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What is it with Norfolk holiday cottages and dogs?!

30 replies

EleanorRugby · 01/02/2015 20:46

I'm currently researching where to go for our 2015 summer holiday and I have been looking at Norfolk. So many of the places I've looked at have made a big thing about being dog friendly, all the reviews of accommodation I've looked at have praised the facilities for their four legged friends and barely mentioned anything about the benefits for humans!Grin Many of the properties are advertised with pictures of dogs (usually labradors!) having a great time on their holiday!

Don't get me wrong I love dogs. I don't currently have one as a pet but I'm sure if I did I would want to make sure any accommodation I booked was suitable for it. I just haven't noticed such an emphasis on doggy comfort before when researching other areas of the UK. Is Norfolk particularly renowned within the canine world for being dog friendly?

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mummymeister · 02/02/2015 10:18

I think certain tourist boards in different areas are emphasising different things in their marketing. cornwall is all about family holidays with bucket and spade, lake district adventure and outdoors etc. Norfolk have obviously realised that a heck of a lot of people go away with their dogs and the number of dog friendly places to stay has been going down over the years so clearly they see this as their areas USP.

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Bunbaker · 03/02/2015 22:59

We stayed in Wells-next-the-Sea last summer and it was the most dog friendly place I have ever been to. Loads of shops had bowls of water outside them for dogs to have a drink. We also saw loads of dogs.

The beaches are huge and dog friendly as well.

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Babyroobs · 04/02/2015 14:16

Ooh Bunbaker , I'm glad Wells is so dog friendly, we have just booked a cottage there and will be taking our dog on holiday for the first time. Hope we can take her on the beach in July !

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Bunbaker · 04/02/2015 14:17

Which cottage Babyroobs?

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OttiliaVonBCup · 04/02/2015 14:18

I'm guilty of that.

I'd rather have a dog than a toddler in my cottage.

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tkband3 · 04/02/2015 14:21

We stay on the North Norfolk coast every year and there are a huge number of dogs there - almost all labradors. We often felt quite left out with our little Yorkie Smile.

(Babyroobs one end of Wells beach is dog-friendly, but the other end is dog free - it's fairly clear which is which Smile).

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Bunbaker · 04/02/2015 15:01

I think we were at the end of the dog free bit as we saw loads of dogs. I can see why there is a need to segregate though, but as the beaches in North Norfolk are so huge there is room for everybody.

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ihatethecold · 06/02/2015 16:14

The beach cafe at east runton is dog friendly.
I know the lady who owns it.
She is happy for you to take your dog inside whilst you have a cuppa and a snack.
I love Norfolk beaches.

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EleanorRugby · 07/02/2015 08:39

Have just booked a week in August at Winterton-on-Sea, now praying for good weather in August! Have been to Dorset on holiday for the last two years which was fab, but looking forward to something different this year. I haven't been on holiday to Norfolk since I was little, but have fond memories of seaside holidays there.

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Lonecatwithkitten · 07/02/2015 08:44

Both myself and other friends with holiday cottages find that people with dogs in general leave properties better than people without dogs. Plus they pay extra to bring dogs, win, win. So yes they are clientele we are looking to attract.

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Orangeanddemons · 07/02/2015 08:44

I'm severely allergic to dogs. I can't stay in dog friendly accomodation, it makes me too ill. I wish there were more places that didn't let dogs in

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mistlethrush · 07/02/2015 08:48

There are many more cottages that are dog free than cottages that are dog friendly, so that really shouldn't be a problem. Not sure that's there's a filter for 'no pets allowed' though - which might make it more difficult for you to filter them out in the search

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Orangeanddemons · 07/02/2015 08:49

I've found the opposite actually. It's quite hard to find non-dog cottages. I would say 75% of them allow pets

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Orangeanddemons · 07/02/2015 08:50

And about 30% of the population have an animal allergy

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Iggly · 07/02/2015 08:50


I hate self catering which allows pets. Even though it is clean, unless they've got an expensive decent vacuum, then it isn't really. The last time we stayed in a pet friendly place I couldn't sleep for my nose and eyes were streaming when I lay down.

crosses Norfolk off list
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Sirzy · 07/02/2015 08:50

I have the same problem Orange as ds can't stay in accomdation which accepts dogs. I think it is getting harder and harder to find somewhere pet free.

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Orangeanddemons · 07/02/2015 08:51

Ditto Iggly. The proteins which cause allergies are very sticky, and hang onto surfaces for ever. So hence the streaming nose and eyes, even though the cottage was probably clean

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mistlethrush · 07/02/2015 08:52

Well, I've just searched 'English Country Cottages' for a week in September starting on the 13th. First with one pet (47 cottages) and then with no pet - 2,191 cottages. Which makes me think that it really is easier to find cottages with no pet rather than with a pet.

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Orangeanddemons · 07/02/2015 08:54

I often think about alerting these tourists boards which encourage dogs, to the fact that they are discriminating against 30% of the population. It's an ignored disability issues. Imagine saying that 75% of holiday keys weren't suitable for wheelchair users..

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Orangeanddemons · 07/02/2015 08:55

As, I've said my experience is the opposite. I find it very hard to find places. Most website don't even have a filter for the pet option

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DesperatelySeekingSanity · 07/02/2015 09:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bunbaker · 07/02/2015 09:51

mistlethrush There isn't a "no pets" filter on English Country Cottages, so the no pet result doesn't necessarily mean that people haven't taken pets to those 2,191 cottages. It just means that you don't want to take a pet.

I agree that there should be a "no pet" filter on self catering websites.

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mistlethrush · 07/02/2015 09:58

No, I agree that it would be useful for allergy sufferers to be able to have a 'no pets' filter.

However, that was exactly the same search - the only box changed was the 'one pet' option... The 47 pet friendly cottages are a subset of the 2,191 cottages available that week, which does suggest that there are lots of cottages that don't accept pets but you've just got to filter out the ones that do allow pets, and the system doesn't allow you to do that.

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Showy · 07/02/2015 10:28

I live in Norfolk. We often joke that holiday makers are only let in if they have a joules gilet, hunter wellies and a black lab. We go to Holkham, the Burnhams, Brancaster, Wells etc for a walk regularly and we play spot the dog who has no obvious breed. There aren't any. Admittedly, there are things like cockapoos which aren't a breed but expensive, bred dogs are the order of the day.

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mistlethrush · 07/02/2015 10:32

Clearly I'm doing the right thing going to suffolk with my lurcher mutt then!

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