The Slipway, Penzance

The Slipway is a Grade II listed one-bedroom apartment in the middle of Penzance, less than ten minutes' walk from the station - and it has quietly become one of the town's most dog-loved little stays, earning a 4.8 paw rating across seven dog-stay reviews. For a couple with one dog doing the west Cornwall circuit without a car, it is close to ideal.

The dog arrangements are specific: one well-behaved dog is welcome, and a £100 good-housekeeping bond applies, so arrive with a hoover-friendly hound. The apartment's much-mentioned quirk is its garden - a shared, enclosed lawn that sits across the road from the front door. Dogs genuinely love it (one visiting dog's owners rated the mint growing there highly enough to brew it), but the crossing means lead-on for every garden trip, and the front door opens directly onto the street, so owners of dash-prone dogs should keep that in mind at every exit. Treat it as a town apartment with a bonus lawn, not a cottage with a garden.

The location is the reason to book. Guests with dogs report that nearly everything nearby welcomes them - Penzance's pubs, galleries and shops are steps away, the promenade and sea swimming are close, and the market covers self-catering supplies for the well-stocked kitchen. St Michael's Mount, Mousehole and the Minack coast are short drives or bus rides out.

Honest caveats from the wider review pool: the building's age shows - guests have mentioned mustiness, a garden needing attention and lukewarm hot water at the sink - and the windows sit right on a road that can carry cut-through traffic. It is characterful and atmospheric rather than polished.

Best suited to a couple with one calm, town-comfortable dog who want car-free Penzance on the doorstep and character over gloss.