Horseshoe Cottage, Llangian

Horseshoe Cottage sits in the quiet lanes above Llangian, on the southern tip of the Llyn Peninsula, and it is one of the more practical whole-house lets in the area for a group travelling with dogs. The house is open plan across the ground floor, which guests with big dogs say matters more than they expected - there is room for a large dog to settle out of the way while ten people cook, eat and play cards around one very long table. It earns a 4.7/5 paw rating.

The garden is the feature that comes up in nearly every review from a dog owner: it is fully enclosed, big enough for a proper run around, and it backs onto fields rather than a road. Guests travelling with several dogs have used it as the default off-lead space for the week. The listing allows two pets per booking, and groups who wanted to bring a third have had that agreed by asking the owners in advance rather than on arrival.

This is a working smallholding as well as a holiday let. Alpacas and Shetland ponies graze the adjoining fields and guests are often invited to help feed them, which is charming with children but a reason to keep an excitable dog on the lead between the parking area and the door. The owners live on site, service the hot tub daily and are described as easy to deal with.

For walks, the coast is the draw. It is roughly a 35-minute walk down narrow lanes to Hell's Mouth, a long and often near-deserted beach, and about half an hour on foot into Abersoch. The Sun Inn is well placed for lunch or a pint on the way back and has a beer garden where dogs are welcome.

Two things to weigh up. The garden fence is low in places, which is fine for most dogs but has been tested by a determined jumper. And the lanes in and out are narrow and winding, worth knowing if you are arriving in a large car. For a multi-generation group who want one house, a hot tub, an enclosed garden and beaches within walking distance, it is hard to fault.