Hillside Cottage, Bath

Hillside Cottage sits high on a lane above Peasedown St John, a village on the southern edge of Bath with two pubs, a coffee shop and a Co-op within walking distance. It is a compact upstairs apartment looking out over fields and farmland, and the combination of that view, an enclosed garden and a regular bus into the city is what keeps dog owners coming back to it.

Up to two small to medium-sized dogs are welcome, and the welcome is a generous one. Guests travelling with dogs consistently describe arriving to find beds, bowls, towels, poo bags and treats already laid out, alongside a folder of local walking notes that several rate as the most useful thing in the flat. The garden is the other draw: it is fully enclosed behind high fencing, so dogs can be let out without a lead, and footpaths run straight from the lane into open country.

For trips into Bath, the bus and the Park and Ride save the aggravation of city parking, and dog owners repeatedly say they preferred them to driving in. Cheddar Gorge, Wells and Glastonbury are all inside an hour, which makes the flat a workable base for a week rather than a weekend.

Three things to plan for. The steps up to the front door are steep, and while a gate at the top helps, older or heavier dogs have needed carrying. Parking is a tight layby on the lane, so a smaller car is easier. And the apartment is honestly a little dated in places: the kitchen and bathroom are small, and the sheepskin covers on the sofa and chairs, which are there precisely because dogs use them, are not to everyone's taste.

Best suited to a couple or small family with one or two smaller dogs who want a quiet, view-heavy base with walks from the door and easy access to Bath, and who do not mind a steep flight of stairs.