Gordon House, Wimborne Minster

Gordon House is a bed and breakfast on West Borough, a few minutes' walk from Wimborne Minster itself, and it is the kind of small, owner-run guest house where bringing a dog feels normal rather than negotiated. Rooms are large by guest-house standards - some come with an adjoining ante room - and guests travelling with dogs consistently mention how easy the arrangement was, including not being charged extra for the dog.

The location does a lot of the work for a dog owner. Wimborne is a compact market town you can walk end to end, so the dog comes along to the bakery and the pub rather than waiting in the room, and there is off-road parking at the house, which is unusual this close to the centre. Riverside walks along the Stour and the Allen start within a few minutes, and the Castleman Trailway gives you a flat, traffic-free route a short drive out.

Two things to be clear on. The house has only a handful of rooms and not every one will suit a dog, so say you are bringing one at the point of booking rather than on arrival. And while guests with dogs report paying no supplement, the booking listing sets out no pet policy at all, so treat that as current practice rather than a guarantee and confirm it directly.

Beyond the dog question, the reliable notes are cleanliness, a proper cooked-to-order breakfast and a welcoming host; the one recurring grumble is a very soft bed in the upstairs twin, worth raising if you are particular about a firm mattress.

Best suited to couples and solo travellers with one well-behaved dog who want a comfortable, central base for Wimborne and east Dorset without paying hotel rates.