Days Inn by Wyndham Cannock Norton Canes M6 Toll

The Days Inn at Norton Canes sits inside the M6 Toll services near Cannock, which makes it one of the more useful overnight stops in the country for anyone driving a long way with a dog in the back. It is a functional three-star hotel rather than a destination, but it handles the things that matter to pet travellers with very little fuss.

Dogs of all sizes are accepted, with no weight limit stated, and there is a charge for a dog that the property does not publish, so ask when you book. Water bowls are available at reception, and treats appear often enough in owners' accounts to look like standing practice rather than a one-off. Guests travelling with dogs describe an easy arrival even late at night, staff who remember returning visitors and their dogs, and no difficulty getting a dog-friendly room, with several taking their dog along when they went to eat. Cats have been accepted here too, which is less common, though worth confirming when you book.

The setting suits dogs better than most motorway hotels. There is a decent stretch of grass for a proper leg-stretch, the car park sits behind the building away from the busiest traffic, and the adjoining plaza has a carvery and a food hall, so nobody has to be left in the room. It is also about half an hour from the NEC, which makes it a regular base during Crufts.

The complaints are worth knowing. The building is dated in places and the sound insulation is thin, and two pet-specific gripes recur. Some guests have found a faint wet-dog smell in the room, while others have stayed in a designated dog-friendly room and specifically noted no smell at all, so it appears to vary room by room. The other is other people's dogs left in vans in the car park overnight, which has kept guests awake and is a fair thing to raise at reception.

With a 4.5/5 paw rating, it is best suited to drivers who need a reliable, no-drama overnight stop with a dog, and to anyone visiting the NEC who would rather not leave one behind.