Seascape, Sidmouth (with Direct Byes Gate)

Seascape is a single-storey house in a quiet residential pocket of Sidmouth with one feature that does most of the work for dog owners: a gate at the back of the garden opening straight onto The Byes, the riverside park that follows the River Sid through the town. There is no street to negotiate first and no pavement stretch before the walk begins. You open the gate and you are on the footpath.

Guests single out that arrangement more than anything else about the property, describing it as ideal for anyone travelling with a dog, and pair it with a large garden at the back for time outside without leaving the plot. Being all on one level is worth noting too, for an older dog or one that struggles with stairs. There is off-street parking, the rooms are spacious, clean and well equipped, and the setting is genuinely quiet, which guests coming from busier places tend to remark on.

The property has not published a pet fee, a weight limit or any breed restrictions, so confirm those with the owner when you book.

The one recurring gripe is arrival. The key safe has caused trouble on more than one stay, from being stiff to open to the key not being in it at all, with a long wait before anyone could help. It is worth having a contact number to hand before you set off, particularly if the dog is in the car. Guests also describe the sitting room as plainly furnished rather than cosy, and small snags such as a lamp not working or missing extractor fans have come up.

From the back gate the riverside path runs into the centre of Sidmouth and on to the seafront, with a Co-op, a Tesco and a Lidl within easy reach for self-catering, and the East Devon coast towards Beer, Branscombe and Lyme Regis within a short drive. Best suited to a couple or small family with a dog who want a level, quiet base in Sidmouth where the first walk of the day starts at the end of the garden.