The Oaks - Ash Farm Cotswolds

The Oaks is a barn conversion on Ash Farm, a working farm in the countryside near Stow-on-the-Wold, and it is one of those places where the resident dogs are part of the experience. Guests bringing their own dog regularly find the farm dogs coming over to say hello and stay to play, and the owners are relaxed and welcoming about it. For a sociable dog it makes for a very happy week.

The barn itself is warm and comfortable and stocked with the things people forget: milk in the fridge, tea, coffee, cooking oil, dishwasher tablets and plenty of loo roll, plus welcome notes and local leaflets. The setting is quiet and properly dark at night, which suits a dog that settles better without street noise. Dogs are allowed on request for GBP 25 per pet per trip, arranged and paid before arrival, so ask when you book rather than turning up with one.

The working-farm setting needs thinking about, and it is the main caveat here. Lorries come and go through the day and night, which will unsettle a noise-sensitive dog. There is a five mile per hour limit on the farm track that not every driver observes, and guests have reported a farm dog running loose and chasing cars, so a dog that reacts to other dogs or will not recall reliably should be on a lead the moment it leaves the barn. A car is essential too, as nothing is within walking distance, and while guests are fond of the place, some feel the barn is due a little updating.

Best suited to a couple or small family with a confident, sociable dog who want deep Cotswolds countryside and a farm to wander, and who will not mind farm traffic outside the door. It earns a 4.5/5 paw rating.