Courtyard, Crowan

The Courtyard is a barn conversion on a working farm at Crowan, in the quiet countryside between Helston and Camborne, and it makes a genuinely easy base for a west Cornwall holiday with dogs. Up to two dogs are welcome, and what sets it apart from most Cornish lets is that the owners give guests access to their own land and fields for exercising them - a rare thing when so much of the surrounding countryside is working farmland you cannot walk on.

The house rule guests report is straightforward: dogs are allowed upstairs but not on the furniture. It is worth checking that directly when you book, because at least one guest found the listing description unclear on the point. Beyond that, the welcome is warm and slightly old-fashioned in a good way - flowers, wine and the makings of a cream tea on arrival, and at least one dog has found a biscuit waiting for them.

The farm setting is part of the appeal and part of the responsibility. There are goats, pigs and llamas, and guests enjoy watching them from the windows, but it does mean a dog with a strong prey drive needs managing around livestock. The owner lives on the farm, greets guests on arrival and then leaves them alone, which most visitors say is exactly right.

Two things to plan for. Cornwall bans dogs from most of its popular beaches between Easter and October, and one guest was caught out by it, so check the beaches you have in mind before you travel. And the barn, while spacious, comfortable and quiet, is showing wear in places - guests have reported mismatched and damaged kitchenware, a loose bathroom floor tile, mould on the bath grout, damp towels on arrival and dust on the ornaments. The bedding and the bed itself draw consistent praise.

For a couple or a small family with a dog or two who want a quiet, self-contained base within reach of Penzance, St Ives and the coast path, The Courtyard is a solid, unpretentious choice, and it earns a 4.6/5 paw rating.