Carlton Hotel

The Carlton Hotel is an independent hotel on Runnacleave Road in Ilfracombe, a few minutes on foot from the harbour, the seafront and the coast path, and it has a loyal following among people who holiday with their dogs. The welcome is what guests come back for: staff greet dogs as readily as their owners, and there is a sausage for canine guests at breakfast.

The hotel's published charge is £8 per pet per night, though some guests report being surprised by a higher nightly figure, so confirm the rate in writing when you book. A treat at reception, dog beds and bowls for a small extra charge, and dog sitting or walking with advance notice are all offered. Guests who expected beds and bowls as standard sometimes found they were not provided automatically, so ask for them before you arrive. A separate area of the bar, restaurant and lounge is kept for guests with dogs, so you can eat in with your dog at your feet.

Guests travelling with dogs consistently describe the owner and staff as kind and attentive, the rooms as spotless and comfortable, and breakfast and dinner as freshly cooked and generous. Not every guest at breakfast realises dogs are allowed, and owners have occasionally felt watched by other diners.

Ilfracombe suits a dog well. The Tunnels Beaches, Capstone Hill and the harbour are all close, and the South West Coast Path heads off in both directions. Carpet runs throughout the hotel, so bring an old towel for after wet walks.

The drawbacks are minor: parking is limited and you may have to leave the car some distance away, some rooms are small, and rooms run warm in summer with no air conditioning. For a friendly, well-kept town base on the North Devon coast, the Carlton earns a 4.6/5 paw rating.