Ddol Helyg Farmhouse, Caernarfon

Ddol Helyg Farmhouse is a whole-house rental at Llanrug, a few miles east of Caernarfon on the edge of Eryri, and the format is what makes it work for dogs. You have the entire farmhouse and its grounds to yourselves, with no shared corridors, no other guests and no lobby to steer a dog through. It sleeps a large group across en-suite bedrooms, which is why it tends to be booked for extended-family gatherings.

Up to two dogs can stay, and they need to be kept on a lead while on the property, because the owners keep horses there.

The practical details are better than most self-catering places manage. Hard floors run right through the house, so wet and muddy paws after a day on the hills are a mop rather than a problem, and there is a large garden and generous parking for unloading the car. The conservatory looks out at the mountains and is where most groups seem to end up. The owner comes across as welcoming and helpful without being intrusive, and the kitchen is well equipped for a group cooking for itself.

Two things are worth knowing. The garden, though big and attractive, is not gated, so it is not somewhere to let a dog out unsupervised, and dog owners staying with young children have said a gate would transform it. And while the house is comfortable, some of the furniture is showing its age, with reports of leaking taps and weak showers.

The setting earns its keep the moment you step out. Eryri walks start within a short drive, the Caernarfon waterfront and the North Wales coast are close by, and there is a pub within walking distance of the house.

Ddol Helyg earns a 4.5/5 paw rating and suits groups and families who want a quiet countryside base with the whole house to themselves, are happy with lead-on rules around the horses, and plan to spend their days out on the hills rather than in the garden.