The Gin Trap Inn

A characterful 4-star inn in the village of Ringstead, a few miles inland from Hunstanton on the north Norfolk coast, The Gin Trap Inn pairs a proper pub-with-rooms feel with a genuine welcome for dogs. Guests come back for the food and the staff as much as the setting, and this stretch of Norfolk is prime walking country, with the coast, the Peddars Way and big open skies all close at hand.

Dog-friendliness is one of the most consistent themes across the reviews. Guests travelling with dogs describe warm, attentive staff who make four-legged visitors feel expected, little touches like dog treats on arrival, and a covered outdoor area that is handy whatever the Norfolk weather is doing. Several mention returning specifically because the whole experience, dog included, was so easy, and the surrounding walks get repeated praise.

There are a few honest things to weigh up. Dog-friendly accommodation is spread between rooms above the inn and separate cottages, and one guest wished the designated dog-friendly room were on the ground floor with direct garden access rather than up in the attic, so it is worth asking which room or cottage you will get if easy outdoor access matters. A couple of reviewers noted a faint doggy smell or stray dog hairs in the more heavily-used rooms, a common trade-off at genuinely dog-friendly inns, and if you are a light sleeper it is worth checking whether your dates clash with the busy Gin Festival weekend, when live music in the garden runs late.

The property's booking listing does not set out a formal written pet policy, so confirm any pet charge and the number of dogs allowed directly before you book, and ask for a cottage or ground-floor room if garden access is important with your dog.

Best suited to couples and small groups who want a food-led, dog-friendly Norfolk base with proper coast and countryside walking on the doorstep.