We absolutely loved it!

It was only an overnight stay but as our dog is a small/medium kelpie/border collie and not ‘small’ as listed, I emailed to make sure it was ok with the owners. The main reason for staying at the property was that it looked pretty and had a working fireplace which we were really excited about. However there is only a small courtyard at the back that is shared with another rental and nowhere for the dog to be off lead which was very disappointing. The other problem was that we took our own mohair blanket as we expected the usual ubiquitous doona on the bed and although very nice, it’s too hot for my husband. Unfortunately this apparently left dog hair on the bed and we were charged an additional fee for cleaning on top of the extra fee for the dog. Frankly if you advertise as ‘dog friendly’ and charge extra for it, I think you should expect that it comes with some dog hair! However, on to the pros and cons PROS Morpeth and most of the locals seemed to be really lovely Aircon was great and it was nice and warm and the fireplace was wonderful Plenty of hot water and the kitchen was clean and well stocked with tea and coffee and a tiny glass jug of milk in the fridge. Bed was big and bedding very comfortable and the bedroom was spacious and inviting CONS Not really dog ‘friendly’ and it really wasn’t a warm welcome at all. Frankly the place was only superficially clean. I walked around with socks on and they were very grubby very quickly. I also made the mistake of looking under the bed for a power point and it was really very dusty and full of cobwebs. The layout and the choice of the dining and lounge furniture in the sitting room made it very cramped and uncomfortable Being an old heritage building the walls were very cracked and needed attention and the bathroom could do with a jolly good clean and makeover I guess the real test is ‘would you stay there again’, but particularly after being slugged for extra cleaning and with little allowance for our dog, probably not.

It was only an overnight stay but as our dog is a small/medium kelpie/border collie and not ‘small’ as listed, I emailed to make sure it was ok with the owners. The main reason for staying at the property was that it looked pretty and had a working fireplace which we were really excited about. However there is only a small courtyard at the back that is shared with another rental and nowhere for the dog to be off lead which was very disappointing. The other problem was that we took our own mohair blanket as we expected the usual ubiquitous doona on the bed and although very nice, it’s too hot for my husband. Unfortunately this apparently left dog hair on the bed and we were charged an additional fee for cleaning on top of the extra fee for the dog. Frankly if you advertise as ‘dog friendly’ and charge extra for it, I think you should expect that it comes with some dog hair! However, on to the pros and cons PROS Morpeth and most of the locals seemed to be really lovely Aircon was great and it was nice and warm and the fireplace was wonderful Plenty of hot water and the kitchen was clean and well stocked with tea and coffee and a tiny glass jug of milk in the fridge. Bed was big and bedding very comfortable and the bedroom was spacious and inviting CONS Not really dog ‘friendly’ and it really wasn’t a warm welcome at all. Frankly the place was only superficially clean. I walked around with socks on and they were very grubby very quickly. I also made the mistake of looking under the bed for a power point and it was really very dusty and full of cobwebs. The layout and the choice of the dining and lounge furniture in the sitting room made it very cramped and uncomfortable Being an old heritage building the walls were very cracked and needed attention and the bathroom could do with a jolly good clean and makeover I guess the real test is ‘would you stay there again’, but particularly after being slugged for extra cleaning and with little allowance for our dog, probably not.

A lovely cottage excellently kept. Terrific little courtyard and garden at the back.

A lovely cottage excellently kept. Terrific little courtyard and garden at the back.

We spent 4 nights in this cottage which is equipped with all that we required during our stay. The local SPAR is just 1 minute walk away. The cottage is very spacious with modern fittings in the bathroom, and a modern kitchen with all the appliances that are needed. We enjoyed our stay with no issues and would like to return at some stage in the future.

We spent 4 nights in this cottage which is equipped with all that we required during our stay. The local SPAR is just 1 minute walk away. The cottage is very spacious with modern fittings in the bathroom, and a modern kitchen with all the appliances that are needed. We enjoyed our stay with no issues and would like to return at some stage in the future.

This is a very beautiful, stylish and comfortable property, equivalent to a 5 star hotel. The beds are extremely comfortable, the linen is of a very high quality, the lounge furniture is also very comfortable, the bathroom has everything you need and is spacious with a large shower. The kitchen is well equipped. The owners of the property clearly have great taste - they have placed very attractive art pieces throughout the house. To top it off, it’s next door to a restaurant that provides both Indian food and wood fired pizzas.

This is a very beautiful, stylish and comfortable property, equivalent to a 5 star hotel. The beds are extremely comfortable, the linen is of a very high quality, the lounge furniture is also very comfortable, the bathroom has everything you need and is spacious with a large shower. The kitchen is well equipped. The owners of the property clearly have great taste - they have placed very attractive art pieces throughout the house. To top it off, it’s next door to a restaurant that provides both Indian food and wood fired pizzas.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Surgeon's Cottage. The house has great historical value and the renovation is beautiful. The house is situated on the Main Street of a delightful town amidst the shops and cafes. The owners were very friendly, helpful and welcoming.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Surgeon's Cottage. The house has great historical value and the renovation is beautiful. The house is situated on the Main Street of a delightful town amidst the shops and cafes. The owners were very friendly, helpful and welcoming.

Thank you so much for having us, the cottage is amazing. The bed is fabulous, the cottage is so well appointed, we had everything we wished for.

Thank you so much for having us, the cottage is amazing. The bed is fabulous, the cottage is so well appointed, we had everything we wished for.

Fantastic place to stay. The Cottage is just beautiful.

Fantastic place to stay. The Cottage is just beautiful.

Positives - township, nice old building, quality linen and kitchen goods.Negatives - Hosts! Arrived mid afternoon after a long wet drive to be reprimanded that we had not given 24 hours notice of arrival time (small print on booking sheet that we did not notice - they could have contacted us if this was an issue). Instead it was made clear that our arrival was an inconvenience and this attitude did not improve. Breakfast supplies for the first night were clearly measured and meager to say the least. Advertised as pet friendly however right on the street with only a small garden and NO fencing. Unable to use master bedroom in the front of the house due to noisy road and pizza/wine bar next door. People taking short cuts across veranda leaving us no privacy. Air conditioner preset and cannot be adjusted for personal choice.

Positives - township, nice old building, quality linen and kitchen goods. Negatives - Hosts! Arrived mid afternoon after a long wet drive to be reprimanded that we had not given 24 hours notice of arrival time (small print on booking sheet that we did not notice - they could have contacted us if this was an issue). Instead it was made clear that our arrival was an inconvenience and this attitude did not improve. Breakfast supplies for the first night were clearly measured and meager to say the least. Advertised as pet friendly however right on the street with only a small garden and NO fencing. Unable to use master bedroom in the front of the house due to noisy road and pizza/wine bar next door. People taking short cuts across veranda leaving us no privacy. Air conditioner preset and cannot be adjusted for personal choice.

We enjoyed our stay and enjoyed the location so central to the center of the town.

We enjoyed our stay and enjoyed the location so central to the center of the town.

The Surgeon's Cottage is one of the finest B and B's we have ever stayed in. The owners have paid exquisite attention to detail in refurbishing every aspect of this magnificent historical cottage. They were also incredibly helpful in making us feel welcome even though we couldn't get there until very late in the evening. It was the perfect rest stop before making our way further north to our new permanent home. Just wonderful! Thank you!