OMG - let me count the ways I love this house: from the charming front door to the perfectly polished floorboards, high ceilings and spacious open-plan design, Gavin's renovated cottage had me at 'hello'. The restored vintage cabinets, the children's 'tent' filled with toys and cushions, the gorgeous afternoon light that streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the comfy outdoor chairs on the back deck, the yuuuge well-equipped kitchen, the blessed dishwasher, the great hot showers, the deep sleeps I had in the double bed (hat's off to the linen and the fluffy doona), the double glazing on all the windows that kept out any noise and the night chill, the Lonely Planet Tasmania guidebook on the 'tourism info' table, the lounge room cabinet stacked with boardgames, and all the stylish arty touches from artwork to candles to cushions and rugs. The only problem was I loved the house so much it was an effort to extricate myself from it to go outside and enjoy the delights of Launceston that lay on the doorstep. This cottage fulfilled all my Tassie-chic fantasies and I would seriously come back to Launceston just to stay here again. And maybe also to see all the sights I didn't get around to seeing this time because it was so damn hard to leave this house!! There were 5 of us who stayed here and because it's so spacious and well designed we never felt like we were living on top of each other.