Stylish Eco Aparthotel in Folkestone

This is a converted Victorian townhouse on Cheriton Place in central Folkestone, split into self-contained studios and apartments with their own kitchens, and dogs are allowed in them for a modest charge. Entry is by door code with nobody to meet, which suits a dog that finds a reception desk stressful, and the position is why guests with dogs keep coming back: The Leas clifftop promenade is a few minutes on foot, the Harbour Arm and the beach a little further, and the town centre, the pubs and a large supermarket are all walkable.

Up to three pets can stay, at £25 per pet per week, and that charge applies even on a short break. Assistance dogs are accommodated without fuss - guests travelling with one describe being made comfortable and lent a fan without having to ask twice. The rooms are compact but properly equipped, and being self-contained means the dog is not shut in a bedroom while you eat.

Two things are worth knowing before booking. First, sound carries. The hallways are shared, and guests without dogs regularly report hearing one barking along the corridor and outside their door morning and evening, so a vocal dog will be heard by everybody and a noise-sensitive one will hear everybody else. The town-centre setting adds live music from a nearby venue at weekends, a front door that slams and general street noise. Second, the top-floor rooms sit under the roof and get seriously hot in summer - guests have found them hard to breathe in during a heatwave, which matters more with a dog in the room than without.

Parking is difficult in this part of town and there is nowhere on site to leave a dog, so a supermarket run means taking the dog along or splitting up. With a 4.3/5 paw rating, it works best as a walkable seaside base for a settled dog and a couple or solo traveller planning to be out most of the day.