Mynydd Parys, Brynsiencyn

Mynydd Parys is a three-bedroom cottage on Anglesey, one of six properties along a private drive outside Brynsiencyn, with fields and countryside views behind it and Newborough beach about fifteen minutes away by car. Dog owners pick it for the enclosed rear garden and the field walks that start at the back, and it is quiet without feeling cut off, with the Menai Strait and the mainland both close.

Up to two pets can stay, at 20 pounds per pet per stay. Practical touches for dogs are part of the set-up: a dog bowl and dog towels are provided, and the kitchen is one of the best-equipped guests say they have used. The owner handles pre-arrival information well, and the welcome pack of milk, bread, biscuits and cleaning bits is a common mention.

The garden is the thing dog owners ask about most, and the picture is mixed. Most report a good fence and being able to let dogs out without worrying, large ones included. Others have found the bottom of the garden less secure, with at least one dog getting into the neighbouring farmer's field and taking three quarters of an hour to recover. If your dog is a determined escaper, walk the boundary before you let them off.

Two other things deserve a mention. There have been reports of the oil boiler giving off a strong smell in the kitchen, and of the cottage arriving less thoroughly cleaned than guests expected, with dirty skirtings, radiators and barbecue noted. More seriously, a winter stay ran into a heating failure that took over a day to resolve, in a spot where the mobile signal is patchy, which is worth weighing if you are travelling out of season with an older dog.

Best suited to families or two couples with one or two dogs who want an Anglesey base for beach days and field walks, and who will check the garden boundary on arrival. It earns a 4.4/5 paw rating.