Court Lodge Oast, Heathfield

Court Lodge Oast is a converted oast house at Warbleton, in the Wealden countryside a few miles from Heathfield, and it is one of those properties where the dog turns out to be the least of the logistics. It sleeps a large group - parties of nine and ten have used it comfortably - and it takes more than one dog at a time, which is not a given at this size. Two dogs alongside nine people has been done here without difficulty.

Being a whole-house let with its own grounds does most of the work. There is a garden the children can be turned loose in and the dogs with them, no shared corridors, and enough space indoors that a wet dog and a large family are not competing for the same room. The area is genuinely quiet, and it still sits within easy reach of the coast and the rest of East Sussex for days out.

Two practical things are worth sorting before you arrive. A pet charge does apply, but it has caught guests out by arriving in an email a week or two before the stay rather than showing up at the point of booking, so ask for the figure up front and get it into the budget from the start. And the driveway has no obvious lighting switch, which makes the last walk of the evening darker than you would want in winter. A torch is worth packing.

The listing allows up to two dogs; no weight limit or breed restriction is published, so if you are bringing a large breed, confirm it with the owners first. Communication is otherwise a strong point here: arrival instructions are clear and the hosts respond quickly when something needs sorting out. Best suited to a big family or a group of friends bringing a couple of dogs to the Sussex countryside, who are happy to drive for pubs and shops. Court Lodge Oast earns a 4.7/5 paw rating.