White Horse Hotel

The White Horse Hotel is the village pub with rooms on Strichen's High Street, in the Buchan countryside inland from Fraserburgh, and it is one of those places where the dog welcome is less a policy than a habit. Guests arriving with a dog, large ones included, describe being made to feel part of the room within minutes, by the bar staff and the locals alike. Dogs are allowed in the bar, which matters more than it sounds: it means you can eat your evening meal downstairs with your dog at your feet instead of carrying a plate upstairs or leaving them alone in a room.

The owners are the reason people rate it. Dog owners writing about the place return again and again to warmth and kindness rather than facilities - a hotel where somebody notices you have a dog and does something about it. The food gets consistently good marks, breakfast included, and the village is quiet enough that dogs settle easily at night. Parking is free and on site, which spares you a walk through the village with luggage in one hand and a lead in the other.

Set your expectations by the building, though. This is an old, unpretentious country hotel offering good value rather than comfort at any price, and the rooms reflect that. Some sit up three flights of stairs with no lift, which guests with older or heavier dogs have found genuinely hard work, so ask for something low down when you book if that applies to you. Not every room is en suite. And while most people leave happy, there is a run of reviews reporting draughty windows, unreliable heating and problems with hot water, so flag anything wrong early rather than putting up with it.

It suits someone who wants a real Scottish village welcome, a good dinner and a dog snoozing under the table, and who cares more about that than about the fittings. On those terms it does the job well, and earns a 4.4/5 paw rating.