Broadstone Boathouse, Dartmouth

Broadstone Boathouse is a compact ground-floor apartment on Broadstone in Dartmouth, tucked into a quiet street a few minutes' walk from the harbour and the middle of town. It is built for two people and a dog, and it is one of the few places this central where guests regularly park within seconds of the door without paying for it.

One dog is welcome, and the owners put out a dog bed and bowls as standard rather than as an extra. No pet fee appears on the property's booking listing, which is not the same as there being none, so check when you book. The apartment being on the ground floor suits older or arthritic dogs, but there is no garden or outdoor space of its own, which is the trade-off for the position.

That matters less in Dartmouth than it would elsewhere. The ferries across to Kingswear take foot passengers with dogs, the harbour front is a short stroll, and the South West Coast Path picks up from the edge of town for clifftop walking towards Compass Cove and the Day Mark. Blackpool Sands, the nearest proper dog beach, allows dogs outside the summer season and is a short drive or bus ride away. Several of the pubs in town, the Dolphin among them, are well used to dogs at their feet.

Housekeeping around the building has drawn the occasional complaint, with bins left unemptied and weeds at the entrance mentioned more than once, and the flat is small enough that two adults plus a large dog will feel it. Interior fit-out is the opposite story, with the use of space, the kitchen and the bed all consistently praised.

Best suited to a couple with one well-behaved dog who want to be in the middle of Dartmouth, walk everywhere, and treat the town and the coast path as their outdoor space rather than needing a garden. It earns a 4.6 out of 5 paw rating.