Spindrift, St Ives

Spindrift is a small apartment on Burthallan Lane, on the hill above St Ives, and its best feature for a dog is the little private outside space by the door: somewhere to let a dog out first thing or last thing without clipping on a lead and heading into town. Up to two dogs can come, which makes it workable for a two-dog household, and it earns a 4.2/5 paw rating.

Pets cost £40 per pet, per week, with a maximum of two per booking, and the property asks to be told about them at the time of booking.

The centre of St Ives is roughly a ten to twelve minute walk down the hill, which is pleasant on the way in and harder work on the way back, especially after a long beach day with a tired dog. There is no parking at the property, and guests have ended up paying for a car park around ten minutes' walk away, so budget for that and for carrying the dog gear back and forth. The drop-off point is also easy to miss when arriving after dark.

The apartment itself draws mixed reports. It is usually described as clean, though stains on the carpets have been mentioned. The recurring complaint is the bed, which more than one guest found uncomfortable and noisy enough to spoil their sleep. Others have flagged a stair handrail coming away from the wall, thin bedroom curtains that let the dawn in, a weak shower over a curved bath, a broken shower tap, mismatched crockery and a kitchen that is short on extras. The local contact has been hard to reach for at least one stay, so have a number confirmed before you travel.

Best suited to a couple with one or two easy-going dogs who value the private outside space and a walkable St Ives location, and who can live with a few rough edges inside.