Spa Villas Boutique Apartments, Gloucester

Spa Villas sits in the Spa quarter of Gloucester, a few minutes' walk from the Docks and the Quays, and it makes a genuinely useful base for a city break with a dog. The apartment occupies the lower ground floor of the building, so there are no stairs to negotiate on the way in, there is a courtyard out the back that guests with dogs make good use of, and a park sits directly opposite for the last walk of the night.

The property publishes no pet fee and no list of conditions, so confirm numbers and any restrictions when you book. Guests bringing dogs describe it as straightforwardly welcoming rather than merely tolerant, and the practicalities work: a well equipped kitchen, free parking a short distance away, and clear arrival instructions.

Gloucester works well on foot from here. The Quays and the city centre are both about ten minutes away, and the restaurants around the Docks mean you can eat out without driving. The park opposite is the everyday convenience, while the canal towpath at the Docks gives a longer, flat route when the dog wants more.

The one thing to weigh carefully is noise. This is a lower ground floor apartment beneath an occupied flat, and guests report hearing footsteps, creaking floorboards and, on some stays, a great deal more than that from above. Owners of a noise-reactive dog should think hard about it. Guests have also found the mattress firmer than they would like and the double bed smaller than expected, and the below-ground setting has struck some as musty.

For a settled, unflappable dog and owners who want a characterful city apartment within walking distance of the Docks, it earns a 4.5/5 paw rating. Light sleepers and anxious dogs may be better served somewhere without an upstairs neighbour.