Caban Cwtch, Margate

Caban Cwtch is a one-bedroom cabin tucked into its own private section of a garden in Westbrook, on the quiet western edge of Margate, and dogs are very much part of the point. The garden is gated and securely enclosed, and that is the detail guests travelling with dogs mention first: you can open the door and let them out without thinking about it, and the space is private enough that neither you nor the dog is sharing it with anyone.

Inside it is a proper retreat rather than a basic let, with a log fire, a pool table, a whirlpool bath and a hot tub set up so you can watch a film from it. Guests with dogs consistently describe the cabin as cosy and complete, and the reviews from pet owners are uniformly positive.

The location does a lot of the work. Westbrook Bay is about a five-minute walk, with Margate's main sands and the wider seafront a little further along, so a morning walk by the sea is genuinely on the doorstep rather than a drive away. Guests also mention the restaurants and cafes towards Westgate-on-Sea, just along the coast. Beach dog restrictions on this stretch change with the season, so it is worth checking which sections are open to dogs before you travel.

The one recurring niggle is the spa bath, which more than one guest has felt could do with some attention. The booking listing publishes no pet fee and no limit on how many dogs can stay, so agree both with the property directly when you book. That is worth doing here, as a one-bedroom cabin suits one or two dogs rather than a larger pack.

For a couple who want a private, self-contained bolthole within walking distance of the sea, and a secure garden their dog can use unsupervised, Caban Cwtch is about as good as Margate gets, and it earns its 4.7/5 paw rating.