Marshall Meadows Manor House

Marshall Meadows Manor House is a manor house in wooded grounds just off the A1 north of Berwick-upon-Tweed, barely a mile from the Scottish border. Recently refurbished, it manages the trick of feeling like a proper country-house hotel while staying relaxed enough that a dog in the hall raises no eyebrows.

The detail dog owners single out is breakfast. The hotel runs two breakfast rooms, one of which takes dogs, so you eat a full breakfast with your dog beside you rather than in shifts - and there are usually other dogs at the neighbouring tables. Arriving guests with dogs are handed a welcome pack or gift box for the animal, a small touch that comes up again and again. Dogs of any size are accepted, there is a dedicated dog exercise area in the grounds, and dogs must not be left unattended in the rooms. Cats are not taken.

Staff are the other consistent theme - friendly, helpful and quick to go beyond what was asked. The grounds are the property's real asset for a dog: a large park around the house and plenty of parking, with coastal walks and Berwick itself a few minutes down the road. It is a natural overnight stop for anyone driving the A1 between Yorkshire and Scotland.

Some caveats are worth weighing. Rooms are carpeted throughout, which travellers with a wet or muddy dog have found less practical than hard floors. Housekeeping has been inconsistent for a minority of guests, with marked bedside furniture and windows that were difficult to open in warm weather. The restaurant divides opinion too: the food is generally liked, but several guests found it slow and expensive for what arrived.

At 4.5/5 for paws, it suits dog owners who want a country-house stay where the dog eats breakfast alongside them and has grounds to run in, and who will forgive the occasional rough edge indoors.