This gorgeous quaint little gold miners cottage was lovely . History and charm paired with delightful hosts .
Poppy and Jake were the most welcoming people . Before we had even arrived we felt the warmth of hospitality with open communication and plenty of information about what was available and what we did / didn’t need to bring.
Being a family of 5 , we were offered the use of an extra bedroom / bathroom as the cottage is small , but upon arrival we declined as we felt it was perfect. Though we were still allowed to use it for storage which was awesome as we had been on the road for a few weeks and had excess luggage .
There were 2 single beds made up with lovely warm blankets , a sofa bed we pulled out each night ( the kids called it their flying bed .. they would hop on each night and pretend they were flying through the skies ) . We found it easier just to quickly fold away each morning .
Our kids (10,7,3) found entertainment in the basket of toys , books and games available. But there wasn’t much time for that anyway with eggs to collect , animals to feed (chickens,ducks,pony) and plenty of space to play hide and seek and run about.
Sassy was a sure favourite with the kids playing ball catching and simply just hanging out with her . A lovely natured gentle dog who escorted us on our walk up to explore the property and extinct volcano. She slept on our doorstep and kept us company .
The second room had a double bed, side tables , dresser with TV ( requested ) and a table . Both rooms had heaters which we used when required. The bathroom was clean , with soap/ shampoo / conditioner / heating and fresh towels / handtowls / washers .
We had a little coffee table whereby the lid lifted and was filled with cutlery / crockery / teas / napkins etc .
We used many items from this. There was a little table out the front which had a large container to put the dirty dishes. These were all washed and returned without question .
Poppy and Jake were so friendly , they often chatted to us about our day , suggested places to go and see , where to eat . They entertained the kids by allowing them to assist with feeding animals and collecting eggs . They took the time to explain things to the kids and were patient with them . They even sat and watched our daughters perform a tap dance on the shed landing . We felt like they were long lost family .. such lovely people who are passionate about what they have to offer .
And finally … the breakfast … yum yum yum .. a delightful array of fresh and preserved fruit , yoghurt, freshly squeezed juice , muesli , cereal , milk … followed by a delicious home cooked hot breakfast including home baked breads served in a lovely setting in the the warmth of the sun on the verandah.
Poppy and Jake would serve all of this and even cooked to our kids tastes , we all know how fussy kids are and if they change their mind each day about eggs being fried / flipped or scrambled , it was all no trouble . I felt compelled to go and and help with the dishes even though we were the guests and am a little cranky with myself for not insisting.
Our stay at Poppys cottage was for 3 nights , after being on a big road trip for a little over 3 weeks we felt this was the perfect ending to our family holiday . The scenery , the history of the cottage and most importantly the friendly hospitality of Poppy and Jake made our stay memorable and pleasant . We have promised to return especially since the kids loved every minute.
