“We had a lovely 7 night stay at the cottage, which is beautifully presented and excellently located, very convenient for our walking trips and dog swims.”
Parking was straightforward as we completed the app information prior to the visit—we parked outside to load and unload.
The weather was fantastic! We wished we’d packed more T-shirts and shorts, but the washing machine and handy washing line made it easy to keep up with laundry.
However, we found the cottage could have had more modern cooking utensils and pans, the basics were there but all very worn. The cottage could have been cleaner, as it was quite dusty. The living room sofas were ...
Parking was straightforward as we completed the app information prior to the visit—we parked outside to load and unload.
The weather was fantastic! We wished we’d packed more T-shirts and shorts, but the washing machine and handy washing line made it easy to keep up with laundry.
However, we found the cottage could have had more modern cooking utensils and pans, the basics were there but all very worn. The cottage could have been cleaner, as it was quite dusty. The living room sofas were very worn, and while we brought our own rugs to cover them, the existing rugs had holes. We understand the cottage is dog-friendly, so we didn’t expect luxury furnishings, but a refresh would be welcome.
The “useful guide” needs updating, as the local convenience store no longer stocks many basics or newspapers. However, Londis (Lulworth Stores) just down the path to the right was brilliant—the staff were very friendly and explained that the local shop now mainly sells ice cream.
Speaking of ice cream, Finley’s Café was a highlight for us, offering great coffee and doggie ice cream every day after our walks and swims, the staff there were lovely.
Some walks were limited due to recent rock falls and the firing range, but we enjoyed the walk up to Durdle Door several times—it was truly beautiful.
The garden gate is quite low, so we had to keep our dog on a lead for his evening toilet. He couldn’t be left in the courtyard, as he would have jumped over the gate. This setup would work well for smaller / older dogs, and the courtyard itself is lovely, with a convenient hose for cleaning up. It’s unfortunate that access to the upper gardens is so limited, as they look beautiful—hopefully, the layout can be improved in the future to allow better access.
On our departure morning, the gardener arrived around 8:15 am. Despite asking if he could wait until we left (as we needed to bring the car round, had the dog to manage & the cases were already at the front), he began work immediately. This made our exit feel rushed and uncomfortable trying to manage the slope to the parked car with our belongings and the dog with the noise of the strimmer), especially as he requested several times for access to the house to be left for him for the bathroom, which I was unable to allow.
Overall, we enjoyed our stay, but a few improvements would have make the experience even better.