Dorset Holiday Cottages

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Dr Holt - Verified booking

  Raleighs is a very comfortable and warm house with many interesting features, not least it's age and origin. The bed was very comfortable, the shower was good if a little tricky to use with my broken arm, the kitchen well stocked and the lovely welcome gifts very much appreciated. The secure back courtyard was great for peace of mind with the whippets but the weather took a turn for the colder so we didn't manage to sit out with a drink and food, which is a shame. Parking was easy on Long Street if you don't fancy backing into the narrow drive. The further we ended up was less than 20 seconds walk away when parking. Very hand. This was in September so not fully peak time but CA seems to be visited by a fairy constant but not overwhelming stream of interesting visitors for the local attractions. Cerne Abbass is an interesting village, for obvious reasons, and the shops and pubs were all very friendly, useful and accommodating. We found a good place to let the dogs off for a run at the back of the church cemetery with paths round to the Giant and also for a circuit around the giant Hill. Stunning countryside views all around make this a real pleasure. The story of the Well is interesting and worth looking around what's left of the Abbey if the owners have left the open sign up. The village store is a great place to shop with lots of lovely treats, practical provisions including the extremely local unhomogneised, free range whole milk from a mile or so down the road, delivered by a handy machine into your own bottle (or you can buy one with the Giant on which is an entertaining souvenir). Also the pasties were delicious and people there were friendly and helpful. The Giant seems to be the locals pub, and very friendly, so a good place to go for a beer or two. We didn't have food there but it looked good, tasty, and seemed to be well appreciated. The Royal Oak is a classic, old pub; pleasantly unspoilt, with lots of character but perhaps needing a good clean and more careful management of the pipes and the drinks that they are supplying, but that didn't stop us from eating a very hearty game pie and vegan shepherds pie (yes catering for all tastes), with good, non-fussy cooked vegetables. The New Inn was very comfortable both in the beer garden in the sun, when warm, and also in the evening inside when cooler. Very friendly staff and very popular for groups staying in CA. A bit more upmarket for food and surroundings but none the worse for it in terms of the welcome and atmosphere. Book ahead for food though; we didn't, and ended up missing out on a meal there. The Greyhound at Sydling was great for lunch on a gradually wording weather day, on the way back from a walk round the amazing Maiden Castle. Weighmouth was characterful and interesting and that includes the weather. Studland was gorgeous as ever, even on a colder day and the Bankes Arms fish and chips were welcome. Beaminster, the cafe at the fancy gift shop was lovely for sandwiches and coffee in the sunny back court yard. Also the The Greyhound food was homemade, hearty and filling on a wet day. ALL of the above mentioned, it goes without saying, we're very welcoming of our two whippets. All in all a great week in a lovely old house in and interesting village in Dorset with some interesting weather to contend with and our two whippets with us.

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• Mr Bosbach - Verified booking

  Raleigh's is a charming 16th century half-timbered house with a very tasteful interior with lots of old furniture and decorative items. The kitchen and lounge are very spacious, as are the bedrooms. The kitchen is well equipped with lots of cooking utensils, crockery and glasses. There is a modern hob next to the Aga. The kitchen opens onto the small courtyard, which is beautifully planted and sheltered from view. You can feel that Raleigh's is also used by the owners themselves, many photographs show the family's life. The hot water supply works very well, although a hand shower would be desirable in one of the two bathrooms. Raleigh's is located in a picture-perfect village of Cerne Abbas with three pubs, a church and an excellent village shop, which is small but has pretty much everything, including many local products. We would highly recommend the house to all holidaymakers who appreciate a combination of old-fashioned charm and modern amenities.

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• Ms Silva - Verified booking

  Absolutely wonderful!! My partner and I stayed at Orchard End for a month with our pup and were so sad to leave. The home is beautifully decorated and bright with views of green rolling hills. The hosts - Helen, Kevin, and their son James - are such lovely people and made us feel so welcome. Helen even baked us a beautiful cake upon our arrival! We had another couple join us for part of our stay, and the layout was perfect for two couples. We each had our own "wing" of the house with separate bedrooms, bathrooms and living rooms. Our pup loved the walks through the town and into the woods which is a short walk from the house. It's a peaceful environment perfect for unwinding and slowing down. The kitchen was very well appointed and the big dining table made entertaining simple and comfortable. I can't recommend this home enough and we hope to return in the future!! By far our favorite vacation home we have stayed in.

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• Mrs Hubbard - Verified booking

  We enjoyed a wonderful week at Raleigh’s and were so sorry that we forgot to write in the visitors’ book. A delightful home away from home: Picturesque, charming, quirky and cosy. The perfect village was a great spot for the local shop, pub food and dog walks. The quaint house an enchanting place to return to after each day’s activity, whether it be visiting the towns or Dorchester (Maiden Castle is a must see), Sherborne and it’s castle, Weymouth and it’s beach, or the Hardy landscapes and Lulworth Cove and Durdle door. The dogs particularly enjoyed the hilly giant walk and the Puddletown Forest with its Roman road. Raleigh’s had a lovely wooden stove to warm us, a modern Aga to cook our casseroles and lovely hot showers and dreamily comfortable beds. We are looking forward to returning and would highly recommend.

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• Susan - Verified booking

  We had a great holiday at Bramshurst, a very modern and warm property in lovely grounds.

  Also the location is excellent for touring the area, and the village itself very pretty and convenient for both Dorchester and Weymouth. We were at first a little taken aback by the 'minimalist' nature of the accommodation, e.g. we are used to finding local books and magazines, DVDs and more info on local attractions in a cottage (families might also expect some toys or board games). That wasn't important to us, but we would have appreciated a broom, mop etc and a few cleaning supplies, and especially more crockery as the provision of just four mugs, plates etc means a lot of washing up or running the dishwasher! Finally we felt that the property handbook needed to be more detailed - for example an explanation of the Velux windows which opened automatically (and loudly!) without warning.

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