Magpie 1 at Hunters Moon, Warminster

Magpie 1 is a lakeside lodge at Hunters Moon in Henford Marsh, on the edge of Warminster, and its position is the reason to book it. The lodge sits right at the water's edge with a view across the lake, ducks and geese on it, and countryside walking running straight out from the grounds. Guests travelling with dogs rate the dog-friendliness highly and single out the walks nearby.

The lodge is rustic rather than polished: a four-poster bed, a private hot tub on the decking, well-kept grounds and flowers around the site. The hot tub takes up a fair share of the decking, so outdoor space with a dog needs a bit of planning. There is an on-site pub that does a good roast, but it closes on Mondays and Tuesdays and that has caught guests out, so check the days before you rely on it.

All of the Magpie lodges are dog friendly and each one has a fully enclosed outdoor area, which is worth knowing given how much of the decking the hot tub takes. No fee, weight limit or cap on numbers has been published, so agree those details with the property when you book.

The caveats are real and worth reading before booking. Guests have reported patchy housekeeping, including mould in the shower tray and items left behind from a previous stay, and consumables are minimal, with no tea or coffee, no salt or pepper, a single toilet roll and a token bar of soap for a two-night stay, so bring your own. Wi-Fi has failed for guests who then could not get a reply from the property. Hot water and hot tub heating have both been unreliable across several stays, and there is no air conditioning or fan, which matters for a dog in a small lodge in summer.

The dog-friendliness is not in doubt and the setting is genuinely lovely, but this is a property where the fabric lags the location, and the 4.3/5 paw rating reflects a stay that dog owners enjoyed while finding the basics inconsistent. Best suited to a couple with a dog who want the lake and the walks and will pack their own supplies.