2 Organsdale Cottages

2 Organsdale Cottages is a self-catering cottage at Organsdale in Cheshire, between Delamere Forest and Kelsall, and it is one of the few lets in the area that takes up to three dogs. The downstairs is laid with laminate and tile rather than carpet, there is an enclosed garden and parking at the rear, and Primrose Wood and Delamere Forest are close enough for a proper walk before breakfast. It earns a 4.3 out of 5 paw rating from guests who brought dogs.

The practical set-up suits dogs. Hard floors downstairs mean muddy paws are not a disaster, though guests suggest bringing your own door mats and note there is no mop provided. The garden is enclosed, and plenty of parties with escape-prone dogs have had no trouble with it at all. Others have: a missing fence panel, a large hole in the fence and a back gate that would not lock have each been reported on different stays, and with fast roads close by that matters more here than it would elsewhere. Walk the boundary before you let a dog out, and treat unsupervised garden time as something to check rather than assume.

Walking is the reason to book it. Primrose Wood is a short walk up the hill, Delamere Forest gives you miles of off-lead ground, and Little Budworth Country Park is a short drive. The equestrian centre opposite has a cafe and handles the keys, and its staff come up repeatedly as helpful. Dog-friendly pubs are close by, with the Fishpool Inn, the Egerton Arms and the Morris Dancer all named regularly, and Chester, the zoo and Frodsham are within easy reach.

The honest drawbacks are the road and the housekeeping. The cottage sits between two busy roads and daytime traffic noise is constant. The listing says so, most guests get used to it quickly, and some never notice, but a few have found it stopped them sleeping. You also cannot walk to the local pub with a dog safely because of the roads. And while many guests find the cottage clean and well kept, a run of others have arrived to problems, from bins not emptied and flaking kitchen paint to dog waste bags left in the garden and pet hair in the fridge. It is worth a look round on arrival and a call to the owner, who reviewers say responds quickly when something is raised.

Best suited to dog owners who want an inexpensive, well-placed base for Delamere Forest, can bring up to three dogs and will not be bothered by road noise. Less suited to light sleepers, or to anyone who needs to be certain of a secure garden without checking it first.