diff --git a/tests/test_xarray.py b/tests/test_xarray.py
index 6ddc5d3..94ff71b 100644
--- a/tests/test_xarray.py
+++ b/tests/test_xarray.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import pathlib
 
 import numpy as np
+import pytest
 import xarray as xr
 
 DATA_FOLDER = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent / "data"
@@ -49,6 +50,21 @@ def test_open_dataset_root() -> None:
     assert isinstance(res, xr.Dataset)
 
 
+def test_open_dataset_root_accessor() -> None:
+    product_path = (
+        DATA_FOLDER
+        / "S1B_IW_SLC__1SDV_20210401T052622_20210401T052650_026269_032297_EFA4.SAFE"
+    )
+    res = xr.open_dataset(product_path, engine="sentinel-1")  # type: ignore
+
+    assert res.sentinel1.group is None
+
+    res1 = xr.zeros_like(res, 0)
+
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        res1.sentinel1
+
+
 def test_open_dataset_orbit() -> None:
     manifest_path = (
         DATA_FOLDER
diff --git a/xarray_sentinel/sentinel1.py b/xarray_sentinel/sentinel1.py
index 72c8745..14c307c 100644
--- a/xarray_sentinel/sentinel1.py
+++ b/xarray_sentinel/sentinel1.py
@@ -293,13 +293,13 @@ def compute_burst_centres(gcp: xr.Dataset) -> T.Tuple[np.ndarray, np.ndarray]:
 
 
 def open_dataset(
-    product_urlpath: esa_safe.PathType,
+    urlpath: esa_safe.PathType,
     drop_variables: T.Optional[T.Tuple[str]] = None,
     group: T.Optional[str] = None,
     chunks: T.Optional[T.Union[int, T.Dict[str, int]]] = None,
     fs: T.Optional[fsspec.AbstractFileSystem] = None,
 ) -> xr.Dataset:
-    fs, manifest_path = get_fs_path(product_urlpath, fs)
+    fs, manifest_path = get_fs_path(urlpath, fs)
 
     if fs.isdir(manifest_path):
         manifest_path = os.path.join(manifest_path, "manifest.safe")
@@ -341,9 +341,24 @@ def open_dataset(
                 annotation_path=annotation_path,
                 chunks=chunks,
             )
+    # add backend specific metadata in the Dataset enconding
+    ds.encoding = {
+        "engine": "sentinel-1",
+        "group": group,
+        "urlpath": urlpath,
+    }
     return ds
 
 
+@xr.register_dataset_accessor("sentinel1")  # type: ignore
+class Sentinel1Accessor:
+    def __init__(self, xarray_obj: xr.Dataset) -> None:
+        if xarray_obj.encoding.get("engine") != "sentinel-1":
+            raise TypeError("not a 'sentinel-1' 'Dataset'")
+        self.urlpath = xarray_obj.encoding["urlpath"]
+        self.group = xarray_obj.encoding["group"]
+
+
 class Sentinel1Backend(xr.backends.common.BackendEntrypoint):
     def open_dataset(  # type: ignore
         self,