Although I never met Rachel in the flesh, she is a truly delightful, caring person who is anxious to ensure that guests have a safe and enjoyable stay in her cottage. Her communications were excellent.
The cottage itself is a real surprise. It is light and airy and has a stunning 180 degree view of the Tamar River and Launceston. Even the view at night, with all the lights on across the city, is fabulous. This one bedroom cottage was clean and surprisingly spacious. Two vases of beautiful flowers made a welcoming introduction. The bed linen was white and crisp and the combined bathroom/laundry is modern. The small kitchen is simple and does the trick. (A useful addition would be a small plug in single burner electric hot plate for those people unfamiliar with or cautious about using gas). The cottage is heated by a large heat pump, and rugs on the back of the couch and armchairs make a cosy addition. Rachel’s cottage is pet friendly which is great because I wanted to bring my two small dogs away for a break with me. The backyard behind the cottage is safe for dogs of all sizes, being securely fenced all around. My dogs had a great exploring the large sloping garden with its many trees, shrubs and flowers. Immediately at the back of the elevated cottage is a large wide deck, on which you could discretely sun bake. This is extensive and curves around to some wide timber steps which take you down to another generous deck before further steps take you down to the bottom garden.
Two notes of caution regarding this property. Make sure you read Rachel’s instructions and look carefully at the photos she sends you before you first arrive. The driveway is angled and can be difficult to access owing to the volume and speed of the traffic and the curve of the road. Once you are familiar with it, all will be fine. The other note of caution concerns older people or anyone who has problems with their balance. The suburb of Trevalyn occupies the side of a steep hill and many properties are on sloping blocks. This is the case with Rachel’s house and cottage. To access the cottage, one needs to go through a small gate and then descend down numerous steps, the first lot comprising about 9 flat timber stairs and the second lot another 8 or so concrete steps. This can also be rather tiring if carrying much luggage. Again, the garden at the bottom of the sloping block is accessed via two decks and quite a number of steps. Not that you have to go down to the bottom garden - the wide flat deck immediately out the back of the cottage door is very wide and accommodating for outdoor needs. But because of the steep entrance, the cottage is certainly not suitable for the frail elderly or the physically insecure or those disabled in any way.