Villas where the dog comes too

Most villa listings mention pets the way they mention a lot of things: in passing, and usually as a no. Fair enough, plenty of owners have furniture to think about. But if the dog is coming, "technically allowed" isn't the same as "actually set up for it." A fenced garden, a bit of distance from a busy road, and a pool the dog can be kept well away from all matter more than the listing usually lets on. Two villas in the collection get it right.

Nathalie, Luberon, France

Nine rooms, a private pool, and grounds big enough that a dog can properly stretch its legs: a boules pitch out front, a lake just down the road, and the kind of quiet countryside where the biggest disturbance is the neighbour's rooster. Sleeps fourteen, so it works equally well for one family with a dog or three families who all brought theirs.

Piero, Santa Teresa di Gallura, Sardinia

A smaller, single-storey villa with its own pool and hot tub, close enough to the beach at Santa Reparata to walk it, though Sardinia's beach rules on dogs vary by season and stretch of sand, so that's one to check locally before you go. The garden and terrace give a dog room to settle in without the villa itself feeling like it's built around one.

What to check before you book, dog or not

Fenced boundaries aren't guaranteed just because a listing allows pets: some gardens back onto open countryside. If keeping the dog contained matters to you, ask the concierge to confirm the garden is enclosed before you commit, rather than finding out on arrival.

Tell the concierge the dog is coming, and we'll only point you toward villas actually set up for it, not just ones that technically allow it.