The View, Tynemouth

The View is a small guesthouse perched at the mouth of the Tyne in Tynemouth, and the name is not an exaggeration: the outlook over the river and out to sea is the first thing guests mention. For dog owners, though, the standout is behind the house. The garden is fully fenced, roughly 23 metres by 15 metres, so a dog can be let off the lead in it. That is rare in a seaside guesthouse, and owners of nervous and rescue dogs have got real value from it.

Dogs cost £40 per pet, and up to four can stay, which makes it workable for a household with more than one. The host is easy-going about arrivals, gives clear parking directions in advance and will set up a self check-in for a late arrival. Breakfast is a relaxed help-yourself continental spread.

The location does the rest. The beach and the coast path start a couple of minutes away, there are grassy areas immediately outside for a quick trip out, and Front Street's shops, pubs and restaurants are about five minutes on foot. The Metro puts Newcastle within easy reach if you want a day away from the coast.

Set your expectations on the building. This is an old stone house run as a simple guesthouse rather than a hotel: several rooms use a shared or private-down-the-hall bathroom instead of an en suite, and the owner has been converting rooms, so check what your room has when you book. It is also, visibly, a house that dogs live in and pass through. Guests have reported dog hair on bedding, a general doggy smell about the place and a stained carpet in one of the pet-friendly rooms. If that would bother you, raise it before you arrive; if it would not, it is the flip side of a place that genuinely lets dogs be dogs.

At 4.4/5, The View suits dog owners who want the fenced garden, the sea and the coast path on the doorstep, and who would rather have those than a polished en suite.