Stony Creek Farm B&B, just north of Bega, and Bellbird Cottage B&B in Bermagui are two of only 16 accommodation businesses in Australia to receive the score, out of over 6000 properties nation-wide. 

The owners of Stony Creek Farm, Marty and Wendy Goodisson, only opened for business in early 2014 and said they were excited to be given the award.   

“We think it is recognition for the amount of hard work we put in. 

“People always say we exceed their expectations and I think the Booking.com award kind of vindicates that,” Mr Goodisson said.  

The main homestead of Stony Creek B&B is a building built in the 1890s that was originally part of a dairy farm, which has luscious gardens and great views over Mumbulla Mountain.

The Goodissons, who moved to the area from Canberra, grow their own vegetables and have a hobby farm with cows and chooks.

In their rustic homestead they hold hosted breakfasts using produce from their farm or local markets, which are some of the personal touches the owners believe their guests enjoy.

Tony Oldfield has run Bellbird Cottage with his wife Gretel Bodiam since 2008 and said the award was “really quite humbling”. 

“We were pleasantly surprised and pleased by the award,” Mr Oldfield said.

“We have a philosophy that we do everything we can to show our passion for Bellbird.” 

The cottage is in a secluded, quiet area surrounded by the calls of its namesake where guests – couples only – have space to themselves.

Its owners feel visitors want an experience that is uncomplicated but done well, labelling the theme of the cottage “understated elegance”. 

The original cottage was built about 70 years ago and to its owners it is like a person, so much so that it has even been given a pronoun. 

“We always talk about Bellbird as a ‘she’, and it’s funny because after a while our guests start to do the same!” Mr Oldfield said.