The Guard House

The Guard House is an 18th-century semi-detached stone cottage beneath Golden Cap, in the Jurassic Coast countryside by Chideock. It was built to house officers watching for smugglers. It sleeps 7 across four bedrooms: a king-size, a double and a twin upstairs, plus a compact single on the entrance floor beside the shower room.

The entrance is at the back, up a flight of external steps through the garden, and a stable door opens straight into the kitchen. This has a dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer. Two steps down is the dining area, and the lounge runs along the front with a wood burner and Smart TV. Logs and coal are included from October to the end of April, while kindling and firelighters are not. Upstairs, a winding staircase leads to the double and king-size bedrooms, which both have sea views, and the twin, which looks over Golden Cap. The bathroom up here has a bath, handheld shower and WC.

Two enclosed courtyard gardens with seating are attached, a front terrace reached from the lounge and a walled garden at the back. Parking is at the rear for two cars, and the driveway is very steep. In this remote spot mobile signal and Wi-Fi can be intermittent. Beach, pub and shop are all within walking distance, and the pub will deliver pre-ordered meals to the cottage outside the high season.

Children under 5 and babies are not accepted, and dogs are not allowed. It suits a family with older children or a group of friends who are comfortable with steps and a steep drive. The cottage next door sleeps 6, and the two can be booked together.