The Annex at Merley Mews

The Annex at Merley Mews is a self-contained annexe on Merley House Lane, in the Merley area of Dorset between Wimborne Minster and Broadstone. It comes with a large private garden of its own, and that garden is what dog owners write about first.

Every owner who has brought a dog here has said the same thing about it: the garden is properly secure. Safe and enclosed rather than merely fenced, which is the difference between letting a dog out and taking a dog out, and it is a good deal rarer in a holiday let than it ought to be. On a week-long stay that one detail changes the shape of every day.

The annexe itself is bigger than the word suggests. Guests consistently report more space than the photographs led them to expect, comfortably enough for a family for a week, and the listing photographs are described as honest rather than flattering. It lies mostly on one level, with a few steps between the entrance and kitchen and the lounge and bedroom area, so it works for an older dog that has stopped enjoying stairs. There is a barbecue, plenty of games and books, and a welcome hamper with milk in the fridge waiting on arrival. Parking for two cars is straightforward, which matters here. The owners come up repeatedly as friendly, quick to reply and willing to accommodate a request.

Two things temper it. The annexe sits on a holiday-home and park estate rather than in open countryside, and guests have found the surroundings noisy at times, with that noise carrying into the garden. And there is nothing within walking distance - no village shop, no pub you can stroll to - so a proper dog walk means getting in the car, with Wimborne Minster and Poole both a short drive away.

It suits an owner who wants a garden they can genuinely trust, and does not mind driving to the walk.