Pendre Uchaf, Betws Gwerfil Goch

Pendre Uchaf is a three-bedroom farm cottage above Betws Gwerfil Goch in the Dee valley, and it is set up for a dog with more thought than most rural lets manage. There is an enclosed garden and a lockable dog kennel on site, and woods sit close enough for a last walk before bed without getting into the car, a small thing that makes a real difference on a dark winter evening.

One dog is welcome. Because the cottage sits on a working farm with sheep and lambs in the surrounding fields, the owners ask that dogs are kept on a lead at all times outside the cottage; it is worth checking with them how that applies within the enclosed garden itself. Longer walking is a short drive rather than a doorstep affair, with the hills and trails most visitors come for twenty to fifty minutes away, but the immediate setting is fields, wildlife and very little else.

What guests praise most, after the views, is the standard of the place and the owners. The cottage is described as exceptionally well stocked and comfortable, closer to a home than a holiday let, and arrivals are met with food essentials and home baking. The owners live nearby and check in without hovering, which guests repeatedly single out as a plus.

Two caveats. There is only one bathroom, which is tight for a full party of six. And the bedroom floors and beds creak audibly, enough that guests report broken sleep when others get up in the night, so if your dog sleeps upstairs and moves about, everyone will hear it. A heating fault has also been reported.

Best suited to a couple or a small family with one steady, lead-trained dog who want genuine quiet, wide views and a secure spot to settle the dog while they cook. It earns a 4.6/5 paw rating.