Peaceful Lake Retreat, Cheriton Bishop

Peaceful Lake Retreat is a lodge at the far end of a small, quiet park at Cheriton Bishop, on the Dartmoor side of Exeter, and it is set up for dogs to a degree that most self-catering lets are not. The decking is fully enclosed, so a dog can go out on its own whenever it wants rather than being walked out on a lead every time, and guests arriving with dogs have found bowls and blankets already waiting as part of the welcome.

The setting does the rest. The lodge sits away from the road overlooking fields, with fishing lakes on site and open Devon countryside immediately beyond, so first and last walks of the day happen on the doorstep. It is a dog-populated park rather than a merely dog-tolerant one, and the general tone from guests is that the place has been thought through for families and dogs together rather than having pets bolted on afterwards. The hosts are quick to sort problems out, replacing a broken hairdryer within a couple of hours in one case.

Inside, the standard is high for a park lodge - two bedrooms, two bathrooms, good bedding and towels, and enough space that a wet dog and a full family are not competing for the same square metre. Exeter is about twenty minutes by car.

Two caveats worth knowing. The heated outdoor pool advertised with the property is on a sister park roughly half a mile away and is not walkable - it means a short drive along a main road, and several guests have found the description misleading on that point. And the lodge gets very warm in hot weather, which matters more with a thick-coated dog than it does for people. Nothing is published about the pet arrangements themselves, so a charge, a dog limit and any rule about leaving a dog in the lodge alone all need confirming when you book.

Best for a couple or family with one or two dogs who want quiet, countryside and a secure outdoor space more than they want facilities on the doorstep. It earns a 4.6/5 paw rating.