Sunny Croft, Dorchester

Sunny Croft is a comfortable bungalow in a rural spot near Broadmayne, just outside Dorchester in the Dorset countryside. Let as a whole house with a garden and a hot tub, it makes a relaxed dog-friendly base for exploring the area, and guests travelling with dogs return to it - one reviewer noted it was their second visit.

The garden and the hot tub are what guests remember. The bungalow opens onto a garden that reviewers with dogs describe as a lovely place to relax after a day out, and several were happy to let their dog run in it. There are good walks in the immediate neighbourhood, a friendly local pub in the village, and plenty within a short drive across rural Dorset. Indoors, guests praise the comfortable, well-equipped bungalow and the hot tub in particular; the owner comes up repeatedly as quick to help when anything needs sorting.

One caveat deserves attention if garden security matters to you. Experiences of the garden vary: some guests found it genuinely secure and were happy to let their dog off-lead, while others reported gaps - a gate whose wire could be pushed through at the bottom, or areas where a determined dog might escape - and had to improvise a fix. If your dog is an escape artist, it is worth checking the current garden set-up with the owner before booking and keeping an eye out on arrival. A few reviewers also felt the bungalow was showing its age, though a later stay reported it had since been refurbished to a good standard.

Sunny Croft suits families and couples travelling with a dog who want a rural Dorset bungalow with a hot tub, a garden and good walks from the door, and who are comfortable double-checking the garden fencing for a dog that likes to roam. As a whole-house rental, dogs have the run of the place without other guests to negotiate.