The Coach House

The Coach House is a genuinely dog-friendly self-catering retreat on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, and it suits walkers travelling with a dog especially well. It's a converted whole-house rental tucked away in the private grounds of a Georgian estate near Gilwern, so you get the run of the place to yourselves with no shared corridors or other guests to work around.

The property welcomes one well-behaved dog per booking. The big draw for dog owners is space: there's a large field close to the cottage - by some accounts around five acres - where dogs can stretch their legs and burn off energy, and quieter walks start right from the doorstep. Guests travelling with dogs consistently praise the owner, Nicola, who lives a short walk away and strikes a good balance between being on hand when needed and leaving you to enjoy the place in peace.

The cottage itself is warm and well-equipped, with a real fire, and its ground floor isn't fully open-plan, which some owners found handy for settling a dog in the kitchen overnight. The setting is a highlight in its own right: you're within easy reach of Gilwern village and its pub, the canal towpath makes for gentle dog walks, and Abergavenny and Crickhowell are close by, with the wider Beacons a short drive away for bigger days out.

A couple of things to know before booking. The outdoor space immediately around the cottage isn't fully fenced, and the nearby field is occasionally given over to sheep, so a dog that won't stay close when let out will need to be kept on a lead or watched carefully. Several guests felt a fenced patio or garden would make the stay even easier.

For walkers and country-lovers after a quiet, private base with plenty of room for their dog, The Coach House is an easy recommendation, and it earns a 4.7/5 paw rating.