Appletorre House Holiday Flats

Appletorre House is a small group of self-catering flats in a converted period house on a quiet residential road above Torquay harbour, and it has become a reliable choice for people bringing a dog to the English Riviera. Each flat has its own kitchen and its own parking space, the garden behind the house is a real feature rather than an afterthought, and guests are met at the door with the keys and a run-through of the area. It earns a 4.7/5 paw rating.

Pets are taken by prior arrangement rather than as a free-for-all, and one flat, number 4, is not let to guests with pets at all because of its full-height windows, so it is worth flagging the dog when you book. Food and water bowls are put out in the flat. What dog owners mention most, though, is how clean the place is: several arrive braced for the faint kennel smell that dog-friendly self-catering often carries and remark that there is none of it.

There is a resident cat, and it is not universally charmed by visiting dogs. A couple of parties describe it squaring up to theirs in the car park or the corridor. Nothing serious came of it, but if your dog reacts badly to cats, expect to meet one. Assistance dogs are accommodated without fuss.

The location is a walk rather than a stroll from the seafront: fifteen to twenty minutes down to the harbour, shops and beach, then a steady climb on the way back. For a fit dog and owner that makes a good daily circuit, with plenty of places to eat at the bottom of it. Anyone with mobility trouble, or a very old or very small dog, may prefer to drive or take the bus down. It suits couples and families who want a clean, well-kept flat with parking and a garden, and who do not mind earning their sea view on the way home.