2 Bed Cottage, Barnstaple (North Devon)

For dog owners using North Devon as a walking and beach base, this self-contained two-bedroom cottage in Barnstaple works well as a whole-property let where the dog has the run of the place rather than being confined to a single hotel room. The property is explicitly dog-friendly, and the setup of your own front door with no shared corridors or lifts to negotiate is the kind of arrangement that takes a lot of the stress out of travelling with a dog.

Guests travelling with dogs consistently single out the location. A large park sits within a short walk of the cottage and comes up repeatedly as an easy spot for evening walks, which matters when you have been out exploring the coast all day and just want somewhere close to stretch the dog's legs before bed. Barnstaple itself is the practical hub of the area, so shops, food and onward routes to the beaches at Woolacombe, Croyde and Saunton are all within comfortable reach.

A few practical caveats are worth flagging so you arrive with the right expectations. One set of guests found the key-safe broken on arrival and had to phone the owner for an alternative, so it is worth having the contact number saved before you set off. The courtyard is shared with a neighbouring property and can be cluttered, and the street door is heavy enough that a neighbour in the flat above has complained about it banging, so a gentle hand on the way in and out keeps everyone happy. None of these points touch the dog-friendliness directly, but they do shape the arrival experience.

Overall this is a straightforward, good-value pick for a dog owner who wants a private base in North Devon rather than a polished hotel stay. It suits couples and small families with a well-behaved dog who plan to be out most of the day and value having their own space, a nearby park and easy access to the region's beaches over on-site frills.