The Lookout, Mundesley

The Lookout is a modern holiday house above the Norfolk coast at Mundesley, and it is set up for dogs in the small, practical ways that actually matter on a self-catering break. Guests travelling with dogs often arrive to find a bowl and a few treats put out for them, and throws are left over the sofas so muddy paws are not a problem. The living space sits on the upper floor to take in the sea view, and the house is consistently described as spotless.

Because it is a whole house rather than a room in a shared building, there are no corridors or lifts to negotiate with a nervous dog, and the garden gives you somewhere to let them out first thing. A shed holds buckets, spades and beach kit, and there is a cupboard of books, games and DVDs for the days the weather turns. Parking sits right at the front.

The location is the strongest part of the case. The beach is about a ten-minute walk away down a flight of steps, steep but handrailed, and it welcomes dogs. Mundesley's main street, with a handful of shops and a pub, is five minutes on foot, and Cromer is roughly twenty minutes by car with North Walsham about fifteen. Owners rate it highly for long shoreline walks, and the sands here empty out quickly once you are past the village.

Two things are worth planning for. The steps down to the sand are not the easiest route with an elderly or very small dog, so check the alternative approaches if that applies to you. And there is very little street lighting once you are beyond the village, so a torch and a light-up collar earn their place in the bag if you walk after dark. With a 4.8/5 paw rating, The Lookout suits couples and families who want a comfortable coastal base where the dog is expected rather than merely tolerated.