Mehra Cottage (Almora)

Mehra Cottage is a 3-star property on Lower Mall Road in Almora, Uttarakhand , a quiet hill town in the Kumaon Himalayas sitting at roughly 1,600 metres. Pets are explicitly listed as welcome with no extra charges, making this one of the more straightforward pet-friendly stays in the Kumaon region where clear policies are not always easy to find. The property earns an 8.3 on Booking.com and is consistently praised by guests for helpful staff, clean rooms, and its open terrace with mountain views.

The Setting

Almora is one of those Kumaon hill towns that rewards the traveller who takes the road less travelled. Mehra Cottage sits on Lower Mall Road near the ISBT Almora bus terminal , centrally located enough that the local market, food stalls, and transport are all walkable, yet the property itself is nestled in a setting that guests describe as having a vibe that makes you want to come back to Almora. Rooms are spacious by hill-station standards and come with mountain views. The property has a well-maintained garden area that gives dogs meaningful outdoor space without needing to venture off-site, and an open terrace that gets consistently called out in guest reviews.

For pet parents doing a road trip through Uttarakhand, Almora is a natural stopover. It sits roughly 380 kilometres from Delhi , a long but manageable drive , and is within reasonable distance of Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary, Jageshwar Temples, and the Zero Point sunrise trek. None of these are guaranteed dog-friendly, but having a confirmed pet-friendly stay in Almora as your base makes planning the broader trip considerably easier. The town itself is walkable with your dog in the early mornings before it gets busy.

Pet Policy in Practice

The facilities page for Mehra Cottage states plainly: "Pets are allowed. No extra charges." This is confirmed across both the Booking.com listing and third-party hotel directories. Cats and dogs are both covered under this policy based on the platform listings. That said, some older communications from the property suggest that full pet flexibility , especially for multiple pets or larger dogs , may be easiest when booking the entire house rather than individual rooms. This is worth clarifying directly with the host before you arrive. The property's phone number is +91 96438 32907.

The property lists pets as allowed alongside a no-smoking policy and soundproofed rooms, which tells you something about the kind of guests they cater to , relatively comfortable with rules, and attentive to the quality of stay. Free parking is confirmed on site, which matters if you're arriving by car with a crate or pet gear in the boot. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout, housekeeping is daily, and the property offers room service and in-room breakfast , useful when you'd rather not leave a settling-in dog alone on the first morning.

Facilities and What to Explore Nearby

Inside the property, Mehra Cottage punches above its category on amenities. The self-catering setup , shared kitchen, electric kettle, cookware and kitchen utensils , means you can prepare food for your pet if you've brought supplies, rather than relying entirely on local availability. The dining area serves traditional Kumaoni dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, and the communal dining space is a good place to get restaurant recommendations from other guests who've already been out exploring with dogs.

For outdoor activities, the hotel organises guided nature walks through the surrounding hills and guests can also hire cycles on-site. Birdwatching in the forests above Almora is genuinely excellent. The Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary is the most compelling nearby destination for a nature day , roughly 30 kilometres from Almora town , though you should check the sanctuary's current pet entry rules before planning a visit, as wildlife reserves in Uttarakhand vary in their pet access policies. The Jageshwar temple complex about 34 kilometres away is another option for a half-day excursion where dogs have historically been manageable on leads.