Haven of Trees - Hafan Y Coed

Haven of Trees - Hafan Y Coed is a small guesthouse at Pen-y-cae in the upper Swansea Valley, on the western edge of the Bannau Brycheiniog national park. Dogs are welcome throughout, and the setting is the reason to come: quiet, wooded and surrounded by walking, with Henrhyd Falls about seven minutes away by car and the rest of Waterfall Country not much further.

Guests travelling with dogs describe a straightforwardly welcoming set-up, with dogs accepted without fuss anywhere on the site, and the staff draw consistent praise for being helpful, patient and good company. It is a cheap and cheerful place rather than a polished one, and the people who enjoy it tend to say so in those terms: plenty of character, a peaceful setting and good value for the price.

The caveats are real and worth reading before you book. Housekeeping and facilities are inconsistent. Guests have arrived to damp bedding and soaking curtains and cushion covers, windows in some rooms do not open, and rooms have been let without access to a sink or running drinking water, which makes filling a dog's bowl or washing up after a muddy walk awkward. Bathrooms have been reported as very cold, and check-in can involve a wait.

Dogs live on the site, which is part of why it is so relaxed about yours, but it cuts both ways. The place can smell of dog, mess in the hallway and outside has not always been cleared promptly, and anyone with a dog allergy should look elsewhere. Bring waste bags and watch where you tread.

No pet fee, pet limit or breed restriction is published for the property, so confirm the arrangements directly when you book.

Best suited to walkers on a budget who want a genuinely dog-relaxed base for Waterfall Country, and who are happy to bring their own bowl and towels and take the place as they find it.