Sea La Vie, Woolacombe

Sea La Vie is a self-catering apartment on Station Road in Woolacombe, a few minutes' walk from the beach and the village, and it works best for dog owners who are happy to walk rather than turn a dog out into a garden. That distinction is the single most important thing to understand before booking: there is no enclosed outdoor space for dogs, and the field behind the property does not form part of the let. Several parties have arrived expecting one and been disappointed.

What the apartment does well is the indoor side. Guests travelling with dogs consistently describe it as spotlessly clean and thoroughly equipped, with blankets put out to cover the sofas, ceiling fans that earn their keep in hot weather and a host who is quick to respond when something needs fixing. The welcome for the dogs themselves is warm and unfussy.

Location is the other draw. Woolacombe's long beach, Combe Martin and Putsborough are all close, and shaded footpaths start near the property, so the walking stays good even when the sand is under seasonal dog restrictions. The village has plenty of places to eat within strolling distance.

The caveats are real and worth weighing. The apartment sits behind a village pub that guests have found closed for refurbishment, with the building work bringing noise and a scruffy outlook. Guests describe the immediate surroundings as run-down, with weed-choked parking and old vehicles on the site, and one party found the parking area rough enough to worry about their dog's paws. Another reported a damp smell indoors, and more than one has said the plot feels hemmed in.

Sea La Vie earns a 4.1/5 paw rating: a decent apartment let down by its surroundings rather than by its welcome. It suits dog owners who want a clean, well-stocked base within walking distance of a superb North Devon beach and who will not miss having a garden. Anyone who needs secure outdoor space for a dog should look elsewhere in the village.