Point Cottage, Preston on Wye

Point Cottage is an old stone cottage on the edge of Preston on Wye, and its big draw for dog owners is the garden: a large, properly enclosed plot with a picnic table, secure enough that owners consistently describe turning two dogs loose in it without a second thought. A quiet bridleway runs past the gate, which makes the first walk of the day a matter of stepping outside rather than loading the car.

Inside, the flagstone and tiled floors are the practical detail owners keep mentioning: wet paws and a muddy Herefordshire winter are not a problem here. There is a large shed for boots, bikes and fishing tackle, a fire with a generous supply of logs, and a well-stocked kitchen. The Yew Tree Inn is a five-minute walk away, welcomes dogs and does proper pub food, which matters in a village with no shop.

Two things are worth knowing before booking. The cottage is genuinely small and old: the staircase is steep with a tight, narrow turn at the top, and the only bathroom is downstairs, so it does not suit anyone unsteady on their feet or a dog that needs carrying at night. Guests also report the living-room sofa as tired and grubby, and flies becoming a real nuisance in hot weather with the doors and windows open. Feedback is split on whether the listed sleeping capacity is realistic; treat it as a comfortable cottage for two to four rather than six.

Off the property, the lanes and the bridleway are lead-walking rather than open running country, so the garden does much of the work for a dog that needs to burn energy. Up to two pets can stay. For a couple with a pair of dogs who want quiet, a secure garden, and the Wye Valley, Hay-on-Wye and the Black Mountains within easy driving distance, Point Cottage earns its 4.9/5 paw rating.