Lakeland Lodge 9B, Warton

Lakeland Lodge 9B is a privately let lodge sleeping six on South Lakeland Leisure Village, a lakeside holiday park in the countryside outside Carnforth, at the southern gateway to the Lake District. The lodge is upside-down, with the living space upstairs to make the most of the water views, and the park sits on its own lake with a path through to a second one used for watersports.

For dog owners the draw is the park rather than the lodge. Dogs are welcome in the lodge and, unusually for a holiday park, the restaurant on site takes them too, so an evening meal does not mean leaving the dog behind. There are paths around the lakes for everyday walks, and Arnside, the Kent estuary and the southern fells are all a short drive.

The honest caveat is space. Guests travelling with dogs have found there is nowhere on the plot to let a dog off the lead: there is no enclosed garden at the lodge and the park is open, so everything is a lead walk. A dog that needs a proper run will want the drive out.

Cleanliness is the other thing to go in with your eyes open about. Arrival standards vary. Dog hair left from an earlier stay, a dishwasher left dirty and a general musty or animal smell all come up in guest feedback, and the lodge is tired in places, with wear on the floors and doors. The owner is responsive and has sent a cleaner out the same day when guests have flagged it, which is the right response, but it is worth checking the lodge over as soon as you arrive rather than after you have unpacked. Note too that the park's swimming pool is charged separately from the booking.

With a 4.4/5 paw rating, this suits dog owners who want lakeside walking and a dog-friendly place to eat on site, and who will accept a lodge that shows its mileage in exchange for the setting.