Fairview Apartment, Salcombe

Fairview is a ground-floor apartment in Salcombe with its own level garden, and for anyone travelling with a dog that garden is the whole argument for the place. It is flat, private, hedged off from the neighbouring property and looks out over open countryside, and the apartment opens straight onto it - so the first trip out in the morning does not involve stairs, a lead or a corridor.

One well-behaved dog is welcome and a £25 pet charge applies. The listing does not state what period that covers, so check when you book. The single-dog limit is the real constraint here: this is not a property for a household travelling with two.

Dog owners are consistent about two things. The first is that garden, which they describe as ideal for the dog and a proper feature rather than a scrap of grass. The second is the owner, who rings ahead to arrange parking on his drive and checks in during the stay to make sure everything is working - the kind of attention that is much easier to come by in an owner-managed let than a managed block. Guests also note that the rooms are a good size, the shower is better than most, and the apartment is well equipped.

The hill is the catch. Fairview sits above the village and the climb back up from the harbour is steep. Most guests treat it as part of the holiday and an excuse for the bakery on the way through, but it is worth a thought if your dog is elderly or arthritic, or if you would rather not do it three times a day. Access has also caught people out: the entrance to this apartment is round the back rather than at the front of the building, so confirm the arrival instructions before you travel.

A strong choice for a couple or a small family with one dog who will make full use of a private, level garden, and who do not mind earning the view on the way home.