Y Buarth, Caernarfon

Y Buarth is a whole house down a quiet lane in the countryside south-east of Caernarfon, and it is close to an ideal shape for a dog holiday: no shared entrance, no neighbours through the wall, and a garden guests describe as properly secure. Dogs get let out into it rather than walked to a patch of grass, and from the garden a path runs out through a wildflower meadow down to a clear river - the sort of walk you can do before breakfast.

The house takes up to two well-behaved dogs. Inside, guests with dogs point to the things that actually matter after a wet walk in Eryri (Snowdonia): a large kitchen and dining room with a fireplace, a dishwasher and a washing machine, and enough space that muddy paws are not a crisis. The owner comes in for praise too, with tea, coffee and fresh milk waiting on arrival and a quick response if anything is needed.

The setting is the main draw. The house sits among fields with horses in the paddock next to the garden, which is worth knowing if your dog is unsure around livestock, and it is quiet enough that guests remark on the silence. Caernarfon and its castle are a short drive, and the northern approaches to Snowdon and the Llanberis Pass are within easy reach for a day on the hill.

The one reservation raised is the decor, which a guest felt could do with updating. Nobody questions the cleanliness or the comfort - it is a look-and-feel point rather than a condition one, and it is reflected in what the house costs.

Best suited to a couple or a family with a dog or two who want a rural base with a secure garden and a river walk from the door, and who care more about the setting than about contemporary interiors. It earns a 4.5/5 paw rating.