Shangri La at Beauport

Shangri La at Beauport is a holiday home on a wooded park at Baldslow, on the ridge between Hastings and Battle in East Sussex. It sits among trees with its own decking and garden, and the owner sets it up for dogs deliberately: dog bowls in the kitchen, and dog throws and towels that guests have found useful after a wet walk.

The setting is the draw. Woodland walks start near the park, Hastings beach is a short drive, and the plot is quiet enough that guests describe watching birds from the garden. Arrivals are looked after with a welcome pack, and the owner has a good record for responding during a stay, including putting fans through the rooms during a heatwave.

Two caveats matter more here than the rating alone conveys, and both come up repeatedly. The first is that the garden is not fully enclosed. Guests travelling with dogs have found they need to keep the dog on the decking and supervise every trip into the garden, which was not what they had expected and had been one of their reasons for booking. If you are counting on letting a dog out unsupervised, check the current boundary with the owner first.

The second is smell. Guests have noticed a dog odour in the holiday home, on arrival and on one of the sofas, including guests who had not brought a dog themselves and had not realised pets were allowed. The owner is a dog owner and by all accounts keeps the place clean, but the scent has not been fully shifted. For a dog-owning party it is likely a non-issue; if anyone in your group is sensitive to it, it is worth knowing.

One further note on the location: this is largely a residential park rather than a holiday-only site, and guests have picked up that year-round residents are not always keen on holidaymakers sharing the space. The unit can also be awkward to find the first time.

Best suited to dog owners who want woodland and a quiet base near Hastings, and who do not need a fully secure garden. It earns a 4.4/5 paw rating.