There are some luxury family-friendly hotels dotted around Dorset that allow for a splurge, but a good choice of holiday villages, farmstays, cottages and campsites in the county also make it a great-value family holiday destination.
A country house hotel overlooking iconic Chesil Beach, with a gardener who runs fossil walks along the shore.
A dog-friendly family glamping site on an organic farm in the heart of the Dorset countryside, with nature trails.
A lodge-only holiday park near Weymouth, with an indoor pool with a wave machine, plus an artificial ski slope.
A good-value family activity centre in countryside close to the coast, offering both water- and land-based sports.
Choose from luxury family cottages, seaside retreats and even properties with their own swimming pools.
A rural haven near Weymouth, with large safari-style tents with wood-burning stoves and comfy beds, plus a Jacuzzi for good measure.
A 5-star holiday park on Poole Harbour, with a top watersports centre and direct access to a sandy beach.
An upmarket option opposite a sandy beach in one of the poshest parts of Dorset, with a kids' club and watersports academy.
A family-friendly budget hotel about a mile from the beach, offering great-value short breaks by the sea.