Newhouse Barn, Malborough

Newhouse Barn is a converted barn in open country just outside Malborough, a few miles inland of Salcombe in the South Hams, and it is built for the kind of group holiday where several dogs come along too. The enclosed garden does most of the work: big enough for dogs to be out with everyone else rather than shut away, with a long view over the fields that guests tend to end the evening in.

The barn is spacious and comfortably finished, with living space on both floors, a kitchen set up for cooking for a crowd and both a bath and showers - the practical detail after a beach day with wet dogs. Groups travelling with dogs describe it as an easy property to run: no shared walls, no neighbours to worry about, and enough room that a dog is never underfoot. The owner is named repeatedly for being quick to respond and checking that everything is in order without intruding.

The location is unusually good for walking. Malborough village is a short stroll away and has a couple of pubs; Hope Cove is a walk or a quick bus ride, and Salcombe is close enough for a day out on the water. The South West Coast Path between Bolt Head and Bolt Tail is some of the finest cliff walking in Devon and starts a couple of miles away, and the sunken South Hams lanes make for quiet on-lead walking straight from the gate.

Two practical notes. The driveway is tight for a larger vehicle, which is worth knowing if you are arriving in something long with a crate in the back. And this is a rural property, so the nearest shops are in the village or in Kingsbridge - a big shop on the way down saves a trip.

The booking listing carries no stated pet policy - no fee, no cap on numbers, no breed or size limits - so agree the details with the owner if you are bringing several dogs. For a group or an extended family with dogs who want coast and countryside from one base, it earns a 4.5/5 paw rating.