Entire home

Hilltop Cottage

Photo gallery for Hilltop Cottage

Exterior
Exterior detail
TV
2 bedrooms, desk, iron/ironing board, travel crib
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop

Reviews

7.4 out of 10
Good

Entire home

2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 4

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Hot Tub
  • Washer
  • Air conditioning
  • Kitchen
  • Dryer

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Hilltop Cottage

Hi folks...
Imagine that bag of weirdly shaped bananas at the supermarket. Just as tasty as regular bananas but a bit... weird.
Welcome to hilltop cottage!

Though she features:

• Spacious rooms with comfortable beds,
• Unlimited NBN Wifi,
• Fans & portable aircon in the main bedroom and lounge. Gas heating.
• A basic new bathroom (2022) and new flooring throughout (2021), she is oddly laid out and not for everyone. First impression is a bit rough as the old verandah needs replacing, but indoors is a different story.
The space...
The cottage was built in about 1880. A lot has happened to her in that time.
She is not like a modern home. She creaks a little with age. She has a few oddities and a few gaps.

In renovating her, I found four different types of floorboards and 1950's magazines under the mid century era Linoleum. Hardly a straight line in the place...

The white tin roof is high, the verandah wide and the insulation thick, so she is really good at keeping an even temperature. The aircon unit is really only needed a few days a year and does a decent job of taking the edge off those real scorchers. Fans make sleeping and spending evenings inside generally comfortable but this is NOT a hotel. It's not going to be a perfect temperature all the time so if this is what you prefer you need to consider other options.

As was typical of the times, the original four room cottage was connected to the outdoor 'dunny' and laundry via a breezeway. There were sloping concrete pathways and it was open to the street. The original tiny bathroom still has 1800s exterior walls made from split timber planks, 'upgraded' in the 1960s. I added a new toilet there so it's not as far to the original.
I converted the original laundry to a relatively modern bathroom. It's not ALL THAT, but it's pretty good. That breezeway almost feels indoors now. I closed it off to the street and added oak flooring, a back door and decent lighting. It IS still effectively outdoors though. Like I said, it's quirky...
The kitchen is modern with the oddity of the sink being in an adjacent space - a scullery, like a posh house :)

So. Try to think of the experience as something from another era. Though there are mod cons, amazingly comfy beds and some stylish details, it's not too hard to imagine what it would have been like 130 years ago. I hope that resonates with my guests.
Enjoy.

Guest access
The rear of the property isn't really part of the listing.
The little front yard is cute and the front deck is a nice spot to enjoy a coffee in the morning or a beer in the afternoon.
Other things to note

ACCESSIBILITY details:
As much as possible I've kept everything on the one level, though there is a small step up from kitchen to scullery and down into the second toilet. Not ideal for a walker frame.

Please consider the backyard as if it were a neighbouring property. It doesn't in any way affect the cottage but to be clear, it is not included in the listing, so no need to venture out the back door.

License number
PID-STRA-11101-1

Property manager

Adam

Property amenities

Beach

  • Near the beach

Pool/Spa

  • Spa tub

Internet

  • Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Onsite parking

Kitchen

  • Refrigerator
  • Stovetop
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Spices
  • Toaster
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware/dishes/utensils
  • Electric kettle

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms
  • Bed sheets provided

Bathrooms

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Toilet paper
  • Shampoo
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels provided
  • Soap

Living spaces

  • Living room

Entertainment

  • TV
  • Games

Outdoor areas

  • Porch or lanai
  • Fenced yard

Laundry

  • Washing machine and dryer
  • Near laundromat

Work spaces

  • Desk
  • Desk chair

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Housekeeping (on request)
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Change of towels (on request)

Location highlights

  • On the river
  • In the city center
  • Near a hospital

Things to do

  • Fitness facilities nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Surfing/body boarding nearby
  • Snorkeling nearby
  • Golf nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Wildlife and game walks nearby
  • Marina nearby
  • Sailing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
  • Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • At least 80% lighting from LEDs

Similar properties

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
This property uses solar energy
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Property Registration Number 2297, PID-STRA-11101-1

About the neighborhood

Map
Tighes Hill, NSW

What's nearby

  • Newcastle Showground - 3 min drive
  • Newcastle Civic Theater - 5 min drive
  • John Hunter Hospital - 9 min drive
  • Merewether Beach - 11 min drive
  • Newcastle Beach - 12 min drive

Getting around

  • Hamilton Station - 20 min walk
  • Newcastle, NSW (NTL-Williamtown) - 20 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪Praise Joe - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪The Newcastle Hotel - ‬15 min walk
  • ‪Equium Social - ‬5 min walk
  • ‪Tasty Bites Cafe - ‬19 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Hilltop Cottage pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Hilltop Cottage?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Hilltop Cottage?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Hilltop Cottage located?

Located in Tighes Hill, this cottage is within 3 mi (5 km) of Newcastle Showground, Newcastle supa putt golf, and Newcastle International Hockey Centre. Newcastle International Sports Centre and NEX are also within 3 mi (5 km). Hamilton Station is 20 minutes by foot and Waratah Station is 29 minutes.

Hilltop Cottage Reviews

Reviews

7.4

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 4 out of 13 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 13 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 13 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 13 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 13 reviews" "

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Amenities

4.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

2/10 Terrible

Kathryn S.

Hilltop
We found this property to be inadequate. Unprofessional and poor quality renovations, eg plumbing. Several OH&S issues eg gaps in the floor.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

HK P.

Liked: Cleanliness
cosy space for short stay
property was clean, well equipped and easy to access for a quick weekend away
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

4/10 Poor

Kathy S.

Disliked: Cleanliness
Dreadful
Dreadful, unsafe, cockroach issues and smelt like farts.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

BEEBEE B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely cosy and comfortable stay.
Had a great stay with my sister. Good price for value. Communication was great. Location was great. The rooms are great size and comfortable.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2024

2/10 Terrible

Howard

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Poor Communication from Expedia, no mobile contact number to contact anyone to find out where to access the key for the property and details not on the paperwork emailed to me. Property was really old and smelt of dust and mildew, shower was full of dirt and mildew around it. Exit to back door as shown in evacuation map had been secured closed with 4 x screws, floor at the back of the property was buckling under the weight of a person. The first photo shown on the website was not even a picture of the property, that has got to be false advertising, etc etc.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Mervyn C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Tighs Hill- Newcastle
Clean and comfortable. Although, overall it felt a bit damp. A quirky cottage with a nice kitchen and living space. Overall good value for money too
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Stephen M.

Good value
Property is old but clean and tidy. Beds are comfortable and location is great.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Asher V.

Liked: Cleanliness
Good
It was a nice stay Owner was helpful Cottage was clean on arrival Highly recommend
Stayed 9 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Paul F., Australia

Liked: Cleanliness
Well Located & cosy
We enjoyed our stay. Beds were comfortable. Amenities such as appliances, Crockery were of good quality & clean. WIFI was easy to connect to. Furniture was comfortable & good standard. Neighborhood is very cool, Cafe directly across the road is terrific, coffee was really good. Easy connections to public transport. Very quick access to Newcastle centre via road or bus. Short walk to Maryville Tavern which has terrific food & good selction of wine & beers. Enjoyed our stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Helen S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Quirky
Cottage was cosy, clean & had everything we needed. Loved the very comfy beds! Great position & awesome coffee shop across the road.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Anthony

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A good location. The cottage has character and charm. Friendly host. An easy drive to the city.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dean H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great little house
Clean and tidy. Great place to stay.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023