South Coast Sidmouth
The Old Kennels, Sidmouth (Farm Conversion)
Independent pet-friendly review by Four Legged Guests · updated August 2026 · paw rating built from 1 verified guest review mentioning pets
Bring your dog if
- You want a whole-property rental - no shared lobbies or corridors to navigate with your dog
- You're basing yourself in Sidmouth / the South Coast and want a pet-friendly anchor for day trips
- The wider guest experience is strong - guests rate this 9.3/10 overall on booking platforms
Worth knowing
- Paw rating sits on a single confirmed pet review - expect movement as more data arrives
- Pet limits: max 1 pet - research-verified; the fee isn't published, so confirm the charge when you book
How this review was built Evidence, sources, refresh cadence
- Evidence: 1 pet-mention guest review sourced from major booking platforms - guests who explicitly mentioned travelling with a dog. Each review is screened for pet-relevance, then judged for sentiment to compute the paw rating.
- Not a personal visit. We don't stay at every hotel we cover - we summarise patterns from real guest reviews, paraphrased and never quoted verbatim. Full standard on our editorial policy page.
- Wider context: The property has 10 guest reviews overall across booking platforms, averaging 9.3/10 - the paw rating reflects only the pet-mentioning subset.
- Last refreshed: August 2026. Policies and pricing drift; we re-check on a rolling basis. Confirm specifics with the property at the moment you book.
- How the paw rating works: Full detail on the methodology page, including the three verification gates and known limitations.
Pet policy at a glance
- One well behaved dog is welcome at this cottage.
- The owners may be able to take a second dog if you ask before booking.
- Let as a whole property, so there are no shared corridors or guest spaces.
Pet-friendly summary
The Old Kennels is a converted farm building at Boswell Farm, tucked into the East Devon countryside a few miles inland from Sidmouth. It sits in its own field with long views, a decking area and a hot tub, and the nearest thing to a neighbour is livestock, which is close to ideal if your dog is happier away from pavements and traffic.
One well-behaved dog is welcome at the cottage. The owners may be able to take a second, but only if you ask before you book rather than turning up with two. Because the whole building is yours there are no shared spaces to manage, and the countryside starts at the door: the footpaths around Harcombe and the Sid valley run for miles, and the coast at Sidmouth is a short drive.
Two practical points come out of stays with dogs. The access road onto the farm is rough and a low-clearance car will feel it, though there is an easier route in, so ask the owners for it when you book. And the internal doors do not shut firmly, which makes it hard to keep a dog out of a particular bedroom if you are sharing the cottage with another couple. A stairgate or a crate solves it, but bring one rather than assuming.
Elsewhere the property earns a strong 9.3 out of 10 from guests generally, with the setting, the hot tub and the decking drawing the most praise. The skylights let in a lot of early light and have no shutters, which is worth knowing if your dog wakes when you do. Arrival directions have caused guests trouble in the past, so confirm them a few days ahead.
Best suited to a couple or a small group with one settled countryside dog who will trade walkable town amenities for seclusion, views and a hot tub. It earns a 4.4 out of 5 paw rating.
Highlights from pet-mentioning reviews
What reviewers travelling with dogs consistently noted about staying here.
- Secluded farm conversion with countryside views
- Hot tub and private decking area
- One dog welcome, second by prior arrangement
- Rough access road, ask for the alternative route
- Internal doors do not close firmly
About this hotel
The Old Kennels is a four-star converted farm building at Boswell Farm near Harcombe, a few miles inland from Sidmouth in East Devon. It is let as a whole property, set in its own field with long countryside views, a private decking area and a hot tub, and it is surrounded by footpath walking.
Hotel facts
Photos
Location
Boswell Farm Harcombe, Sidmouth, EX10 0PP
