April Cottage, Ringwood

April Cottage is a period cottage set just back from the road on the edge of Ringwood town centre in Hampshire, with parking outside and the New Forest a few minutes' drive east. It is compact and homely, with a well-equipped kitchen, fast-acting heating and the steep stairs that come with a building of this age.

The enclosed rear garden is what guests travelling with dogs mention most. Party after party describes it as secure enough to let a dog out without a lead, and dogs are reported settling quickly into the cottage. Several reviewers call the place well set up for a dog and say they would return with theirs.

The town matters as much as the cottage. Ringwood's shops, pubs and leisure centre are all within walking distance, so a dog gets its outings without a car. There is a dog-friendly pub directly opposite, though reports of the welcome there are mixed, and the Original White Hart in town greets dogs with water bowls and treats at the door. For bigger days out, the New Forest's open walking is close, with Bournemouth and Poole within easy reach.

The honest caveats: dog hair is the recurring housekeeping complaint. Parties with and without dogs have found short white hairs left on the floors from earlier canine guests, so expect a well-used dog-friendly cottage rather than a spotless blank slate. Only the rear garden is secure - the front garden has no gate, worth knowing with an escape artist. The cottage is set back from the road and can be tricky to find after dark, and being close to neighbouring houses, some neighbourhood noise, including nearby dogs, can carry.

This suits owners who want a walkable town base with a genuinely secure garden and forest walks a short drive away. Anyone sensitive to traces of previous dogs, or wanting rural isolation, should look further into the Forest.