The Harper, Langham

The Harper is a boutique hotel in Langham, a few miles inland from the north Norfolk coast, and it belongs to the small group of design-led hotels that treat dogs as ordinary guests rather than an exception. It is a conversion done to a high standard - spa, private bookable pool, courtyard garden, four-poster rooms - and none of that comes with a rule that your dog has to stay behind.

The dog provision is genuinely thought through. There is a hose by the door for washing off a muddy dog and towels left there for drying, which is the kind of thing that only exists somewhere used to wet spaniels coming back off a beach. The dining room that looks onto the courtyard garden welcomes dogs, so evening meals do not have to be split between you. There is a charge of £25 per room, per night for bringing a dog, so budget for it across a longer stay.

Staff are the other consistent theme. Guests mention being helped with room changes and extensions before arrival, and getting a warm, unhurried welcome that does not feel scripted. The food draws praise, though several visitors think it is priced closer to London than to Norfolk for what arrives.

The honest caveat is the volume of dogs. Because the hotel is so open about it, there are usually a lot of them, and guests report two knock-on effects: dogs left alone in rooms while their owners use the pool or the restaurant can be heard barking next door, and the heavy doors set dogs off when they close. Some visitors have found the number of dogs in the public rooms more than they bargained for. Guests travelling with dogs have also felt the nightly charge ought to cover vacuuming, having found hair left over by the end of the stay.

If you want a smart north Norfolk base where the dog comes to dinner, this is one of the strongest options on the coast, and it earns a 4.6/5 paw rating. If your dog struggles when left, plan to take them with you rather than leaving them in the room.