Post Office House

Rated as one of the top 15 B&Bs in Northumberland, Post Office House is run by Simon and Claire, who moved here and refurbished the place in 2016. The building is, as you might have gathered, an old post office, and was purpose-built as such at the end of the 19th century. It had its own sorting office and telegraph facilities and also served as the postmaster's residence, so has lent itself well to its transformation into a very comfortable B&B, with airy, good-sized rooms, one of which used to be the village shop. It also has a lovely garden which is available for the use of guests.

They have three guest rooms – Berwick, Coquet and Longstone. Berwick is a cosy ground floor room with a double bed overlooking the rear courtyard; Coquet, on the floor above, is lighter and more spacious and has a king-size bed, with views of the courtyard and garden and the countryside beyond; while Longstone, also on the first floor, is a lovely light room with twin beds.  All three rooms are beautifully furnished in an antique Victorian style, with elegant beds and good linen, but they also have all the modern amenities you need – wifi and Smart TVs, tea and coffee-making facilities (including Nespresso machines), complimentary mineral water, eco-fridges with fresh milk, blackout curtains and enough space for separate seating areas and coffee tables. They all have en-suite bathrooms with walk-in power showers, heated towel rails and Scottish Fine Soap Company toiletries.

As for breakfast, Simon is former chef and makes sure everyone is well set up not only for a day's exploring not only in and around Belford but also North Northumberland in general – indeed there's so much to do, we're getting jealous just thinking about it! The glorious Northumberland coast and in particular the Holy Island of Lindisfarne are a short drive away, as is the magnificently sited Bamburgh Castle and the glorious Farne Islands, which you can reach via the small harbourside town of Seahouses. Consider, too a short trip south to see the fabulous town, gardens and castle a short drive south at Alnwick, famous for its role in the Harry Potter movies.