A dog-friendly weekend in Cheltenham:Regency gardens, a Cotswold day out and dogs welcome inside
Updated: Aug 13
Cheltenham gives you two rather different weekends without making you choose between them. There are elegant Regency streets and gardens in town, while the wooded valleys and peculiar little corners of the Cotswolds begin just beyond its edges.
This itinerary runs from Friday evening to Sunday lunch. Saturday has one main activity at Painswick Rococo Garden, with lunch available there, while Sunday stays close to the centre with a gentle wander through Montpellier Gardens.
Every food stop named below welcomes dogs inside. The pace is deliberately easy, with enough time to enjoy each place without turning the weekend into a sequence of appointments.
The weekend in brief
Friday begins with dinner at The Merryfellow, Cheltenham’s top pub pick on The Dog Friendly Map. Saturday belongs to Painswick Rococo Garden, followed by Thai street food at The Railway. Sunday brings a final wander around Montpellier Gardens and lunch at The Suffolk Arms.
It combines one proper Cotswold outing with enough of Cheltenham itself to make the weekend feel rooted in the town.
Friday evening: settle in at The Merryfellow
Start the weekend at The Merryfellow in Charlton Kings.
This cosy village pub has the sort of relaxed atmosphere that makes Friday evening immediately feel like part of the weekend rather than merely the end of the journey. Dogs are welcome throughout the pub, so there is no need to rely on a particular corner or hope that the weather is kind enough for the garden.
Food is central to The Merryfellow, with hearty British dishes, homemade pies and a menu that favours generous, comforting cooking over unnecessary complication. Local ales, comfortable seating and a genuinely warm indoor welcome make it easy to settle in for dinner and stay for pudding.
The Merryfellow is a Recommended Partner and Cheltenham’s top pub pick on The Dog Friendly Map. It earns that position by being the kind of place dog owners can use properly, rather than somewhere that merely permits a dog to cross the threshold.
Saturday: give the day to Painswick Rococo Garden
Saturday’s main activity is Painswick Rococo Garden, less than half an hour from Cheltenham.
Hidden in a Cotswold valley, this unusual 18th-century pleasure garden was created for wandering, amusement and the occasional theatrical surprise. Curving paths lead through woodland and open garden, with follies, viewpoints, sculptures and unexpected features appearing as the landscape unfolds.
It feels quite different from a formal country-house garden. There is no pressure to follow a prescribed route or inspect every plant label. The pleasure lies in following whichever path looks most interesting and discovering what has been tucked around the next corner.
The garden changes character through the year. Snowdrops cover the valley in late winter, while spring and summer bring richer planting, woodland colour and more time to linger outdoors. It is substantial enough to feel like a proper outing without requiring everybody to march for miles.
Dogs on short leads can join the main garden visit and are also welcome inside the café and shop. This makes the day particularly easy because the indoor welcome continues when it is time to stop.
Lunch can be sorted at the garden café, with light lunches, cakes and freshly made drinks available. Sit down properly, let the dog settle and decide afterwards whether another wander is required. There is no second attraction waiting to be reached.
Opening arrangements can change through the seasons, and snowdrop visits are particularly popular, so check the official Painswick Rococo Garden website before travelling.
Saturday evening: Thai street food at The Railway
Back in Cheltenham, dinner is at The Railway on New Street.
The Railway is an independent neighbourhood pub with low lighting, a lively but comfortable atmosphere and the reassuring feeling that plenty of its customers already regard it as their local. Dogs are welcome inside, so everyone can settle around the same table.
The food is what makes it particularly worth choosing. Smokey Phi Phi’s serves Thai barbecue and street food from the pub kitchen, bringing together smoke, spice and fresh flavours rather than the usual Saturday-night pub menu.
Drinks are taken equally seriously, with local beer and cider, small-batch spirits and an interesting selection of natural wines. It is a completely different evening from Friday at The Merryfellow, which gives the weekend variety without adding another complicated journey or activity.
Bookings are useful on Saturday evenings, particularly if you would prefer a quieter table where the dog has plenty of room to settle.
Sunday: Montpellier Gardens and The Suffolk Arms
Sunday begins with a gentle wander through Montpellier Gardens, right in Cheltenham’s Regency heart.
The gardens sit among some of the town’s most distinctive architecture, with broad lawns, mature trees, a bandstand and plenty of benches for a walk that is allowed to become a sit-down whenever the mood changes.
Dogs are welcome to join the outdoor garden wander. There is no target distance and no need to complete a particular circuit—just follow the paths, explore the small arboretum and enjoy the slower rhythm of Sunday morning.
Lunch is nearby at The Suffolk Arms, in the characterful Suffolks neighbourhood.
Built in 1824, the pub combines the warmth of a traditional Cotswold inn with a more food-led approach. Seasonal British dishes, locally sourced ingredients and a dedicated Sunday menu make it feel special enough for the final meal of the weekend without becoming formal.
Dogs are welcome inside, and the open, sociable bar provides an easy place for them to settle while lunch arrives. Book ahead for Sunday, then let the meal take as long as it takes.
Cheltenham works best when the town and the surrounding Cotswolds are allowed to share the weekend. Friday provides the cosy pub welcome, Saturday changes the scenery completely at Painswick, and Sunday returns to Cheltenham’s Regency gardens before lunch.
There is variety without constant movement, memorable food without repeated café stops and a genuine indoor welcome at every meal.
The Cheltenham page on The Dog Friendly Map has the full current directory of places where dogs are welcome inside.
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Price correct as of 20 July 2026.
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