The Ferns, Weymouth

The Ferns is a large family house on Fernhill Avenue in the Radipole part of Weymouth, let as a whole property and comfortably sleeping a big group. It is about ten minutes on foot into the town centre and the seafront, with Lodmoor and its nature reserve close by, and it takes dogs, which is most of the reason larger dog-owning families end up here.

Up to two pets are allowed per booking, and parties with two dogs have stayed happily alongside children and grandparents. The back garden is laid with artificial grass, which dog owners like in principle because it does not turn to mud, but there is a practical catch worth knowing: there is no outside hose, and guests travelling with dogs have repeatedly asked for one, because the artificial grass needs rinsing down after a few days to stop it smelling. Filling buckets works, but pack accordingly.

The other thing to settle before you book is the upstairs question. The house is let as dog-friendly, but there is a sign at the bottom of the stairs asking that dogs stay downstairs, and the stair gate that enforces it has been described as needing attention. If your dog normally sleeps in your room, check with the owner rather than assuming.

On walks, the sandy stretch of Weymouth beach is around half an hour on foot, so most people loaded up with beach kit and a dog drive it, and there is a good dog-walking area about five minutes away by car. Cleanliness is the one area where the house has been inconsistent: most guests find it spacious, well equipped and freshly presented, but there is also feedback describing a blocked and grimy shower drain, sticky kitchen surfaces, stained carpets and marked linen, serious enough on one visit that the party cut their stay short. A look at the most recent feedback before booking is time well spent. The Ferns suits larger families with one or two dogs who want space, a low-maintenance garden and an easy walk into Weymouth.