Llys Onnen, Mold

Llys Onnen is a whole house on the slopes of Nercwys Mountain above Mold, let to one party at a time, and that format does most of the work for a dog owner: no shared corridors, no other guests to negotiate, and an enclosed garden the dog can be let into straight from the house. Guests travelling with dogs are unanimous about it, and larger parties have brought two dogs alongside nine people without any difficulty.

The setting is the reason to come. The house sits high on Mynydd Du with open countryside on every side, and dog owners describe walks starting at the gate rather than from a car park. Kevin, the host, comes in for repeated praise over his communication and the small touches - fresh eggs, bread and butter waiting on arrival - and the Rose and Crown down in the village is friendly to walkers coming off the hill.

Two practical things shape a stay with a dog here. There are chickens and ducks in the grounds, which children love but which mean a dog that chases birds needs to be under control outside; the enclosed garden makes that manageable, but it is worth knowing before you arrive rather than after. And the approach road is steep and exposed - in snow, guests have needed a neighbour with a four-wheel drive to get them up it. In winter, check the forecast and think about what your car will do with a full boot and a dog in the back.

The house itself is roomy and well equipped, with plenty of crockery and space for a big family, though it is showing its age in places and could do with redecorating; everything is reported clean regardless. It takes a while to warm through on a cold day. For a group wanting somewhere genuinely remote in north-east Wales, where a dog can be loose in a garden and out on the hill within minutes, Llys Onnen earns its 4.6 out of 5 paw rating.