The Mill House, Corwen

The Mill House is a large detached holiday house in the Dee Valley near Carrog, a couple of miles from Corwen, and it is built for the kind of trip where several families and their dogs all arrive at once. It sleeps a big group, and the thing dog owners consistently single out is the grounds: a huge enclosed lawn and field that guests describe as safe enough to let dogs run without a lead while children play alongside them. Up to two pets can stay.

That garden does most of the work here. Guests travelling with dogs come back to it repeatedly, for the space, the fact that it is secure, and that it stays usable in bad weather as well as good. Inside, the house is roomy enough that a group can spread out without anyone falling over the dogs, and guests report tiled and wooden floors through much of it, which makes life easier after a wet walk in the valley.

The setting is quiet and secluded, with walks straight from the property, a friendly village pub in Carrog and Llangollen a short drive away. One practical warning comes up often enough to plan around: the house is genuinely hard to find. Guests report satnav directions putting them in the wrong place and the roadside sign missing, so get precise directions from the owner before you set off rather than after a long drive with a dog in the back.

The property is comfortable rather than smart. Guests describe it as slightly dated and in need of some attention in places, with tired bathrooms, loose fittings and the occasional maintenance issue, though they also report that the caretaker responds quickly and fixes things the same day. Nobody reports these problems affecting the dog side of the stay.

Its 4.4/5 paw rating suits large family groups with dogs who want space, a secure garden and seclusion, and who care more about room to spread out than about a recently refurbished interior.