Craig-y-Dderwen Riverside Hotel

Craig-y-Dderwen Riverside Hotel sits on the banks of the River Conwy just outside the centre of Betws-y-coed, and it is one of the easiest places in Snowdonia to bring a dog. Dogs stay for £15 per night, and the welcome goes well beyond permission. Guests with dogs describe their pets being treated as warmly as they were, and more than one dog has been handed a sausage at breakfast.

The grounds do much of the work. There is a garden and a large field for exercise, and guests mention easy-access bins and only a few dog-free areas around the hotel. Owners who stayed in the riverside cottages found them well equipped and roomy for more than one dog. Standard rooms get good marks too: people travelling with a whippet or a larger dog found them spacious and spotlessly clean.

Staff come up in almost every account. Owners describe them as friendly and keen to help, and the atmosphere as cosy and quiet. The restaurant leans towards fine dining, with a good breakfast built on local produce and afternoon tea in the window seats looking over the river.

For walks, the setting is hard to fault. Paths start from the hotel, the river runs alongside, and the village is a five to ten minute walk for its pubs, cafes and later dinner options. The paddock sometimes has sheep grazing in it, so plan on keeping your dog on a lead there.

There are a few things to know. The decking outside some riverside rooms has no gate, and one owner would have liked one with the water so close, so keep an eye on a dog that likes to wander. One guest with two dogs was surprised that bed covers are only changed weekly despite the pet charge. Evening meals are on the pricey side, there is no lunch menu beyond afternoon tea and platters, and the outside of the building could use a fresh coat of paint.

For a quiet riverside base in Snowdonia, with room to run and staff who are genuinely pleased to see your dog, it suits couples and families with dogs very well.