they need from you.
Mayfield Cottage
If you’re after a bit more independence, or travelling as a group of four, Mayfield Cottage is a two-bedroom self-catering option next door to the hotel. Two superking bedrooms, private entrance, and its own parking. Dogs are welcome there too. Availability is worth checking directly with the hotel, particularly for weekends in spring and summer when it books up.
Booking
Our own website always carries the best rates, and the team are happy to talk through room options and confirm dog-friendly availability before you book.
