Award for Boneybefore holiday cottage

Self-catering property Fool’s Haven has received a ‘Certificate of Excellence’ award after consistently achieving top reviews on TripAdvisor.

Purchased by Alison and Robbie Brennen in 2003, the 250-year old cottage was converted into a holiday rental in 2009.

The cottage is known for its links to the Titanic as the former homestead of author and playwright William Ruddick Millar.

Millar, whose father Thomas was employed as a deck engineer aboard the liner, was orphaned when it sank during its maiden voyage in 1912.

William and his brother were raised by their great-aunt at Fool’s Haven, with an Ulster History Circle plaque unveiled at the cottage in 2012 in his honour.

Fool’s Haven is located in a part of the borough steeped in history, with the Andrew Jackson ancestral homestead directly across the road.

The holiday let attracts visitors from all over the world, and has been particularly popular with Canadian and Australian tourists.

Establishments awarded the Certificate of Excellence are located all over the world and represent the upper echelon of businesses listed on the website. This is the first year vacation rentals have been eligible for the award.

When selecting Certificate of Excellence winners, TripAdvisor uses a proprietary algorithm to determine the honorees that takes into account reviews ratings.

Winning vacation rentals must achieve an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five. Volume and recency of reviews are also taken into account.

“Winning the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is a true source of pride for us and we’d like to thank all of our past guests who took the time to complete a review on FlipKey,” said Alison & Robbie Brennen.

“There is no greater seal of approval than being recognized by one’s customers. With the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable honour.”

“TripAdvisor is pleased to honour exceptional vacation rentals for consistent excellence,” added Dermot Halpin, president of TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals.

“The Certificate of Excellence award gives top performing properties around the world the recognition for the consistently positive reviews they receive from those who matter most – their customers.