The Thomas Suite

The Thomas Suite is one of those Llandudno stays where the dog is clearly part of the plan rather than an exception the host tolerates. It is a ground-floor apartment on Upper Mostyn Street, near enough to the town to walk everywhere and far enough along it to sit at the quieter end, which is exactly what you want when the beach is the point of the trip.

Dogs are made properly welcome here and parties routinely arrive with two. Labradors and other larger dogs have stayed without fuss, and the welcome extends beyond the pet policy: the host meets guests on arrival, shows them round the apartment, and leaves fruit, milk, tea, coffee and condiments ready, which takes the edge off a long drive with a dog in the back.

The location is the strongest argument for booking. The quieter end of the beach is a short walk, the Great Orme rises behind the town for a proper morning climb, and the pier and promenade are both close enough to reach on foot. Parking is permitted around the corner, roughly twenty metres away, so unloading a dog and a boot full of gear is straightforward.

Being on the ground floor is the one thing to weigh up. Footfall and movement from the apartment above carry down clearly, and a dog that is already unsettled away from home can react to it, which has happened here without putting the guests off returning. If your dog is noise-reactive, that is the risk. The double bed rather than a king is the other small gripe that comes up.

Best suited to a couple with one or two dogs who want a walkable seaside base with a host who takes trouble, and whose dog will settle with people moving about overhead. It earns a 4.6 out of 5 paw rating.