The Lantern, Bourton-on-the-Water

Bourton-on-the-Water is one of the easier Cotswold villages to visit with a dog, with riverside greens, wide pavements and pub gardens that expect a lead under the table, and The Lantern sits a level eight-minute walk from the middle of it on Marshmouth Lane. Dogs are specifically listed as allowed here, which is worth having in writing in a village where plenty of the prettiest cottages quietly are not. Dog-owner feedback on the property is still thin, so read the enthusiasm as a promising early signal rather than a settled picture.

The cottage runs over three floors, with a well-equipped kitchen, comfortable beds and a calm, carefully decorated feel throughout. Two details matter more than they sound. The first is the private driveway: parking in central Bourton is famously difficult, and being able to unload at the door instead of circling for a space changes the arrival entirely. The second is the small garden, which gives you somewhere to let the dog out first thing without going near the village crowds.

The walk into the centre is flat and smooth the whole way, which suits an older dog, and guests managing a lead and a pushchair at the same time have found it straightforward. Once you are there, the River Windrush greens are good for a paddle and the wider Cotswolds walking network is a short drive out. Summer weekends draw heavy crowds along the water, so a reactive dog is far better served by an early morning outing than a Saturday afternoon one.

No pet fee is published and no limit on numbers is stated, so confirm both when you enquire. Best suited to a couple or a family whose dog is comfortable in a busy, sociable village and happy to walk in rather than be driven everywhere.