Dog friendly holiday cottage, sleeps 10 - Cote, Oxfordshire

These two semi-detached cottages on the edge of the Cotswolds are the perfect base for a family or friendship group looking for a countryside retreat within easy reach of shopping and attractions. Catering for 14 across five bedrooms, the main property also welcomes up to two dogs, so there's no need to leave furry family members behind. The larger house has plenty of space to operate as the central hub for the gathering, with a big entrance hall to leave muddy shoes and coats, and a good-sized kitchen featuring a range oven, microwave and two fridges.

The dining area is connected to the kitchen by double doors and seats eight around its chunky pine farmhouse table. Whatever your group dynamic, the bedroom set-up should work, with a collection of king, double and twin bedrooms across the two houses, plus a sofa bed and two additional single beds on request. Older relatives or those looking for a little peace and quiet could take the double room in the smaller house, while everyone else piles into the main property.

With two lounges and TVs in most of the bedrooms, there'll be no squabbles over the remote either. The patio garden comes complete with a BBQ, just right for those sunny evenings when cooking inside just doesn't seem right, and with the French doors to the dining room open, anyone who prefers to eat at the table won't feel excluded.