Field View, St Austell

Field View is a shepherd's hut tucked into the bottom of the owners' land at Polgooth, a village just outside St Austell in mid-Cornwall. It is a small, secluded, single-space stay rather than a cottage, and that format is a large part of why it works for dogs: no shared corridors, no other guests to negotiate, and a garden immediately outside the door.

Dogs are clearly a normal part of life here. The owners keep a dog of their own, and guests travelling with dogs describe the two finding each other quickly and sharing the garden. That garden is fenced, and dog owners rate it as adequately secure for most dogs - though more than one notes it would not contain a determined escape artist, so judge it against your own dog before letting them off the lead. There is also an overgrown corner that guests have found less than ideal for late-night toilet trips.

The setting is the draw. It is quiet, secluded and warm even in winter, with beaches and coast path walks close enough to fill a week. Guests with dogs single out the range of walks from the door and the number of beaches within a short drive - useful in Cornwall, where seasonal dog restrictions vary from beach to beach.

Practicalities are worth knowing before you book. The hut is genuinely hard to find on a first approach, mobile signal is unreliable on some networks, and the cooking facilities are basic. There is no outdoor lighting either, which matters more than it sounds when you are taking a dog out last thing at night.

Best suited to a couple or a solo traveller with one or two dogs who want seclusion, a fenced garden and easy access to Cornish beaches, and who do not need a full kitchen.