The Old Mill, Marldon

The Old Mill sits in the middle of Marldon, a village in the hills behind Torbay, and it works particularly well for a group travelling with a dog. The whole house is yours, with several bedrooms and most of them having their own bathroom, so there are no shared corridors, no other guests to time your comings and goings around, and enough space that a dog is not underfoot all evening.

Owners who have brought dogs here describe the practicalities as the best part. Getting a dog in and out is straightforward, the ground floor is generous enough to absorb a wet dog after a beach walk, and groups have stayed here with a dog and still had room to spare. Evenings centre on the lounge and its open fire, which is the sort of arrangement most dogs settle into within about ten minutes.

Marldon itself puts you a few minutes' walk from a village pub and roughly twenty minutes' drive from Totnes, Brixham and Dartmouth, so the coast, the Dart estuary and the South Hams lanes are all within an easy morning. There is also walking straight out of the village if you would rather not get back in the car at all.

Guests rate the house very highly for cleanliness and comfort, and the recurring verdict is that it feels like a home rather than a let. Two pets are allowed per booking, and guests are asked to leave the cottage clean at the end of the stay. No pet fee or size restriction is published, so settle those with the owner when you book.

Best suited to a family or a group of friends who want one house, a fire and a base for south Devon, with the dog treated as part of the party rather than an afterthought.