The Cottage at Broadway

The Cottage at Broadway sits in the middle of one of the best-known villages in the Cotswolds, and it works well as a base for a walking holiday with a dog. It is a whole-house rental, so there are no shared corridors or lobbies to negotiate, and the high street, the pubs and the climb up to Broadway Tower all start within a few minutes of the front door. Guests travelling with dogs come back to it year after year, and it earns a 4.7/5 paw rating.

One well-behaved dog is welcome. The cottage has a south-facing walled garden with views over the fields behind, and it is the part of the property dog owners talk about most, though not always in the same way. The wall is low and there is no gate, so while several parties describe it as perfectly secure for a small or steady dog, others found their dog could have got out if left alone in it. The property flags the same thing itself. Treat it as a garden to sit in with your dog rather than one to leave them in.

The other thing worth planning for is mud. Broadway walks are wonderful and wet in equal measure, and there is no outside tap or hose at the cottage, so dogs come back through the house to the utility room at the back to be washed down. Owners of small dogs simply carry them through; anyone with a big, muddy Labrador may want to pack towels and a bucket. Inside, the cottage draws consistent praise for being clean, warm and well equipped, and the housekeeping gets a mention in almost every review. The stairs are steep, which is worth knowing if your dog is elderly or short-legged.

It suits couples and small groups with one well-mannered dog who want a Cotswold village on the doorstep and country walks straight from it, rather than anyone who needs a secure garden for an off-lead dog.