A Dashing Dog-Friendly Stay: The Mitre, Hampton Court – Review

3 months ago

Treat your four-legged friend like royalty

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A Dashing Dog-Friendly Stay: The Mitre, Hampton Court – Review

Perched on the banks of the Thames, directly opposite Hampton Court, is The Mitre, a boutique hotel bursting with charm. Martha Davies checks in for a dog-friendly stay.

Review: The Mitre, Hampton Court

Dogs don’t tend to come with hotel bookings, so it’s always advisable to bring your own. When you’re able to, of course – sneaking your dog into your suite isn’t recommended – meaning dog-friendly hotels are the way to go. This, at least, is how I found myself enjoying a particularly wonderful stay at The Mitre, accompanied by a good friend and her golden retriever, Otis (the star of the show by all accounts).

Dating back to 1665, the Grade II-listed hotel was originally used as ancillary accommodation for guests of King Charles II at Hampton Court Palace. Each of its 40 rooms boasts its own unique design – and an impressive eight of them are dog-friendly.

Dog or no dog, you can expect wonderful service, swoon-worthy interiors and a generally dreamy time; but if you do bring your four-legged friend along, they’ll be welcomed with open arms. Otis was certainly treated like royalty as soon as we crossed the threshold, and once he had basked in the doting attention of staff and guests alike, we headed to our room to find a dog bed, bowl and toy waiting there – plus a packet of artisan dog treats, which didn’t last long.

Thanks to The Mitre’s enviable location, it provides a brilliant base from which to enjoy scenic walks in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace and along the river. You’ll first have to convince yourself to leave your room, however, which may prove difficult: ours was positively palatial itself, featuring a seating area, a majestic four-poster bed and a copper bathtub, with an elegant shower room cleverly concealed behind a panel.

Of course, a long riverside stroll will make anyone – human or dog – feel ravenous eventually, so the many dining options on offer at The Mitre are particularly convenient. (Naturally, they’re all dog-friendly). We enjoyed a pre-dinner drink al fresco; the Whispering Angel terrace, bedecked in flowers, is particularly picturesque in the sunshine, but the hotel also boasts a separate terrace (if you’re after a more casual spot) alongside its lavish Boathouse Bar.

When supper time arrives, you can head to the handsome 1665 Brasserie for some classic British fare. To start, expect the likes of king prawn cocktail, gin cured salmon with kohlrabi and cucumber, and a flawless beef tartare topped with capers, crispy onions, and an oyster emulsion. Main courses range from soy glazed octopus, crab linguine and a fabulous grilled sea bass dish (served with samphire, fennel and a citrus buttermilk sauce) to lamb rump, a wagyu burger and a particularly nourishing chicken milanese. There are also plenty of veggie options, from artichoke salad to courgette gnocchi and grilled aubergine.

We rounded off our evening with a rather unforgettable tiramisu espresso martini – a highlight of the drinks list, which encompasses some brilliant cocktails and an extensive wine selection. It served as the perfect sweet treat (although we did, of course, peruse the pudding menu, which has something for everyone: think sticky toffee pudding, peach flambé, and nutella doughnut bites). Such a superb meal was only made better by the fact that Otis could come too; he slept peacefully beside our table, roused only by the (many) passersby who came to greet him.

We slept like kings in our enormous bed, waking to the prospect of a glorious breakfast in perhaps the most Instagrammable of all the rooms at The Mitre: a sunny space finished in pastel tones, with plush pink chairs and picture-perfect river views (not to mention a rather divine buffet spread). Just next door, there’s the hotel’s cosy Coppernose Cafe, which serves up cakes, coffees and small bites.

Once we had polished off our breakfast, there was one thing left to do: head back down to the riverside and hire a boat from The Mitre’s very own pontoon. We jumped on and soaked up the Sunday sun – with Otis in tow, of course.