Hillview Bungalow, Burton Bradstock

Hillview Bungalow's appeal is almost entirely about where it sits. It is a roomy detached bungalow in Burton Bradstock, five to ten minutes on foot from Hive Beach and a little further from the village, with its own parking, an enclosed south-facing rear garden and no neighbours overlooking the back. For anyone who wants a Jurassic Coast base where the dog gets walked before breakfast without getting in the car, it does the job, and it earns a 4.2/5 paw rating.

Up to two pets are allowed per booking and no pet fee is published; guests have reported bringing three, so agree anything larger directly first. The beach is dog-friendly for most of its length. Dogs are not allowed on the stretch directly in front of the car parks, but from roughly fifty metres either side of that they are, which guests with dogs describe as an easy walk from the door. It is shingle rather than sand, and good for fossil hunting.

The one thing to check before you arrive is the side gate. The garden is advertised as enclosed and mostly is, but there is a gap underneath the gate that smaller dogs can squeeze through and out towards the drive and the road. Enough guests with dogs have run into this that some have blocked it themselves with bins or timber, and on at least one stay it had been boarded up in a way that made the gate unusable. If your dog is small or an escape artist, plan for it.

The other caveats are about condition rather than the dog side. Reviews from guests travelling with dogs are consistent that the bungalow is tired and needs some care: mould around the bathroom ceiling and blind, a toilet seat and door latches needing attention, and a musty note in the air have all been raised more than once. Several people arrived to find no information folder, no welcome basics and no bedside lamps. Guests with dogs are usually the most forgiving about cleanliness, and even they have mentioned dog hair left from previous stays.

Best suited to dog owners who put location first and are relaxed about a dated, basic interior, and who can manage a garden gate that needs blocking. Anyone expecting a polished, well-stocked holiday let will be disappointed.