The Cottage, Chester

The Cottage sits on Pyecroft Street in Handbridge, the quiet residential pocket just across the Old Dee Bridge from Chester's city walls, and it is the sort of whole-house rental that suits dog owners for structural reasons as much as stated policy. Sleeping six across a spacious, well-furnished layout, it comes with its own free parking and no shared corridors, lobbies or lifts to negotiate - arrival is straight from the car to your own front door, which takes most of the friction out of travelling with a dog.

Dogs are welcomed here, and for the guests who have brought one the appeal is straightforward: nobody has to be left behind or boarded. Beyond the welcome itself, the property publishes no pet fee, no weight limit and no cap on the number of dogs, so anyone bringing more than one, or a large breed, should confirm the details directly before booking rather than assume.

The location does a lot of the work. Handbridge puts the riverside path along the Dee and the green space at Edgar's Field within a few minutes' walk, and the centre of Chester is a comfortable stroll over the bridge - far enough out to be quiet at night, close enough that you are not driving in. Dog owners have singled out that combination of walkability and free parking.

Two caveats are worth knowing. Pyecroft Street itself is narrow and busy, on-street parking outside the door is not guaranteed, and morning restrictions apply, so the property's own space matters more than it sounds. Guests have also flagged wear and tear inside - a badly scuffed wall down the stairwell, and a broken shower screen in the top bathroom.

Best suited to families or groups of up to six bringing a dog who want a self-catering base within walking distance of the city.