Chevrons Living, Fordingbridge

Chevrons Living is a small, friendly guesthouse in Fordingbridge that makes a very good base for exploring the New Forest with a dog. The rooms are on the ground floor and open onto a well-kept enclosed garden, so letting a dog out first thing or last thing at night is easy, and the staff take a genuine interest in four-legged guests, to the point of greeting dogs by name. It earns a 4.6/5 paw rating.

Dog owners describe spacious, comfortable rooms with a generous en-suite, a kitchenette with a fridge and microwave, and a small patio area outside. Breakfast is a continental spread of croissants, cheese, ham, fruit, yoghurt, toast and cereal, and dogs are catered for with a separate area at breakfast time. The hosts have their own Border Collie, who is kept on a lead and only let off once it is clear that the guests around are happy with dogs.

The location is a real strength. The guesthouse is a short walk from the centre of Fordingbridge and its pubs and shops, with a large supermarket nearby, and the open heath and woodland of the New Forest start just outside town. The River Avon runs through Fordingbridge, which adds some pleasant riverside strolls.

A few things are worth knowing. Tell the guesthouse you are bringing a dog when you book: staff have been surprised by a dog arriving unannounced, and a small extra charge for dogs applies. Parking is limited and works on a first-come basis, so a late arrival may mean parking on the street. Some guests found their room not quite as clean as it could be, the pillows flat, and the rooms warm in hot weather because the towel radiators cannot be switched off. Breakfast is served in a fairly short morning window.

For dog owners who want an easy, welcoming New Forest base with a garden on the doorstep, Chevrons Living is an excellent choice.