Hotel Wroxham

Hotel Wroxham stands right on the bridge where Wroxham meets Hoveton, at the centre of the Norfolk Broads, and it is unusually relaxed about dogs for a four-star hotel: they are allowed throughout the building, restaurant included. That matters more than it sounds on a wet Norfolk evening, when the alternative is eating in your room or leaving your dog behind, and this hotel asks you not to leave a dog alone at any time.

The hotel's own terms are brief. Small to medium dogs only, one pet per room, a limited allocation of pet rooms, and an additional charge it does not publish. The charge has been reported at around £17 a night for a small dog, so budget for something in that region and confirm the current figure when you book. Because the pet rooms are limited, booking early and flagging the dog is the practical approach.

The honest weakness here is green space. Dog owners have found no grass or parks within easy reach, which for a spot on the water is a genuine surprise and the single biggest thing to plan around. The walking country of the Broads is close, but it is a short drive or a proper walk out rather than a step from the door, and a river bank is not a field.

Elsewhere the hotel does well. Breakfast draws consistent and emphatic praise. Rooms vary a good deal: the water-view rooms are the ones guests rave about, while others look straight out over the car park and the shops, so it is worth being specific about what you are booking. There is no lift and no air conditioning, and rooms have been uncomfortably hot in summer. Food and drink are priced steeply. With a 4.4/5 paw rating, Hotel Wroxham suits dog owners who want their dog beside them at dinner and do not mind driving a few minutes for a proper walk.