Whitley Bay Caravan Retreat

Whitley Bay Caravan Retreat is a three-bedroom static caravan on a holiday park a short walk from the Northumberland coast, and it suits dog owners for reasons that have little to do with a formal pet policy. The caravan is let as a whole, so there are no shared corridors or lifts to negotiate, parking sits right beside the door, and the beach and the coast path at St Mary's Lighthouse are close enough for a first walk of the day before anyone else is up.

Owners who have brought dogs describe an easy, unfussy welcome. Terriers and other small dogs turn up repeatedly in their accounts, and nobody reports the last-minute questions or extra conditions that catch pet owners out on holiday-park bookings. That consistency is what puts the caravan at 4.7/5.

Practically, the interior is well set up for a dog that has been on a beach. It is kept clean and tidy between stays, there are two bathrooms including one with a shower, and the park's pool, bar and cafe are three or four minutes away on foot. The owner answers messages quickly, which matters more than it sounds when you arrive somewhere new with an animal.

The caveats are about comfort rather than pets. The single beds are soft and springy, and the living-room curtains have a habit of coming off their runners. There is no enclosed private garden, so a dog that needs a secure space to be let out will have to be walked instead. The rules that do apply come from the park rather than the caravan: leads outside the designated dog walking areas, a collar and tag at all times, and no breeds restricted under the Dangerous Dogs Act. No pet fee is published, so confirm the cost when you book.

It suits owners of one or two well-behaved dogs who want a self-contained base for the Northumberland coast, and who would rather have a whole caravan with the car parked outside than a hotel room.