22 Stowford Gardens, Combe Martin

22 Stowford Gardens is a self-contained holiday home on a wooded country park between Combe Martin and Berrynarbor, in the corner of North Devon where Exmoor meets the coast. The setting is the reason it works for dogs: the park runs to acres of grounds and woodland, so most of the walking a dog needs can be done without getting back in the car.

What guests with dogs notice is how much thought has gone into the small things. A spare rug is left out for dogs to use on the sofa, and a dog bed turns up in the welcome pack alongside milk, scones, cream and jam for the humans. Books, games and a television in every room round out a property clearly set up for the kind of holiday where the weather does not always cooperate.

Inside it is cosy, clean and comfortable, and the hosts are the other thing owners consistently mention - responsive, generous with the welcome extras, and relaxed about both dogs and small children. Families travelling with both find it an easy combination to manage here.

A couple of practical notes. The bedroom windows have no privacy blind, which is noticeable when the grounds staff are cutting the grass close by, so it is worth knowing before you draw the curtains. The grounds are shared with other guests, so a dog that needs to be off lead will still need somewhere quiet rather than the main lawns. And the listing publishes no pet terms, so check how many dogs are accepted when you book.

It earns a 4.6/5 paw rating - an easy, well-equipped North Devon base for owners who want space on the doorstep and a host who has already thought about the dog.