Little things ... one of two cottages, Wattlebird is light and roomy.
Larry Schwartz finds there's no reason to leave a cottage near town and sea.
As forewarned, Ziggi and Milo, the resident labradoodle and schnoodle puppy, are there to greet us from behind a gate and hedge at the main dwelling. Our labrador-cross, Jesse, has stayed home in suburbia. We could have brought him; one of the two cottages is designated "pet friendly" and has a fully enclosed run.
Come to think of it, I could have used either of my tech-savvy sons at Sorrento's Bilinga Cottages, 112 kilometres south of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula. The Saints are playing and although there are instructions for the television that any sensible person could probably work out, I'm flummoxed.
Thankfully, our host, Kate, sorts it out and we are soon on our way.
We have some misgivings on arrival. Because our sons are in their 20s and we are travelling without them as a couple, we initially decide against staying in one of the two two-bedroom cottages, opting instead for what is described on the website as an "attached studio", for couples only, with a private entrance.
Here is probably everything you want - a comfortable queen-size bed, small lounge area and en suite bathroom. But when I glance out the window at the two handsome two-bedroom cottages across the driveway and at the rear of the property, I phone Kate. Soon we are moving the car beneath a carport and lugging our bags up the verandah and into Wattlebird Cottage.
What a difference it makes. For just $20 extra a night, we ease out in a light and spacious dwelling that offers views of laden citrus trees, hedges and garden paths.
There are no other guests on the property during our stay so we feel all the more blessed with privacy. Someone has chalked a welcome on a blackboard at the entrance with a mobile phone number, just in case. The hammock on the verandah looks tempting; nearby is a gas barbecue.
Inside, a Coonara wood firewarms us throughout the chilly night.
With high cathedral ceilings and a spare bedroom, we feel spoilt for space. We sleep fairly soundly in a comfortable bed with a choice of two pillows each, electric blankets and continental quilts.
It's the small things that count; not the spectacular view - there isn't one - nor the proximity to the beach - the town centre is 800 metres away and the beach a bit further. The virtue of Bilinga Cottages, which are accessible off a narrow service road, is how readily you feel at home.
When the rain lifts, we are able to get out and about but, after my camera dies when I fall in a rock pool, I can't help but think we should have holed up in the cottage. There was no need to venture out; the fully fitted kitchen has a dishwasher, fridge/freezer, microwave and gas hotplates.
The kitchen is stocked with ample cutlery, crockery and glassware. Breakfast cereals, teas and coffees are provided.
There are DVDs and videos for various ages, from Rear Window to Big Bird Sings. If the weather is grim, you have a choice of Snakes and Ladders, Scrabble or jigsaw puzzles, a few classical CDs and books in the bedroom, including a biography of Nelson Mandela and fiction from crime writers Robert Crais and Patricia Cornwell.
This is one of those occasions when comment from previous occupants in the guest book rings true: regardless of our initial misgivings about the smaller studio, the cottage certainly is ideal for time out.
VISITORS' BOOK
Bilinga Cottages
Address 105 Hotham Road, Sorrento.
Bookings bilingacottages.com.au, 5984 5530.
Getting there Drive down the Frankston, Moorooduc and Mornington Peninsula freeways.
How much Off peak (May 1-August 31) $180 a night a couple (midweek); $200 a night a couple (weekend) $1140 weekly. Extra adult $45 a night and children under 12, $30 a night.
Summary A comfortable, bright twobedroom cottage with garden views.
Verdict 15
The score: 19-20 excellent; 17-18 great; 15-16 good; 13-14 comfortable.
Weekends away are conducted anonymously and paid for by Traveller.
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