Royal Hotel, Mundesley

The Royal Hotel sits on Paston Road in Mundesley, a quiet village on the north Norfolk coast, and it is one of those seaside hotels where dogs are simply part of the furniture rather than a special case. Guests regularly find several dogs staying at the same time, and the hotel still runs clean and tidy with it, which is a good sign that the arrangement is properly managed rather than merely tolerated.

Nothing is published about a pet fee, a weight limit or restricted breeds, so agree the details with reception when you book, particularly if you are bringing more than one dog. What comes through consistently is that the welcome is unfussy and nobody makes a performance of a dog in the building.

Food is a genuine strength here, and it matters more than it sounds when you are travelling with a dog. Breakfasts get strong marks, the evening menu is well cooked and served hot, and the midweek carvery has a following. Being able to eat properly on site saves hunting round for somewhere that will take a dog at short notice on a wet evening.

The practical warning is the layout. Rooms can involve a flight of stairs and a fair walk along corridors to reach, which is a nuisance if your dog is elderly, arthritic, or small enough that you end up carrying it both ways. Guests in that position have coped, but it is worth asking for a room as close to the entrance and to ground level as the hotel can manage. Mundesley's beach and the clifftop paths are a short walk away, and as on much of the north Norfolk coast some stretches of sand carry seasonal dog restrictions over the summer, so check the signs before you set off.

The Royal suits couples and solo travellers who want a traditional seaside hotel with decent food, a relaxed attitude to dogs and the beach on the doorstep - with the stairs the one thing worth sorting out at the booking stage.