Luxury in North Devon turns out to mean something practical rather than glossy. Ten of the twelve houses below carry a five star grading and the other two four, yet the features that recur from one listing to the next are an outdoor shower plumbed for hot water, a boot room or a drying rail for wetsuits, and a garden the owners call enclosed in their own words. Six come with a private hot tub, and four keep a wood burner going. One has a cinema room and another a lockable beach hut standing in the lawn.
Be clear about the map before going further. Every property here sits on the north coast, ten of them around the mouth of the Taw and Torridge at Appledore, Instow and Westward Ho!, and two further up towards Woolacombe and Lee. The south coast and Dartmoor are missing, because this particular combination of grading, garden and written dog allowance clusters up here. For a dog owner that concentration is useful: the same estuary sand, the Tarka Trail and the coast path serve nearly every booking, so choosing between them comes down to the house and the number of dogs it will take, which runs from one to three.
Trieste, Appledore
A floor to ceiling window frames the river and Instow on the far bank, and the open plan room built around it is the reason Trieste is laid out the way it is. The house sleeps eight on reverse split levels in the centre of Appledore, three dogs are welcome, and the south facing garden is enclosed, with a raised deck holding the hot tub and a charcoal barbecue before steps drop down to a lawn. The garage has been given a pool table, along with room for bikes and boards and a point for charging an electric car.
The fire in that big living room is a living flame electric one rather than a wood burner, so anyone booking for the crackle of real logs should look at Stonelea or Torridge House instead. The bedrooms all sit on the ground floor, two kings with en suite showers and two twins, which keeps sleeping dogs and sleeping people on one level. Westward Ho! is the nearest dog beach in our directory at 2.6 miles, and the village shops, galleries and pubs are a short walk away.
- Sleeps: 8 across 4 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 3
- Standout: Floor to ceiling window over the estuary, hot tub on the raised deck
- Enclosed garden: Yes, south facing, with steps down to a lawn
- Also: Games garage with pool table, EV charging, parking for three cars
- Best for: Two families with three dogs between them and a taste for village life
Skybreak, Appledore
The coast path begins across the road from the front door, roughly a hundred metres off, so three dogs can be walking within a minute of the lead coming off its hook. Skybreak sleeps eight, all four bedrooms at entrance level and a pair with their own bathrooms, with underfloor heating in a hall wide enough for a pile of muddy boots. The living space is above: one vaulted room with sliding doors onto a large balcony, air conditioning on that top floor, and a separate snug with a Smart TV.
The garden climbs, though, and that is the catch. It rises behind the house on two levels, patio and barbecue first, then steps up to the lawn where the hot tub stands, and that arrangement will slow down an elderly dog or anybody carrying a tray of drinks. On the way up, behind a side wall, sits a shower running hot and cold for sandy feet of every kind. Appledore's quay and gastro pubs are a short walk away, and Westward Ho! sand is 2.4 miles along the coast.
- Sleeps: 8 across 4 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 3
- Standout: Vaulted living room with a balcony facing the coast
- Enclosed garden: Yes, on two levels, hot tub at the top
- Dog facilities: Outdoor hot and cold shower
- Best for: A group that wants the coast path at the door and the sea in view
Sandbars Instow
What sets Sandbars apart is a hot shower in the back garden, put there for rinsing estuary sand off three dogs before any of them reaches a carpet. Eight sleep in four bedrooms in the village of Instow, and the enclosed garden behind the house takes the sun, with a dining table under an electric awning, a brick barbecue and a hot tub under a pergola. The Tarka Trail passes the property car free, so a morning outing needs no car whatsoever.
The passenger ferry over to Appledore runs in the summer months only, which leaves an autumn or winter visit with a drive round by road, and the nearest dog beach in our directory is Westward Ho! at 3.7 miles. For open surf beaches the dogs will need the car too: Croyde, Woolacombe and Saunton Sands are all within reach, but none of them is on foot.
- Sleeps: 8 across 4 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 3
- Standout: Hot tub under a pergola and a table beneath an electric awning
- Enclosed garden: Yes, sunny, at the rear
- Dog facilities: Outdoor hot shower
- Best for: Three dogs, a houseful of people and the Tarka Trail on the doorstep
Caynham, Instow
Caynham is the biggest house in this guide, a period home sleeping ten in five bedrooms with river views from a large terrace and the sand three minutes from the door. Patio doors open from the lounge onto that terrace, and steps lead down from it into a fully enclosed rear garden with furniture, a barbecue and a fire pit, which is where a long evening tends to end. The practical rooms are thought through for a coastal week: a drying room with a rail for wetsuits, a utility, and a ground floor wet room with a double shower.
Ten guests and only two dogs is the ratio to weigh. Two families with a dog each will fit comfortably, but a larger party bringing more than two animals will have to look elsewhere, at Trieste or Skybreak across the water. There is no hot tub here either, the fire pit doing that evening job instead. The super king and the king both have en suites with river views, and a balcony at the top of the house looks out over the estuary.
- Sleeps: 10 across 5 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 2
- Standout: Terrace with river views and a fire pit in the garden below
- Enclosed garden: Yes, fully enclosed, reached by steps from the terrace
- Dog facilities: Drying room with a wetsuit rail
- Best for: A big gathering bringing no more than two dogs
Torridge House, Instow
A hundred steps separate Torridge House from Instow's sand. Six sleep in three bedrooms upstairs and two dogs are welcome. Off the kitchen an enclosed area opens into an enclosed courtyard with a hot and cold shower, which the owner recommends for sandy dogs, and a garden shed takes the bikes and boards. Inside there is a wood burner, a Smart TV with a sound bar and a dining room with space for everyone.
The garden takes a little reaching. It is not off the back door but up a fully lit shared path and five steps, a private lawn with furniture and a charcoal barbecue at the top, so a dog cannot simply be let out into it from the kitchen; the courtyard does that job. Torridge House is also graded four stars rather than five. In exchange you get the beach, the village pubs and the deli all on foot, and the Tarka Trail running through Instow for miles of traffic free walking.
- Sleeps: 6 across 3 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 2
- Standout: A hundred steps to the beach, and a wood burner for the evenings
- Enclosed garden: Yes, a private lawn up a shared path and five steps
- Dog facilities: Enclosed courtyard with a hot and cold shower
- Best for: Two dogs and a week spent mostly on the sand
Stonelea, Westward Ho
A lockable beach hut stands in the garden at Stonelea, holding the bikes, surfboards, golf clubs and buckets so none of it comes into the house. This is a detached five star home for six and two dogs, half a mile from Westward Ho!, and the landscaped garden behind it faces south and is enclosed, with an outdoor dining table, a sofa and a gas barbecue. The super king and the king both open onto it through bi folding doors, so the dogs have a choice of exits.
It runs reverse level, and the open plan living space upstairs has a wood burner and bi fold doors onto a balcony. The half mile into the village is a walk rather than a step, though, and the nearest trail in our directory, the Tarka Trail stretch at Fremington Quay, is 4.4 miles away by car. Golfers have direct access to the Royal North Devon Golf Club, and the pebble ridge and Northam Burrows are close by for the daily walk.
- Sleeps: 6 across 3 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 2
- Standout: Lockable beach hut in the garden, wood burner upstairs
- Enclosed garden: Yes, landscaped and south facing
- Fire: Wood burner
- Best for: Couples or a small family who play golf and want a real fire
Sea & Tee, Westward Ho
The name gives away the two halves of a stay here. Sea & Tee is a five star house for six and two dogs within walking distance of the beach at Westward Ho!, and a championship golf course is within walking distance too, with free social membership of the Royal North Devon club thrown in. Upstairs is one open plan kitchen, lounge and diner with a wood burner in the middle, and glass doors onto a balcony for a drink at sunset. A nautical theme runs through the decoration.
The balcony offers glimpses of the sea rather than a full view, so do not book it expecting a panorama. The enclosed lawn garden sits below the balcony with a table and chairs for eating outside. Downstairs, two kings with en suite showers and a twin with a games console share the floor with a bathroom and a utility, and secure storage takes the beach and golf kit.
- Sleeps: 6 across 3 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 2
- Standout: Free social membership of the Royal North Devon Golf Club
- Enclosed garden: Yes, a lawn below the balcony
- Fire: Wood burner
- Best for: A golfing week where the dogs get the beach and the humans get the course
Salty Tides, Westward Ho
Leads, wetsuits and boards all have somewhere to go at Salty Tides, because the large store and boot room by the front door was built for the return from the beach. The house sleeps six and two dogs, its three bedrooms sharing the lower level with the main bathroom, with luxury vinyl flooring throughout, which matters more than it sounds once two wet dogs are inside. Upstairs a vaulted ceiling covers the lounge, kitchen and diner, a wood burner sits in the middle, and bi folding doors open onto a balcony facing the sea.
The large enclosed rear garden carries more than most here: a private hot tub, a patio with a barbecue, a summerhouse on its own decking, a hot water shower and a lockable shed with a drying rack. The limit is the dog allowance of two, and the Tarka Trail stretch in our directory is 4.3 miles off by road. For daily walking the beach and its pebble ridge, which joins Northam Burrows Country Park, are within walking distance.
- Sleeps: 6 across 3 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 2
- Standout: Vaulted living room, private hot tub and a summerhouse
- Enclosed garden: Yes, large, at the rear
- Dog facilities: Drying room, boot room, outdoor hot shower
- Best for: Surfing families who bring their dogs and their wetsuits back wet
Greenway Sandpiper, Westward Ho
The listing calls this garden dog proof and secure, which is a stronger claim than most owners make and the line that will matter most to anyone with an escape artist. Greenway Sandpiper sleeps eight in four bedrooms at Westward Ho!, and two of those bedrooms open straight onto that garden, where a hot tub, a barbecue and a shed with a football table wait. A children's snug with bean bags, books and a TV sits on the bedroom floor, and the lounge, kitchen and diner are upstairs with a balcony and far reaching views.
Two dogs for eight people is the restriction, so a pair of families with a dog each fits and a third dog does not. Parking is allocated for two cars, with roadside spaces nearby, which may pinch for a group arriving in three. The beach, pubs and shops are all within easy walking distance, though, and Northam Burrows behind the sand offers walks through the dunes.
- Sleeps: 8 across 4 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 2
- Standout: A garden the owners describe as dog proof, with a hot tub
- Enclosed garden: Yes, secure, with two bedrooms opening onto it
- Also: Children's snug, balcony, football table in the shed
- Best for: Families with young children and a dog prone to wandering
Ocean Escape, Westward Ho!
Ocean Escape is the closest of the Westward Ho! houses to the sand by our directory's measure, 0.3 miles, and from the top floor balcony the view runs across the bay to Lundy. Eight sleep in four bedrooms over three floors, and there is a cinema room and a games room for the evenings. The enclosed garden is at the back on the first floor level, south facing with a barbecue and furniture, and a separate courtyard on the ground floor has a rack for boards and hooks for wetsuits.
One dog only, the tightest allowance on this list alongside Azalea Barn, which rules it out for any household with two. The three floors are another consideration with an older dog, although a stair gate comes with the house and the welcome pack has extras for the dog. West along the cliffs towards Clovelly the coast path is a stretch for keeping a dog close to heel, and the Tarka Trail is the flatter alternative.
- Sleeps: 8 across 4 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 1
- Standout: Cinema room and a view to Lundy from the top floor
- Enclosed garden: Yes, south facing, at first floor level
- Dog facilities: Dog welcome pack, stair gate
- Best for: A large group with one dog and a hankering to be on the beach first
Coastguard Cottage - Woolacombe
The Tarka Trail is reached directly from the garden at Coastguard Cottage, and for three dogs that is worth more than any amount of interior styling. Six sleep in three bedrooms, two of them zip and link, and the ground floor is one open lounge, kitchen and diner with bi fold doors folding back to the garden. By the front door sit a utility room and a wet room, so the mess from a morning out stops at the entrance. The enclosed garden has seating, a barbecue and storage for boards and bikes.
Woolacombe's sand is not on the doorstep: it is 1.7 miles off in our directory, and a short drive is the realistic way to reach it. Neither a hot tub nor a fire appears in the listing, which puts this at the plainer end of the luxury on offer here, though it is graded five stars. Its strength is the walking. The Morte Point and Bull Point circuit is 1.8 miles away, the South West Coast Path is near at hand, and Ilfracombe can be reached along the trail on foot.
- Sleeps: 6 across 3 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 3
- Standout: Tarka Trail straight from the garden
- Enclosed garden: Yes, with seating and a barbecue
- Also: Utility and wet room by the front door
- Best for: Three energetic dogs and walkers who would rather not drive
Azalea Barn, Lee
Pigs and sheep live all around Allender Farm, and they are the first thing a dog notices on arrival. Azalea Barn is a semi detached barn conversion for four near Lee, with one dog welcome, a king bedroom with a freestanding roll top bath and a second king that can become a twin. Outside, the enclosed patio is tiered and catches the sun, and it holds a private hot tub, a gas barbecue and furniture. A scenic walk leads from the property down to the beach and pub at Lee Bay.
Livestock on every side means the lead stays on whenever the dog leaves that patio, and beyond it the lawn with swings is shared rather than private. The property next door can be booked alongside for a group of ten. The fire is a wood burner effect electric one, and the barn is graded four stars, so this is the smallest and simplest entry here. For a couple and a single dog it is also the most romantic: the hot tub, the roll top bath and the coast path reached on foot.
- Sleeps: 4 across 2 bedrooms
- Dogs welcome: 1
- Standout: Roll top bath in the main bedroom and a hot tub on the patio
- Enclosed garden: Yes, a tiered sun trap patio
- Dog facilities: Stair gate
- Best for: A couple and one steady dog wanting a quiet farm base near the coast path
Practical Advice for Booking a Luxury Dog Friendly Cottage in Devon
A grading tells you about the kitchen and the linen. It says much less about the things that shape a week with a dog, so check these before paying:
- Match the dog allowance to the party. Half of the six houses sleeping eight or more stop at one or two dogs; Trieste, Skybreak and Sandbars are the ones that take three.
- Find out where the garden is. At Torridge House it is up a shared path and five steps, at Ocean Escape it sits at first floor level, and at Skybreak it climbs in two stages. None of that is a problem once you know.
- Look for the outside shower. Sandbars, Skybreak, Salty Tides and Torridge House all have one running hot, and on this coast it earns its keep more than any other fitting.
- Read the fire description closely. Four houses have a wood burner. Trieste and Azalea Barn have electric fires designed to look like one.
- Check the seasons at Instow. The passenger ferry across to Appledore runs in the summer months only.
- Expect livestock above Lee. Pigs and sheep live all around the farm at Azalea Barn, so recall and a lead both matter there.
Map of Luxury Dog Friendly Cottages in Devon
Ten of the twelve houses gather around one estuary mouth and the other two sit a half hour north, near Woolacombe and Lee. Pull up the Wildpack map and the split is plain: river frontage at Appledore and Instow, Atlantic surf at Westward Ho!, farmland above Lee, with the beaches and trails the dogs will use plotted between them.
11 stays on this pageMap these stays, and thousands more
The Wildpack Map plots every dog friendly walk, beach, stay and attraction we have listed across the UK. Open it to see what else is within reach in Devon, filter by what your dog needs, and get directions to the car park.
What's Nearby?
For the beaches, the walks and the other houses along this coast:
- Dog friendly beaches in Devon: Westward Ho!, Woolacombe and the rest of the county's sand, with the seasonal rules for each.
- Dog friendly walks in Devon: Coast path, woodland and moor, for the days when the beach is not enough.
- Dog friendly hot tub cottages in Devon: A different twelve houses around the same estuary, chosen for the hot tub first.
- Luxury dog friendly cottages across the UK: The same standard applied nationally, from Sussex to Perthshire.
- Dog friendly walks on Exmoor: Higher, wilder ground east of Lee and Woolacombe for a day away from the shore.
For the full Devon inventory beyond these twelve, browse every dog friendly stay we list in Devon.
Final Thoughts
This stretch of North Devon suits the owner who wants a well finished house and a dog that comes home sandy every day. The grading is high across the board, but the real distinction between these twelve lies in how each one handles the return from the beach: the outdoor showers at Sandbars and Skybreak, the boot room at Salty Tides, the beach hut at Stonelea, the wet room at Coastguard Cottage.
The dog count narrows the choice fastest. Three dogs points you to Trieste, Skybreak, Sandbars or Coastguard Cottage. A single dog and a couple belong at Azalea Barn, and a single dog with a crowd at Ocean Escape. Everyone else, with two dogs and a family, has the pick of Westward Ho! and Instow, and the deciding question there is whether you want the beach a hundred steps away or the golf course a short walk away.
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