Whitwell Loft

Whitwell Loft is a dog-friendly, two-bedroom loft apartment in Southsea, sleeping four, a few minutes' walk from Canoe Lake, the seafront and South Parade Pier. Big skylights flood the open-plan living space with light, and everything inside is on one level once you're up the stairs, so it's a bright, calm base for a beach break, a few days exploring Portsmouth, or a longer stay for work. Book it direct with us here.

The loft at a glance

• Sleeps 4: a small double room and a twin room
• 1 bathroom with a walk-in shower
• Open-plan living and dining space under large skylights
• Kitchen with oven, hob and microwave
• Smart TV, fast Wi-Fi and a laptop-friendly spot to work
• Washing machine in the building
• Dogs welcome
• Canoe Lake about 4 minutes' walk, the seafront a few minutes more
• Residents' permit parking on the street
• Self check-in by lockbox, 4 pm to 9 pm; check-out 10 am

Inside the loft

The loft is the top-floor flat of the building, and that's where its character comes from. Generous skylights pour daylight into the open-plan living and dining space, so it feels airy whatever the weather. There's a comfortable sofa and a smart TV for evenings in, and a fold-out dining table that opens up when you're eating together and folds away to give you more room the rest of the time. Guests describe it as super clean, up to date and a delightful little gem.

Bedrooms

Bedroom 1: a small double bed.

Bedroom 2: two single beds, for children, friends or colleagues.

Both rooms are made up with crisp white linen and plenty of pillows before you arrive, with room-darkening blinds for slow seaside mornings and portable fans for warm nights.

The bathroom

The bathroom has a walk-in shower, with fresh towels and starter toiletries: shampoo, shower gel and hand wash, plus a hairdryer.

Kitchen

The kitchen has an oven and hob, a microwave, a fridge and freezer, a toaster and a kettle, with tea, milk and sugar waiting for you, and pots, pans, plates and wine glasses for a meal in. There's no dishwasher, so it's washing-up the old-fashioned way, and with the restaurants of Albert Road ten minutes away, you may not cook every night.

Working and longer stays

There's fast Wi-Fi and a laptop-friendly table, an iron, and a washing machine in the building, so a week or a month here is easy. Stays of a week or more are priced lower per night, and you can book up to 89 nights online. For longer stays or company bookings, email us before you book and we'll see what we can do for you.

Dogs at Whitwell Loft

Dogs are welcome. There's no garden, but you're about four minutes from Canoe Lake and moments from the seafront promenade, which makes for brilliant morning and evening walks. Just let us know you're bringing a dog when you book.

The stairs

The loft sits at the top of the building and is reached by stairs, with no lift, which is the price of all that light from the skylights. Once you're inside, the living space, both bedrooms and the bathroom are all on one level. There are stairs just outside the bedroom and living room doors, so if you're bringing a toddler, keep an eye on little explorers.

Where you are in Southsea

Whitwell Road is a quiet residential street in the heart of Southsea, and guests say it's a great location near the park and the seafront. Canoe Lake is about four minutes' walk, with the beach, the promenade and South Parade Pier a few minutes beyond. Albert Road, with its independent restaurants, bars, cafés and live music venues, is about 10 minutes on foot, the boutique shops and cafés of Palmerston Road about 15, and Southsea Castle about 16. Follow the flat seafront promenade west and you can walk past Southsea Castle, the Blue Reef Aquarium, Southsea Common and Clarence Pier, all the way to Old Portsmouth.

By car, Eastney Beach is about 6 minutes away, Gunwharf Quays about 7, the Spinnaker Tower about 8, the ferry port about 9 and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, home of HMS Victory and the Mary Rose, about 11.

Getting here and parking

Several bus stops are a short walk away, with buses around Southsea and into the city centre. Fratton station is about 28 minutes' walk or a short bus or taxi ride, with direct trains to London Waterloo, Southampton and beyond, and Portsmouth Harbour station is about 8 minutes' drive. Parking is on the street in the residents' permit zone (MF). Send us your car's make, colour and registration before you arrive and we'll arrange a permit for the nights you're staying.

What's provided

• Crisp linen on every bed and towels for everyone
• Starter toiletries and a hairdryer
• Tea, milk and sugar for your first cuppa
• Cleaning products, an iron and hangers
• Room-darkening blinds, portable fans and heating
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

Arriving

You have the whole loft to yourselves. Check-in is self check-in from 4 pm to 9 pm, with the key in a lockbox at the building; we send the code and directions before you arrive. Check-out is by 10 am. Our local team is on hand by message every day from 8 am to 8 pm, and there's an emergency number for anything urgent.

Worth knowing

It's a top-floor flat reached by stairs, with no lift. There's no garden or outdoor space of its own, though Canoe Lake and the seafront are on the doorstep. The kitchen has no dishwasher.

Good to know before you book

• Arrivals from 4 pm, last check-in 9 pm, by lockbox; leave by 10 am
• We can't offer late arrivals after 9 pm
• Top-floor flat up the stairs, no lift; everything inside is on one level
• Up to two dogs; a pet fee applies
• One residents' parking permit (zone MF) included
• No cot available; bring a travel cot
• No parties or events, and no smoking
• After booking, the lead guest completes a short ID check and deposit step with our partner SafeGuest

Questions guests ask

• Can we bring our dog? Yes, up to two dogs are welcome (a pet fee applies), with Canoe Lake and the promenade minutes away for walks.
• How far is the beach? A few minutes' walk, just past Canoe Lake.
• Is there parking? Yes, on the street in the MF residents' zone, with one permit included; just send us your car's details.
• How are the beds set up? A small double room and a twin room, sleeping four.
• Is there a lift? No, the loft is up stairs, but everything inside is on one level.
• Is there Wi-Fi and somewhere to work? Yes, fast Wi-Fi and a laptop-friendly table.
• Can we do laundry? Yes, there's a washing machine in the building.
• Can we walk to restaurants? Yes, Albert Road is about 10 minutes away.
• Can we arrive after 9 pm? Sorry, no: the lockbox check-in window ends at 9 pm, so aim to get here between 4 and 9.
• Is there a cot? Not at the moment, so pack a travel cot for a baby.

Booking direct

Booking here is cheaper than booking the same dates through some of the big booking sites. Stays of a week or more are priced lower per night, and if you have particular dates or a longer stay in mind, email us before you book and we'll see what we can do for you.