Canaston Oaks, Narberth

Canaston Oaks is a five-star guesthouse in converted stone barns at Canaston Bridge, a couple of miles from Narberth, and it treats dogs as expected guests rather than an exception. The room that takes pets comes with a dog bed, treats and food and water bowls already in place, and the dog bedding has struck guests as being in as good condition as their own.

The practicalities need planning, though, because this is not a book-any-room-and-bring-the-dog property. Pets are accommodated in the Junior Suite with Terrace only, and only by prior arrangement, so availability for a stay with a dog is much narrower than the guesthouse's overall availability suggests. The fee is £20 per pet, per night, which guests with small dogs have felt is steep against an already premium room rate. There is also no facility for washing dog bowls, which is a small thing until you are travelling with a dog on a wet food diet.

What you get in return is a genuinely good stay. Breakfast is the consistent highlight, with a cooked menu alongside a buffet of breads, fruit and pastries, and there is an honesty bar plus pizza and a charcuterie board in the evenings. The grounds are the other draw for dog owners: a field and streams to wander before breakfast, and woodland walking a few minutes away. Tenby, Pembroke and the Pembrokeshire beaches are all easy drives.

Dogs are allowed in the communal dining and kitchen area, which suits dog owners and has not suited every guest, so expect other people's dogs around at breakfast. The owners keep dogs of their own on site as well. Best suited to dog owners happy to book the one suitable suite well ahead and to absorb the nightly fee for a five-star Pembrokeshire base, where it earns a 4.6 out of 5 paw rating.