Taff Valley Cottage, Merthyr Tydfil

Taff Valley Cottage is a terraced house on Thomas Street in Aberfan, in the Merthyr Vale stretch of the Taff valley a few miles south of Merthyr Tydfil town. It works best for dog owners treating it as a base rather than a destination. The whole house goes to one party, so there is nothing to negotiate on arrival and no shared space to keep a dog out of.

Dogs are properly part of the offer here. Guests travelling with dogs describe the house as comfortably set up for one, with more room than the price suggests, a generous supply of bedding and blankets, and full control of the heating from a cupboard in the rear bedroom. A pet charge applies and dog owners have found it fair, but the amount is not published on the property's booking listing, so confirm it with the owners before you travel. Response times are quick when something needs sorting.

Position is the main draw. The valley views are good, and it is roughly half an hour by car to both the Brecon Beacons and Cardiff, which gives a dog a proper day out in either direction. The street itself is quiet.

Two things matter if you are bringing a dog. The garden is not secure - a fence panel has been missing, and the space runs to brambles in places - so it is not somewhere to let a dog out unsupervised, and it is reached by steep steps. Parking is on-street along a row of small terraces and is genuinely competitive, which is awkward when you are unloading a dog and a boot full of kit. Guests also report the house being cold on arrival and the kitchen short of basics such as pan lids, cooking oil and utensils.

At 4.2/5, Taff Valley Cottage suits dog owners who want inexpensive space and quick access to the Beacons and to Cardiff, and who are content to keep a dog on the lead in the garden. Anyone who needs a secure yard, or somewhere walkable to a dog-friendly pub, will do better elsewhere in the valley.