Waterson, Weymouth

Waterson is a holiday home in the village of Osmington, a few miles east of Weymouth on Dorset's Jurassic Coast, and the setting is what brings dog owners here. The lounge bay window and the side decking look straight out over the South West Coast Path, the well-known Smugglers Inn is a short walk away and takes dogs, and the walking starts at the gate rather than at the end of a drive. The whole house is yours, so there are no shared corridors and no reception to steer a dog past.

Guests who brought dogs describe it as a comfortable base for that kind of holiday. The house is roomy for a group, there is a big driveway, and returning visitors mention how readily their dogs settled in. There is plenty of birdlife around the house too, which suits some dogs and unsettles others.

The garden is the caveat that matters most, and it comes up repeatedly. The rear garden is large but it is not secure. Guests travelling with dogs describe the fencing as inadequate for an inquisitive dog, report finding it broken through to the horse field next door, and point out that there is no gate stopping the rear garden opening onto the front and out to the road. Treat it as unfenced and keep a dog on a lead outside. The steps up to the rear garden and the driveway both turn slippery after rain, which is worth knowing if you are carrying kit in the dark.

Condition is the other honest caveat. The house is tired in places and guests regularly ask for modernisation, with reports of damp, patchy storage heating and poor lighting on the outside steps. Cleaning has been inconsistent too: parties have arrived to dog hair left on sofas, rugs and bedroom carpets by previous guests, which is an annoyance for most people and a real problem for anyone in the group with allergies. A check round on arrival is sensible.

Waterson suits active dog owners who want a coast-path address and a whole house at a fair price, who will keep their dog on a lead around the property, and who are not expecting a recently refurbished interior. Anyone who needs a secure garden should look elsewhere on this stretch of coast.