Westleigh, Ashtead

Westleigh is a five-star guest house tucked away on Farm Lane in Ashtead Park, on the leafy Surrey edge of Mole Valley, and it makes an easy, quiet base for a short trip with a dog. It is a private house rather than a hotel - a small number of rooms, owner-run, with a beautifully kept garden and the atmosphere of somewhere lived-in rather than somewhere corporate.

Dogs are accepted here, and guests who have travelled with one describe a straightforward, no-fuss stay. There is a resident house dog who tends to greet arrivals, which is worth knowing in both directions: if your dog is sociable it sets the tone nicely, and if they would rather not meet another dog, say so when you book so the owners can plan around it.

The welcome is what people keep coming back to. The owners are present and attentive without hovering, breakfast is properly cooked rather than assembled, and the house scores an average of 9.4 out of 10 across roughly 280 guest reviews. Rooms are comfortable and generously sized, and the whole place is kept immaculately.

The setting helps. Ashtead Park sits beside Ashtead Common, a large stretch of ancient woodland and open common that is ideal for a proper morning walk, and the Surrey Hills are a short drive south. The village has shops and pubs within walking distance, and there are fast trains into London if you fancy a day in town - though you will need a plan for the dog if you go.

The main caveat is that dogs are accepted by prior arrangement rather than as a matter of course, and beyond that the property publishes no pet terms - no stated fee, size limit or breed restriction - while dog-specific feedback from past guests is limited, so agree the details directly with the owners before you book. It suits couples and solo travellers after a comfortable, quiet stay on the edge of the Surrey countryside with a well-behaved dog in tow, rather than anyone needing formal pet facilities. On that basis it earns a 4.4 out of 5 paw rating.