About your host
Hello, I’m Sue, your host at Blackbird Cottage. I live in the beautiful city of Bath with my husband Paul, and we’re proud parents of grown-up twin daughters. I’d always dreamed of creating a self-catering holiday retreat. My search began in Lyme Regis, but it was Beaminster that truly captured my heart. When I discovered Blackbird Cottage, I knew it was the perfect place and I’ve since lovingly renovated it myself.
Sustainability has been at the core of the renovation. I’ve used up-cycled furniture, eco-friendly materials, and thoughtful design choices to give the cottage character while keeping its environmental footprint light. My love of interior design, paired with a commitment to sustainable methods, has shaped every corner of the space.
Blackbird Cottage is designed for easy, relaxed stays you simply let yourselves in and make yourselves at home.
I look forward to welcoming you!
Sue x
We found Blackbird Cottage by shear chance
Sometimes the best discoveries happen by accident. That was certainly the case with Blackbird Cottage, our unexpected but utterly wonderful escape in the heart of Dorset.
Back in 2019, our hearts were set on the coast. Specifically, the seaside town of Lyme Regis. We spent months searching, viewing more than 20 properties, but nothing felt quite right. There was always something missing—that elusive spark that turns a house into a home.
Then came a phone call that changed everything.
My daughter was spending the weekend with friends in West Dorset when she called me, brimming with excitement. “I’m in this really cute town, Beaminster. I’m shopping, and it’s just what you’re looking for!” She wasn’t wrong. Beaminster, with its honey-hued stone buildings and friendly market-town charm, was exactly the kind of place we hadn’t realised we’d been looking for.
With a new location in mind, the search began again. After more viewings (and even a failed offer), we came across Blackbird Cottage. The moment we stepped through the front door, we knew: this was the one. Admittedly, it wasn’t perfect. The cottage was a little tired around the edges and would need plenty of work, but it had character.
We completed the purchase in December, just in time to move in before the final national lockdown. That winter was a challenge. Renovating while living in the property came with its challenges. We bought a bathroom suite without ever seeing it in person, survived January without a working shower, and occasionally had to rely on the public toilets in the town square. But despite the chaos, we loved every minute.
By April 2020, Blackbird Cottage welcomed its first guest. Since then, every penny earned has gone back into the cottage. From a new roof to bespoke oak doors, we’ve worked hard to preserve and enhance its charm. The garden, once unloved, now flourishes with a new planting scheme. And the journey isn’t over 2026 saw the arrival of new kitchen improving the space for our guests.
Blackbird Cottage may not have been the property we were looking for—but it turned out to be everything we wanted.