Why Guests Love Trade Winds: The Little Things They Remember

When you’re choosing Norfolk Island accommodation, there are the practical things you look for: a comfortable bed, plenty of space, a good location and everything you need for your stay.

But when you go home, it’s often the little things you remember.

Breakfast outside in the morning sun. Fresh flowers on the table. A really comfortable bed after a full day exploring. A garden you find yourself wandering through with nowhere in particular to be.

Or perhaps a few cows meandering past while you’re sitting on the verandah.

At Trade Winds Country Cottages, we love welcoming people to our little part of Norfolk Island. And one of the nicest parts of what we do is hearing what our guests remember after they’ve gone home.

We’re incredibly proud to have a five-star rating on Tripadvisor, but even more than the stars, we love reading the stories behind them.

And there are a few little things that seem to come up again and again.

The gardens

We’re pretty proud of our gardens here at Trade Winds.

A lot of time, love and pottering goes into them, so we always love seeing them mentioned in our guest reviews.

One guest described arriving to find the gardens: “flushed with colour while being immaculately manicured.”

Another remembered the freshly cut flowers from the garden inside their cottage, as well as being offered fruit and vegetables during their stay.

That’s what we love about the gardens. They’re not just something to look at. They’re part of life here at Trade Winds, surrounding the cottages, changing with the seasons and occasionally finding their way onto your table.

Mornings on the verandah

Each of our Norfolk Island cottages has its own generous verandah, and it doesn’t seem to take long for guests to find their favourite spot.

One guest summed up a Trade Winds morning rather perfectly: “Breakfast on the sunny verandah, watching cows meander past the front fence.”

Another told us their favourite thing to do was simply sit outside, take in the serenity of the grounds and, when he happened to wander past, spend a little time with our resident Labrador, Bentley.

There’s plenty to see and do on Norfolk Island, but we think there’s something to be said for having nowhere you need to be for a while.

Make a cuppa, find a spot on the verandah and enjoy the quiet.

A place that feels like home

We’ve always wanted our cottages to be somewhere you can genuinely settle into. There’s plenty of room to spread out, with large bedrooms and ensuites, fully equipped kitchens, comfortable living areas, your own laundry and all the practical things that make a longer stay easy.

But we think our guests say it better than we ever could: “It is a home away from home.”

Another guest described following Rachel out from the airport to what would come to feel like their home for the next seven days.

That’s exactly what we hope for.

We want you to explore the island, fill your days with everything Norfolk has to offer, then come back to somewhere that feels good to walk through the door.

The little extras

For us, hospitality has always been in the little things.

Depending on the season, you might find fresh eggs, fruit, flowers or something homemade waiting for you when you arrive.

One guest recalled arriving to fresh eggs, fruit and homemade coconut bread, before adding: “She has thought of every possible thing you might need to make your holiday complete.”

Another remembered fresh brownies, eggs from the “girls” and a few welcome drinks waiting on the kitchen table.

We don’t think welcoming someone needs to be complicated. Sometimes it’s simply making sure there’s a little something waiting when you arrive after your flight.

Room to properly slow down

Trade Winds is set away from town in a quiet, rural part of Norfolk Island, surrounded by our gardens and countryside.

You’re still only a short drive from everything, but when you come home at the end of the day, it feels wonderfully peaceful.

One returning guest, who has stayed with us five times, described Trade Winds as their “favourite place in the island.”

And another recent guest probably summed up the Trade Winds way of holidaying best: “You can literally do as much or as little as you like.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Explore every corner of Norfolk Island if you want to. Or spend an afternoon on the verandah with a book.

There are no rules for a good holiday.

A warm welcome, without getting in your way

Rachel’s name pops up quite a bit in our reviews too, which always makes us smile. We’ll meet you at the airport, help get you organised with the vehicle included with your accommodation and make sure you know your way out to Trade Winds.

After that, we’re around if you need us.

As one guest put it, Rachel is there to offer “advice, guidance or just to stand back” if you’re perfectly happy exploring on your own.

We think that’s the balance. We want you to feel welcomed and know there’s someone local you can ask when you need a hand, while still giving you the space to enjoy your own Norfolk Island holiday.

Thank you from all of us at Trade Winds

Every review means a lot to us.

When someone chooses to spend their Norfolk Island holiday at Trade Winds, we want them to leave with happy memories of the island and hopefully a few of our little corner of it too.

So to everyone who has stayed with us, returned for another visit, recommended us to friends or taken the time to leave a review, thank you.

And to the guest who wrote “It is the best place I’ve ever stayed.”

Well, we might just print that one out for the fridge.

Looking for accommodation on Norfolk Island?

Come and make a few Trade Winds memories of your own with us.

Our spacious, self-contained Norfolk Island cottages offer a peaceful place to stay, plenty of room to settle in and your own vehicle to explore the island.

We’d love to welcome you.