Owls Roost, Falmouth

Owls Roost is a whole-house cottage in the Maen Valley at Goldenbank, on a quiet landscaped holiday complex a short drive south of Falmouth, and it works best for owners who want a green, unhurried base rather than a town-centre one. You have the cottage to yourselves, with your own marked parking space right outside, which makes arriving and unloading with a dog straightforward.

One well-behaved dog is welcome, and the site asks that dogs are kept on a lead anywhere in the grounds. That is worth knowing before you arrive: this is a shared holiday village with landscaped gardens, a clubhouse and an indoor pool, not a private plot, so off-lead time happens on the walks rather than at the door. Those walks are close by. Paths lead down towards the coast in about twenty minutes, though they are not well signposted, so a map on your phone earns its keep the first time.

Guests describe the cottage itself as beautiful, spacious and properly equipped, open-plan and warm, with comfortable beds and a small garden with somewhere to sit. Staff at the clubhouse and the housekeeping team get warm mentions. Dog owners rate the stay highly and pick out simply being able to bring a dog somewhere this comfortable.

Two caveats. Lighting between the parking area and the cottage is limited, so an autumn or winter arrival after dark is easier with a torch, particularly with anyone less steady on their feet. And the approach is a narrow, winding lane, fine taken slowly but not a road to hurry. Out of season, some of the on-site facilities are closed. For a steady dog and owners happy to drive into Falmouth for the evening, Owls Roost earns its 4.4 paw rating.