Fairfield Cottage, Binham

Fairfield Cottage sits on Front Street in Binham, a quiet North Norfolk village a few miles inland from the coast, and it is the garden that makes it work so well for dogs. Guests return to it repeatedly in their reviews: secure on all sides, sunny, with a paved patio and a grass area big enough for a dog to properly stretch out and run rather than just potter about. Up to two well behaved dogs are welcome to stay.

The cottage is a whole-house rental with room for two cars, so there are no shared corridors or landings to negotiate and no other guests to work around, which is the format that tends to suit nervous or elderly dogs best. It is well equipped enough that you can settle in and cook, and guests mention a generous welcome pack waiting on arrival.

Binham itself is the other draw. There is a pub a minute's walk away that does takeaway food, a shop, and footpaths straight out into the fields; guests describe the surrounding area as excellent for dog walking. The north Norfolk coast is a short drive, which puts a proper long beach walk within easy reach without having to pay coastal prices to stay on it.

The grumbles are minor and consistent: the hot water does not always run as hot as you would like, the downstairs shower is not powerful, and the lounge furniture is on the firm side. The parking area at the front has been overgrown at times, though there is plenty of room on the road instead. No pet charge is published for the cottage, so if a supplement matters to your budget, confirm it with the owners when you book.

Best suited to one or two dogs travelling with a couple or a family who want a secure garden and country walking rather than a hotel's welcome pack of treats and bowls. On that basis it earns 4.4 out of 5.