2 Central, Sidmouth (Spacious Apartment with Private Patio)

2 Central sits on Church Lane in the middle of Sidmouth, a short flat walk from both the town centre and the Regency seafront promenade, and, unusually for a central apartment, it comes with its own private patio. That combination is what makes it work for dogs: somewhere outdoors that belongs to you, without a hill or a car journey between you and the beach.

Dogs are accepted by prior arrangement, so flag yours when you book rather than on arrival. The apartment is let whole, so there are no shared corridors, no lobby to cross and no other guests to negotiate; the usual friction points of bringing a dog to a town-centre base simply do not arise.

Guests travelling with dogs describe it in much the same terms as everyone else who stays: spacious, spotlessly clean, thoroughly equipped and very comfortable, with the bedding singled out repeatedly. The wider guest score of 9.7 out of 10 backs that up. The location draws the loudest praise, at five level minutes to the beach, which matters more than it sounds if you are walking a dog several times a day.

Sidmouth itself is an easy town for dog owners. The Esplanade runs the length of the seafront, the South West Coast Path climbs away in both directions, and the surrounding East Devon countryside is thick with footpaths. Dog rules on the main beach change with the season, as they do along most of this coast, so it is worth checking the current dates if a beach run is the point of the trip.

Best suited to a couple or small family with one settled dog who want a smart, central Sidmouth base with private outdoor space. There is no lawn or enclosed garden, so the patio plus regular walks is the routine here. It earns a 4.6 out of 5 paw rating.