Treacle Cottage, Tysoe

Treacle Cottage sits in the middle of Tysoe, a south Warwickshire village on the edge of the Cotswolds, and the welcome extends properly to the dog. Alongside the tea, coffee and biscuits waiting on arrival there are usually treats, a bowl and a towel put out for the dog, which is a small thing that says a lot about how the place is run. One well-behaved dog is welcome.

The layout helps too. There is a small enclosed garden at the back, secure enough to let a dog out unattended, and parking to the rear rather than on the main road, which matters when you are loading a car with a dog milling about. Inside it is a proper cottage - inglenook fireplace, wood burner with a starter pack, super-king bed and an en-suite shower room - and guests describe it as spotless, visit after visit.

Owners Doug and Nicki live nearby and call in to say hello and point you at things to do without hovering. The village does a lot of the work as well: a well-stocked shop and deli a few doors along, a dog-friendly pub next door, and a village field where dogs can run off the lead and meet others. Walks start from the door, and there is farm food at weekends and a Friday burger night in the barn behind the cottage.

For days out, Stratford-upon-Avon, Banbury, Warwick and the Cotswold villages are all within easy reach, though it is worth checking dog policies at National Trust properties before you set off, as they vary. The one recurring grumble has nothing to do with dogs at all - a few guests would like a television in the bedroom.

Best suited to a couple or small family with one dog who want a village base rather than a remote one, with a shop and a pub within a minute's walk. It earns a 4.9/5 paw rating, and a striking number of guests come back.