Laurel Cottage, Weymouth

Laurel Cottage is a thatched whole-house let in a courtyard at East Farm in Osmington, a village a few miles east of Weymouth. The setting is the strongest thing about it: quiet, set back from the road, and within reach of Osmington Mills, Ringstead Bay and the coast path, which is about as good as walking gets on this stretch of Dorset. One well-behaved dog is welcome.

The dog-specific caveat is the one to read before booking. Outdoor space for a dog to relieve itself in the evening is limited, and feedback from dog owners describes being asked not to use a nearby grassed area that turned out to be private without being obviously so. That is an awkward thing to discover after dark on the first night. Ask the owners directly, before you arrive, where your dog can and cannot go, and plan on a short walk rather than stepping outside the door.

Housekeeping is the other recurring theme, and it is not confined to guests with dogs. Reviews mention cobwebs and dust on arrival, staining on the sofas, weak water pressure in the bathroom and a spell without hot water. Others are perfectly happy and call the cottage comfortable and well equipped in a lovely setting, so the picture is mixed rather than uniformly poor. It reads as a well-placed, affordable cottage that is not consistently well presented, which is a reasonable trade if the price and the location are what you are after.

For owners of one dog who want a quiet thatched cottage near the coast at a modest price, and who will look the property over on arrival and settle the toileting question in advance, Laurel Cottage does the job. No pet fee is stated on the property's booking listing, so confirm any charge when you book.