Pet friendly holiday cottage, sleeps 18 - Alnwick, Northumberland

This former home of William Hardy, the famous fishing tackle manufacturer was built in 1892 in the style of a Scottish country house and has been lovingly preserved with antiques and luxurious furnishings to retain its opulent character while offering modern comforts for a truly memorable holiday. Walk into Alnwick for the magnificent Castle with Harry Potter connections, the renowned Alnwick Gardens, a wide range of restaurants, bars, independent shops, the market, and Europe’s largest second-hand bookstore and there are a golf club and tennis courts too. The sandy beach at Alnmouth is nearby, with its coastal golf course, as is Amble’s fishing port and Warkworth Castle.

Drive to Cragside, the Armstrong estate in Rothbury and the breath-taking National Park. Access to the property is via the main entrance at the back of the property. Four stone steps lead to the front door of this impressive property and into a welcoming vestibule.

Turn left into the main lounge with a collection of rich fabrics and sumptuous leather sofas to relax on. The open fire set in the original feature fireplace adds to the cosy ambience and you can watch your favourite films on Smart TV or simply enjoy a pre-dinner drink. The kitchen has a casual, country-house feel with a gas range-style hob and double electric oven, fridge/freezer, two microwaves and a dishwasher.

Watch TV while preparing your meals and there is a breakfast table and seating where others can sit and keep the cook company. The utility area leads off the main kitchen housing a sink, washing machine and tumble dryer and there is a separate Butler’s kitchen beyond this room, with a fridge and electric oven and hob. Spend quality time together entertaining in the spacious and elegant dining room at the front of the house with an open fire in the original fireplace, polished wood flooring and a beautiful, long table seating eighteen, perfect for sociable meals and celebrations together.

For the musically talented, why not gather around the Grand piano for an old-fashioned sing-along. You can store and prepare drinks in the side-kitchen off the dining room. Head through to the conservatory to relax with after-dinner drinks or gather for morning coffee.

For quieter moments, there is a small reading room on the ground floor with a couple of easy chairs, a TV, and a wide collection of DVDs to watch during your stay. There is also a useful separate WC on the ground floor. All nine bedrooms are tastefully furnished with traditional furniture and harmonious styling.

Each bedroom has its own TV so you can watch a little TV in bed and a seating area where you can read or enjoy a morning drink, and each has an en-suite bath or shower room with beautiful features and tiled floors. Three of the bedrooms are located on the ground floor. The first has a double bed and the lovely en-suite bathroom has a rolltop bath.

This room also benefits from its own separate lounge with a comfortable sofa and TV. The second bedroom has a magnificent king-size, four-poster bed and an en-suite shower room with WC while the third offers a king-size, manor-style bed and an en-suite shower room with WC. The remaining six bedrooms are upstairs where the large landing area has a range of comfortable seating options arranged around lamps and occasional tables.

The grand fourth bedroom has a super-king-size, four-poster bed and is decorated in warm, rosy tones with a luxurious en-suite bathroom with a bath, separate shower and WC, all illuminated by a sparkling chandelier. Next, is a king-size, four-poster bedroom which benefits from an ensuite bathroom featuring a period bath, separate shower, and WC. The sixth bedroom has a king-size, four-poster bed, a cosy seating area in the large bay window, a feature fireplace and an en-suite shower room with WC.

The seventh bedroom also has a king-size, four-poster bed and the en-suite bathroom has an elegant slipper bath to enjoy a soak in, separate shower and WC. The eighth bedroom is decorated in peaceful colours with original, polished wooden floors, with an attractively designed manor-style king-size bed and a lovely en-suite shower room with WC. Finally, the light and airy ninth bedroom has comfortable twin beds, with dual aspect windows overlooking the mature garden and an en-suite shower room with WC.

Outside, the sheltered patio area invites you to take a dip in the hot tub with room for seven and spend some restorative time in the four-seater sauna. Head through the gate to the enclosed garden, a lovely place for children to run around, play hide and seek and discover the other outdoor seating areas. The property can be entered on foot through a grand pillared entrance with parking at the rear for 9 cars.