Cleveland House, Bournemouth

Cleveland House is a large villa on West Cliff Road in Bournemouth, a few minutes above the seafront and right among the chines. It is set up for group holidays, with extended families of a dozen or more booking it regularly, and that scale is what makes it work with a dog: you have the whole house, ensuite bedrooms throughout, parking on site, and no shared corridors or neighbouring guests to think about.

Pets are welcome by prior arrangement, so confirm the dog when you book. No pet charge is published, so settle that in the same conversation.

The chines are the reason to bring a dog to this part of Bournemouth. They are wooded valleys running down to the sea, and Alum Chine, Middle Chine and Durley Chine are all within reach on foot from West Cliff Road, giving you shaded, sheltered walking with a route straight out onto the beach at the bottom. Guests with dogs single them out as the highlight of the stay. Dog access to the central beaches is restricted over the summer, so check the seasonal notice for the stretch you want before you head down. Local pubs a short walk away do a Sunday roast.

The house itself gets consistently strong marks for space, cleanliness and style, and guest scores sit at 9.7/10 across 23 reviews. There is a games room for children and a sauna for the adults, so a wet afternoon does not have to mean everyone piling into one room with the dog.

The practical grumble worth knowing about is the kitchen: some of the equipment has needed a wash before use, which is worth a few minutes on arrival night if you are cooking for a group. Best suited to a large family or group taking one or two dogs to Bournemouth who want a whole house with chine walking from the door. Less suited to couples or solo travellers, where the size of the place is more than you need. It earns a 4.5/5 paw rating.