Larch Cottage, Ruston

Larch Cottage is a small, well-finished cottage in the village of Ruston, about six miles inland from Scarborough, and it is set up for dogs more deliberately than most self-catering of its size. The garden is the reason: it is large for the property, properly fenced and dog-proof, so a dog can be let out to run rather than walked on a lead round a yard.

The owner lives on site with her own dog, and that shapes the stay. Guests arriving with dogs are met rather than handed a key box, and they get local walking suggestions tailored to the weather. The resident dog has generally been an asset rather than a complication, though a dog that does not care for other dogs should be booked in with that in mind. Dogs stay free of charge here - there is no pet fee added to the booking - and up to two are allowed.

Beyond the garden there is a sheltered courtyard that catches the morning sun, a hot tub, and country walks leading straight out of the village. The cottage itself is compact but thoroughly equipped, with the bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor, which has suited guests with arthritis and anyone who would rather avoid stairs. Ruston works well as a base for Scarborough, Pickering, Whitby and Bridlington, and a fish and chip van calls at the village on Tuesday evenings.

Two practical points. The cottage is genuinely small, so a large party with a large dog will find it tight indoors even though the outside space is generous, and on-site parking does not suit a big vehicle, with roadside parking nearby instead. The village postcode covers a wide area, so put the full address into a sat nav rather than the postcode alone. Otherwise there is very little to fault, and it earns a 4.8 out of 5 paw rating.