Days Inn by Wyndham Winchester M3

The Days Inn at Winchester is a motorway stopover in the Shroner Wood services on the M3, north-east of the city, and it does the one job dog owners need from a place like this: it lets you break a long drive without leaving the dog in the car. Dogs are specifically allowed, bowls are available, and there is a grass walking area beside the building for a leg-stretch before bed.

Everything else follows from what it is. Rooms are small and plain but the beds are comfortable, staff come up as friendly, and the service area next door covers food if the hotel's own breakfast pack does not appeal, which for a good few guests it has not. Check-in is straightforward and the location is the whole point: a few minutes off the motorway rather than a detour into the city.

The pet charge is the recurring gripe. It runs to £20 per dog per stay on top of the room rate, and guests find it steep set against a single-night stopover, particularly since a room needs a proper clean between any two guests regardless. A further sanitation charge can follow if the room needs it, and a longer stay with a dog can attract more, so it is worth pinning the total down when you book. Set against that, being able to bring a dog at all is what most people are weighing on this stretch of the M3.

The bigger caveat is cleanliness, and it is not a one-off. Bathrooms draw the most criticism, with dirt pushed to the edges rather than lifted and toilets left looking unclean, along with marks on carpets and furnishings and the occasional used towel left hanging. The property's overall guest score reflects that, so set expectations accordingly and give the room a look before you settle in.

The Days Inn at Winchester earns a 4.1/5 paw rating. It suits drivers who need a cheap, dog-friendly bed at a predictable point on the M3, rather than anyone hoping to make a night of the journey.