Sunnybank Cottage, Alnwick

Sunnybank Cottage sits in its own patch of Northumberland countryside on the edge of Alnwick, close enough to walk into town and far enough back that the setting is genuinely quiet. Deer and pheasants come into the garden most evenings, which is a pleasure for the people and a serious consideration for anyone whose dog has a strong chase instinct.

That matters, because the garden is not fully enclosed. It is a good-sized space and dog owners are consistently happy with it, but the back runs into open woodland with no fencing on the uphill side. This is the point guests travelling with dogs raise more than any other: a dog that would follow a deer into the trees needs to be on a lead out there. It is fine if you know in advance and unsettling if you do not, so check it against your own dog before you book.

Beyond that the cottage reads very well. It is a whole house, spotlessly clean, decorated to a high standard and stocked with the small details that make a self-catering week work. Parking is free and on site, and the owners are quick to respond, with a television problem on arrival sorted out within minutes. Alnwick is a downhill walk away for the castle, the gardens and the pubs, though the return leg is uphill and steep enough that guests flag it for anyone who would find that hard.

Two smaller points: there is no mirror anywhere except the bathroom, and the bath with its overhead shower is high-sided, which is awkward with limited mobility. For an owner with a steady, recallable dog who wants Northumberland quiet with a town at the bottom of the hill, Sunnybank Cottage earns a 4.7/5 paw rating.