Canllefaes Cottages, Cardigan

Canllefaes Cottages is a small cluster of holiday cottages in the Ceredigion countryside a couple of miles outside Cardigan, and the reason it rates so highly with dog owners is straightforward: there is a fenced dog field on the site. It is a proper enclosed paddock rather than a scrap of lawn, the grass is kept short so paws stay dry, and dogs can be let off the lead in it safely. For anyone who has spent a holiday hunting for somewhere a dog can actually run, that one facility does most of the work.

The site itself is well kept and quiet, with a hot tub, a heated outdoor pool that opens from the start of May, a games room, a firepit and a children's play area shared between the cottages. The cottages are finished to a high standard and stay warm, with log burners and logs available cheaply. The owners live on site, and guests with dogs mention them often: friendly, quick to help, and full of local recommendations.

One caveat matters more than the rest. While the dog field is enclosed, the gardens attached to the individual cottages are not. If your dog is young, new to holidays or inclined to wander, plan on a long line in the garden and save the off-lead time for the field. It is easily managed once you know, but it is not obvious from the listing photos.

Cardigan is about five minutes away by car for shops and food, and the coast around it is unusually good for dogs, with dog-friendly beaches and cafes and the coastal farm park at Cardigan Island nearby. There is no pub within walking distance, so bring what you want for the evening. The on-site laundry is coin-operated and guests have found it pricey.

Best suited to owners who want an enclosed field for genuine off-lead exercise, a comfortable base near the coast, and who do not mind the short drive into town.