Bron Celyn Bach, Betws-y-coed

Bron Celyn Bach is a small stone cottage on the Llanrwst road just outside Betws-y-coed, tucked into the Conwy valley with Eryri rising on every side. It sleeps a family at a squeeze rather than a crowd, and the thing dog owners keep coming back to is the garden: it is fully enclosed, which on this side of the national park is rarer than it sounds and means a wet dog can be let out at eight in the morning without anyone having to find a lead first.

The pet terms are short. One dog is allowed, at a charge of twenty pounds per dog, and nothing further is set down about weight or breed. What guests with dogs do report consistently is a warm reception: a welcome basket with cake, quick and useful messages on the day of arrival, and no sense that the dog is being tolerated rather than expected.

Inside, the log burner is the feature everyone mentions, and it earns its keep after a day out in Welsh weather. Parking is on site and the position is genuinely walkable to Betws-y-coed itself, with the Gwydir forest trails, Swallow Falls and Llyn Elsi all within a short drive for longer outings. Zip World and the forest coaster are close enough for a family day.

Two things to know before booking. The cottage runs damp in winter, and the heating is controlled by a boost button with a two-hour limit rather than a thermostat, which is a poor combination if you arrive with a soaked dog and wet coats to dry. There is no coffee-making equipment beyond a kettle, storage for clothes and food is tight, and the television is small. None of that has stopped guests saying they would return.

With a 4.3/5 paw rating, Bron Celyn Bach suits a couple or a small family with one dog who want an enclosed garden, a wood burner and Eryri on the doorstep, and who will bring their own drying rack and pack an extra jumper for February.