The Mayflower, Lymington

The Mayflower is a harbourside inn on King's Saltern Road in Lymington, and it is one of those pubs with rooms where a dog is treated as part of the booking rather than a complication. Dogs are allowed across the pub, not just in the bedrooms, so you can eat dinner, sit by the log fire or have a drink in the garden with yours at your feet.

The welcome is the thing guests with dogs mention most. Treats appear almost as soon as a dog comes through the door, and several owners describe their dogs being properly spoilt at breakfast, with a pig's ear or a sausage of their own. Some rooms come with dog treats and a water bowl. That isn't guaranteed, though: one guest found only biscuits waiting and no bowl or bed, so pack your own to be safe. The pub also runs a Muddy Paws deal, which guests who booked it describe as good value.

Staff get warm words throughout, and owners say the team made a real effort with their dogs and nothing was too much trouble. The building has recently been refurbished, with stylish rooms, a decked area and a large garden. The ground-floor Spinnaker Suite comes up often from guests travelling with dogs, because it opens straight onto the car park, which makes late-night and early-morning trips outside much easier.

The location is a big part of the appeal. The inn sits right by the harbour, a short walk from the marina, the yacht club and the sea water pool, and the Solent Way and a nature reserve are close by for longer walks. Lymington's high street is around ten to fifteen minutes away on foot. There is a car park on site and a large public one next door by the water.

The drawbacks are mostly about the pub side of things. Food and service at busy times draw mixed comments, and one guest found their room smelled strongly of dogs and air freshener. Pet amenities in the room can be hit and miss.

For a relaxed coastal break on the edge of the New Forest, where your dog can join you in the bar and at breakfast, it is a very easy choice.