Hazeldene, Winfrith

Hazeldene is a self-contained apartment at East Knighton, a hamlet just outside Winfrith Newburgh in south Dorset, and it is about as easy a dog stay as this part of the county offers. It sits back from the main road in a very quiet spot, with its own parking behind a gate that closes and a fully enclosed outdoor space, so a dog can be let out last thing without anyone reaching for a lead.

The owners do the work that makes a pet stay relaxed. Dog towels and a stair-gate are already in the property, which spares you packing either, and arrivals are met with a generous set of welcome extras, milk, juice, snacks, chocolate and toiletries among them. The accommodation is bright and spotless, with a well-equipped kitchen downstairs and an en-suite bedroom above, and guests describe the owners as friendly and quick to help with ideas for the area.

Position is the other strength. A dog-friendly pub sits a couple of doors away, so an evening out involves neither driving nor leaving the dog behind, and walks start from the doorstep into quiet Dorset lanes and fields. The coast is close: Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door and the Purbeck stretch of the South West Coast Path are all within easy range, along with the Weymouth beaches for the months when dogs are allowed on them.

There is very little to hold against it. This is an apartment rather than a large house, so it suits one or two people with a dog rather than a group, and the enclosed outdoor space is a garden rather than a field, so a high-energy dog will still want a proper walk each day. Guest feedback is close to unanimous, and the 4.7/5 paw rating reflects a run of stays where nothing went wrong.

Best suited to a couple or a solo traveller with one or two dogs who want a quiet, immaculate Dorset base with a pub next door, enclosed parking and the Jurassic Coast within half an hour.