Blaencwm Cottages, Blaenffos

Blaencwm Cottages is a small group of converted stone cottages in the north Pembrokeshire countryside, under the Preseli hills and within reach of the county's dog-friendly beaches. Each cottage has its own enclosed garden, there is an extra off-lead area on the site for dogs that want a proper run, and the floors inside are the practical kind that wipe clean after a wet walk. Dogs settle here quickly, and owners have noted theirs relaxing faster than they usually would somewhere new.

The welcome is what guests return to. Arrivals are met in person, and there is normally a local welcome pack waiting - milk, eggs from the site's own hens, and homemade bara brith. Donkeys live a few steps away, which children tend to love. There is a sauna, and afternoon tea or a barbecue can be arranged in the nordic hut.

One condition matters more than anything else here: dogs are not to be left unattended in the cottage. Guests who had planned days out have found that this shapes the whole holiday, because the surrounding area is rural and there is little to do indoors with a dog in tow beyond walking and the beaches. The owners have stepped in and let dogs out for guests who were away for the day, and barking has drawn a prompt response from them in the past, so it is worth raising your plans directly rather than assuming - but a household that needs to leave a dog alone for a few hours should look elsewhere.

Each of the two cottages takes two well behaved dogs at £3 a night, and the glamping pod takes one small dog at £10 a stay by prior arrangement. Best suited to walkers and beach-goers who keep their dog with them all day and want a well-run, quiet base with secure garden space and an off-lead area on site. It earns a 4.7/5 paw rating.