Bron Gadair, Newborough

Bron Gadair is a self-catering cottage near Newborough on Anglesey, within walking distance of Newborough Warren and the lighthouse, and it makes a genuinely good base for a beach holiday with a dog. It earns a 4.1/5 paw rating, and the reasons it does not score higher are worth reading before you book.

What works is the inside. The ground floor has wooden and tiled floors, which guests with dogs point out is exactly what you want after a day on the sand, and the cottage is reported as spotlessly clean, with comfortable beds and a large bath with a shower over it. The coast is close, and there are goats and horses in the field behind that dogs find endlessly interesting.

The caveats are about containment, and they matter. The ground floor is open plan with no internal doors, so there is nothing to stop a dog going upstairs, into the kitchen, or straight out through the front door when it opens. The front garden is not fenced or gated at all. There is an enclosed area at the back, and some guests found it perfectly secure, but others report the fence is not high and that a large dog or one with a strong prey drive would be over it and into the livestock next door. A pet gate is provided but has not worked well for everyone, and guests have said the photographs make the outside space look more enclosed than it is.

The upstairs layout is worth knowing too: you pass through the main bedroom to reach the second bedroom and the bathroom, which works with young children but is awkward otherwise. The listing allows up to two well-behaved pets per booking.

Best suited to owners of a steady, recall-reliable dog who want easy access to Newborough beach and forest, and who will not be relying on the garden to contain them. If your dog chases livestock, this is not the one.