Studio Apartment, West Moors

This studio is a self-contained annexe at a private house in West Moors, on the Dorset side of the New Forest fringe, and it works best as a comfortable base for one or two people with a small dog rather than as a place to settle in for a week. Guests consistently praise the bed, the shower and the standard of the kitchenette, which runs to a decent fridge, an air fryer and a microwave.

The pet rules are more specific than most. The listing allows up to two dogs, sets a 15 kg weight ceiling, asks that dogs are friendly around other dogs, and requests a conversation about breed for anything medium-sized. Dogs are accepted on request rather than automatically, and the listing sets the charge at £30 per stay. That charge is the most common complaint in guest feedback: arrivals describe it as an unwelcome surprise, and some guests were told it applied per dog or per night. Get the figure agreed with the host in writing before committing to a non-refundable rate.

There is an enclosed garden and guests are welcome to use it, which is a real plus for a small dog. The complication is that the hosts keep dogs of their own, sometimes including puppies, and the garden is shared ground. Guests travelling with a dog have found the garden effectively unavailable to them for that reason, with mess left to negotiate on the way through. Feedback also carries a plain warning to expect a lot of dogs about the place. If your dog is reactive around others, this is not the right choice.

Two other practical points. The room has no opening windows, which made it uncomfortably warm during a heatwave, and dog owners were reluctant to leave the patio doors open overnight instead. Privacy is limited, and cleanliness has been flagged as below par. At 4.3/5, it earns its place for owners of small, sociable dogs who want somewhere well-kept and convenient for Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, provided the pet charge is agreed up front.