Rose Court Holiday Apartments

Rose Court is about as good as pet-friendly self-catering gets on the English Riviera. It is a small set of apartments in an early Victorian building in Babbacombe, two or three minutes' walk from Babbacombe Downs and the clifftop stretch of the South West Coast Path, and the dog welcome is properly thought through rather than merely permitted.

Dogs cost £10 per pet for the whole stay rather than per night, and need to be arranged in advance. Throws are provided so dogs stay off the furniture, and arriving guests are routinely handed towels, a bowl and a bag of treats for the dog. The owners are the other half of it: they show people round on arrival and hand out genuinely useful recommendations for dog-friendly walks, beaches and places to eat nearby, Cockington Country Park among them. Cats have been made welcome too, treats included.

Each apartment has its own space in a private car park, which takes the stress out of arriving with a dog, a crate and luggage, and there is a well-kept garden at the front with tables and chairs. The apartments themselves are consistently described as spotless and thoroughly equipped for self-catering, with good beds and a proper kitchen rather than a token one.

The caveats are small and worth knowing rather than worrying about. Shower rooms in some apartments are tight, there is no television in the bedrooms, and the upper apartments are reached by stairs, which matters if anyone in the party or the dog struggles with them. Ground-floor and garden apartments are not always available on the date you want, so ask when booking rather than assuming.

With a 4.8/5 paw rating built on a long run of positive stays from dog owners, Rose Court suits couples, solo travellers and families who want a clean, well-run Torquay base where the dog is treated as a guest rather than an inconvenience.