The Old Laundry, Rye

The Old Laundry sits a minute's walk from the middle of Rye, which is rather the point of it: you can be among the cobbles, the antique shops and the dog-friendly pubs of the old town without moving the car. The owner is one of the most consistently praised things about the place, greeting guests, running through how everything works and pointing people towards the local spots that welcome dogs.

The dog provisioning is better than most town-centre flats manage. Blankets, bowls and throws are put out for dogs alongside the welcome hamper for their owners, and treats for the dog are a regular part of the arrival. Inside, the flat is spacious for its type, spotlessly kept and quiet at night despite the location. Nothing in the listing discloses a pet charge, so check the pet terms when you book.

Access is where dog owners have to think hard, and it divides opinion more than anything else here. The flat is on the lower ground floor, reached through a wooden door beside the house and down roughly ten very steep steps, and it opens onto a busy main road rather than a garden. There is no outdoor space of its own. Every toilet trip is therefore the steep steps plus the road, which guests have found awkward late at night and slow with two dogs. Reviewers travelling with small dogs, older dogs or any dog unsure on steps have been blunt that the staircase does not suit them, and some have concluded the property does not work for a dog at all. The gate onto the road has also been described as fiddly to manage with dogs in hand.

The same steps rule the flat out for anyone with mobility difficulties, and the layout below street level is not what the exterior photographs suggest.

For a confident, steady dog with owners who want Rye on the doorstep and are happy to do the steps several times a day, this is a warm and well-run base, and it earns a 4.3/5 paw rating. For a puppy, a small breed or a dog with stiff hips, look for something with a garden.