The Scottish Borders guides compare Kelso’s river and estate grounds, Melrose’s garden and Tweed paths, and Peebles’ parkland with optional Glentress trails. Some stays are outside the named town; check the address and keep steeper, seasonal or longer walks as separate choices.
Kelso offers a Tweed-side break with town walking and the option of a separate estate visit at Floors. Ednam House is in Kelso; SCHLOSS Roxburghe is at Heiton outside the town. The two hotels take different approaches to dog rooms and shared spaces, so agree the room and meals before choosing. A short riverside outing can fill arrival day, leaving an on-lead estate walk for suitable weather and current opening hours.
Melrose offers a Borders escape that can stay with gardens, town streets and the Tweed rather than an ambitious Eildon Hills climb. The Kings Arms is on the High Street; Dryburgh Abbey Hotel provides a separate country-house base at Dryburgh near St Boswells. Harmony Garden is a useful seasonal outing with clear lead rules. Choose your hotel setting first, then fit a short river-path section around the garden’s opening dates and the weather.
Peebles makes a river-and-woodland break with a central hotel or a larger resort setting. The Tontine requires direct booking for its limited dog rooms; Peebles Hydro offers selected rooms with different public-space rules. Start gently at Haylodge Park, then choose a suitable Glentress walking trail if conditions suit. Glentress is a separate forest outing with cyclists and other visitors, so a modest signed walking route is more useful than a fixed distance target.
