Beach Walk, Paignton

Beach Walk is a self-catering house on Cliff Road in Paignton, sitting roughly halfway between the main seafront and Goodrington Sands, about ten minutes' walk to either. The whole property is yours, so there are no shared corridors or lobbies to negotiate with a dog in tow, and the driveway means you can park on site rather than circling a busy resort town for a space.

Two dogs are welcome for a £20 pet fee, and the practical detail owners tend to notice is that the welcome basket includes treats for the dog alongside the usual coffee and biscuits for the humans. A small thing, but it points to a host who plans for visiting dogs rather than merely permitting them.

Outdoor space works well here. The rear garden is enclosed and has a patio, which covers quick toilet breaks and slow morning coffees without a lead. Better still, the headland at the end of the street gives you a proper walk on the doorstep, with the coastline and Torquay Harbour laid out across the bay - useful on the days when nobody fancies driving anywhere. The house sits high enough that those bay views carry through to the bedroom.

For beach walks, Goodrington Sands to the south keeps dog-friendly sections open all year, while Paignton's main beach restricts dogs over the summer season, so check the current dates before you travel. Brixham harbour is a ten-minute drive for a change of scene, and Dartmoor is about forty minutes inland if you want a hill day.

Worth confirming at booking: the £20 fee is quoted without a period, so ask whether it covers the stay or applies nightly. Best suited to a couple or small family with one or two well-behaved, house-trained dogs who want a quiet, well-equipped base with beach and headland walking within strolling distance, and who would rather have a garden and a driveway than a hotel lobby. It earns a 4.5 out of 5 paw rating.