Georgian Garden Apartment, Central Bath

Georgian Garden Apartment occupies the garden floor of a Georgian terrace on Portland Place, a few minutes' walk north of the centre of Bath, and it offers the one thing city-centre flats almost never give a dog: its own secure garden. Guests travelling with a dog single that out above everything else. Being able to open a door and let a dog out first thing and last thing, with no lead, no lift and no walk to a park, is what makes a city stay workable.

The apartment is comfortable and full of character. The decoration is quirky and the artwork is part of the fun, the beds draw more praise than almost anything else in the flat, and the kitchen and living room are properly equipped for self-catering rather than minimally furnished. Communication with the hosts is warm and prompt, and the property holds a 9.4/10 guest score.

Bath itself rewards a dog. From Portland Place you can walk down into the city in a few minutes, and the Royal Crescent, the Circus and Royal Victoria Park are all close, the park having plenty of open grass away from the main paths. The canal towpath and the meadows along the Avon make a longer outing.

Two caveats. The outdoor furniture is the one thing guests would upgrade, so the garden is currently more useful to a dog than it is for long summer evenings. And this is a garden-floor flat in a Georgian terrace on a residential street, so expect steps down to the door and the ordinary sounds of a city street rather than a country hush.

Georgian Garden Apartment earns a 4.6/5 paw rating. It suits a couple or small family with one dog who want to be within walking distance of central Bath but still want a garden door to open in the morning, and it works especially well for a smaller dog.