Simonside View, a three-bedroom holiday cottage in Rothbury, Northumberland, has earned five-star guest reviews for its location on the edge of Northumberland National Park, offering panoramic views over the Coquet Valley and Simonside Hills. The property, priced from £581 for a seven-night stay with availability from the start of October, sleeps up to six guests and features a private sauna.
Location and amenities
The aptly named holiday let boasts a reverse-level layout designed to maximise the views, with a balcony that is a prime spot for stargazing, as the surrounding National Park is also a designated International Dark Sky Park. The property has three bedrooms but only one bathroom.
The hillside garden includes a stile at the bottom leading to a footpath into Rothbury, a historic market town described as a "peaceful and picturesque haven" by Visit Northumberland. Rothbury offers shops, pubs and tea rooms, and serves as a popular base for exploring the National Park.
Nearby attractions
One of the town's most famous attractions is Cragside, a Victorian mansion powered by hydro-electricity and hydraulics, dubbed 'Britain's original smart home'. Owned by the National Trust, Cragside is ranked the best historical attraction in Northumberland on Tripadvisor, with reviews calling it "fascinating" and "a brilliant day out for all ages".
Visitors can also stay on the Cragside estate itself at Cragside Garden Cottage or Cragside Park Cottage, both sleeping six guests and including free entry to the mansion, though neither is dog-friendly. For hotel stays, The Turks Head in Rothbury, a 16th-century coaching inn with six en-suite rooms, is the top-rated choice on Booking.com.
Guest feedback
One guest praised: "We had a lovely weekend stay at this beautiful cottage. The location is perfect – surrounded by peaceful fields and nature, with amazing views right from the windows. It felt so calm and quiet, just what we needed to escape the busy everyday life." They added: "The sauna was a real highlight – so relaxing, especially in the evenings after a walk."
Another visitor said: "A wonderful property. It was clean, comfortable and homely. The views were amazing from all the windows and it was lovely sitting on the balcony relaxing in the sun. The sauna was the best in-house sauna we have had." A third guest commented: "The accommodation truly lives up to its name, the view of the Simonside Hills is magnificent!"
However, some reviews noted access challenges, with one visitor warning: "Do be prepared for a steep climb when walking back to the house!" Another remarked: "It wouldn't be ideal for anybody with mobility problems, as there are steps down from the road to the entrance."
