The Nook @ Applemede

The Nook @ Applemede is a small self-contained apartment on the edge of Chudleigh, and it is set up for dogs in a way that goes well past simply tolerating them. Guests arriving with a dog find biscuits, a bowl and a towel waiting alongside the homemade brownies and fresh milk left for their owners, and the large garden is given over to whoever is staying in the apartment rather than shared with the main house.

That garden is the thing dog owners mention most. It is enclosed and generous by holiday-let standards, with a courtyard, garden furniture, a barbecue and a hot tub, and it means a dog can be let out off the lead first thing in the morning. The apartment itself is compact - one room done well rather than a lot of space - and it is consistently described as spotless, which matters when you are bringing a dog into someone else's home.

The owners live in the house above and strike a balance guests keep noting: available if something is needed, but not hovering. They keep dogs of their own on the property, which is worth knowing if yours is uneasy around other animals. Chudleigh is a quiet Devon town with shops and a cafe within walking distance, and the location works hard - Exeter and Paignton are both about fifteen minutes by car, and Dartmoor is close enough for a proper day's walking.

The one recurring niggle has nothing to do with dogs: there are no windows that can be left open overnight, so ventilation depends on the fan the owners provide or leaving a door ajar. On a warm night that is a genuine consideration. Otherwise this is about as easy a dog-friendly base as this part of Devon offers, and it earns a 4.9/5 paw rating. It suits couples and solo travellers who want somewhere quiet, private and immaculately kept, and whose dog will make good use of a garden.