Dog Friendly Cottages in Ayrshire

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Hayley - Verified booking

  Overall, a little disappointed with our stay at South Segganwell.

  You cannot deny the beauty of the surrounding area and views from the cottage but there were more than a few issues, which left us feeling somewhat disappointed for what we paid. The cottage was clean and bed was comfortable, however we were not keen on the bedding/sheet, the quilt didn't fit the cover/sheet and it just got a bit annoying after a couple of nights. Quite fussy, I know, but its the little things that really do make your stay special and cozy. We actually had a bit of a rejig of the furniture in the lounge because there was a big chair in front of the window with its back to the amazing views outside. Therefore we placed the dining table in the window bay so we could enjoy the views while we ate our meals. Just be aware that there is people constantly walking past the cottage and looking in, so if that bothers I wouldn't recommend. The only way you can get any privacy at the cottage is to keep the bottom shutters closed, but that blocks out a lot of light. There were a few facilities listed that were not present/inaccurate that let the cottage down... There was no DVD player, despite us specifically checking with Sykes about this, prior to our holiday and it being advertised on the property description. We spent money and time selecting some dvds prior to our holiday, so this was very disappointing. We did contact Sykes about it while we were there but it took them a few days to reply, towards the end of our stay, by which time it was too late, and the issue was never resolved, nor were we contacted by the owners about this. The cottage description advertises a 'private lawn', however this was not private, with the general public having their own picnics etc right outside your front door. Nor was there a 'patio garden', or 'garden', as advertised. Some other side issues were there being some basic but essential items missing from the cottage such as tin opener, bottle opener, corkscrew, things like that. These little things all just added to our frustrations. Most self catering cottages we've stayed in through Sykes have basic items such as salt, pepper, cooking oil, toilet roll, maybe a pint of milk to get you started, however these were not present. So a note to future holiday makers at the cottage, you need to take absolutely everything with you! There was also no fuel for the open fire, which I think is a bit silly to advertise an 'open fire', without even providing a few logs to get you started. There was a bit of a fly/insect issue in the kitchen so I think the cottage would really benefit from a fly screen, particularly in the kitchen. I know a lot of this sounds really picky but little things like, salt and pepper, a tin opener, cozy & comfortable bedsheets, really do go a long way! And if I knew all of the above before I'd stayed at the cottage. I would have come a lot more well prepared. The cottage location is undeniabley beautiful but we sometimes felt a bit 'on show' with passers by, dog walkers etc. A couple of times when we were sat on the lawn in front of the cottage, dogs ran in the cottage and a couple of people even thought the cottage was public toilets. Maybe a clear sign, letting the public know that it is 'private property and to respect the privacy of the residents' would go a really long way!? And just another little side not to future holidaymakers, we had no problem getting a phone signal at SS, which was useful. I don't think we'll be heading back to South Segganwell anytime soon unfortunately.

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• Andrew - Verified booking

  There is no disputing that this is a unique cottage in a great location and it was a joy to stay.

  We had a fantastic week exploring the Ayrshire coastal path, traffic free cycle ways and Arran. However, there were some fundamentals which could be improved. The heating was barely adequate. Any warmth provided from the under floor heating was cancelled out by the draughts through the single glazed west facing windows and the gap under the kitchen door. A draught excluder against the door and secondary double glazing would help retain the heat. The gas fire in the lounge did generate some warmth but this did not extend to the bedrooms. The extra blankets provided proved to be essential. We generally consider ourselves to be fairly hardy, dressing appropriately in cooler weather and keeping our heating low at home, but the cottage was definitely chilly. Parking – we followed the instructions to park across the yard, so it was rather frustrating to find other vehicles parked outside the property with full views into our lounge and ground floor bedroom. It would have been preferable to have our car parked there so strangers could park further away. No visitor information was provided or a guest book from which we could glean any helpful advice. The internet was weak so it was difficult to access information. There weren’t any reference books etc. which may have been helpful. The shower drain needed unblocking. The water spread over the floor and the squeegee brush provided was fairly ineffective. This is probably a maintenance issue. The cutlery and crockery were in some instances in short supply. The cottage sleeps 4 yet only 2 desert spoons were provided. Larger cereal bowls and more mugs/beakers would be useful, along with some microwave dishes with lids. The instructions in the cottage requested that the dishwasher should only be used when full, but there wasn’t enough basic equipment supplied in order to do this, and we ran out of mugs etc. before it was full, so we mainly washed by hand. The ceiling drying rack was useful and clothes washed in the daytime, dried overnight.

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• Evelyn - Verified booking

  Very well appointed and clean kitchen.

  ....Living and dining area 1 dining room chair requires fixing..very shaky. Overhead light very poor. Standard Lamp 1 bulb missing..no replacement left....Torches not working ..no rechargeable batteries as advertised.....Seating too low for disabled person ..a raiser could be fitted at very low cost...Sliding door between Dining and hall requires attention. Had to replace overhead light in hall bulb left...Bathroom Perfect. Bedroom 1 clean and tidy..bedroom 2 large and easy for wheelchair...however all mattresses require replacing as all were sagging in the centre so not a lot of sleep. Found myself sitting on the base and almost fell on the floor making this dangerous. The linen on all beds were Pristine this was great. I had asked for the double bed to have made into two singles this was not done. No linen left that we could do this ourselves. If all the little tweeks were done I would have no hesitation on recommending this cottage to anybody. It seems a great pity that the complaints let this cottage in such lovely surroundings down. And at the price I would have expected better and also being a member of the trust I felt very let down. Remember it is being advertised as a disabled cottage and this is from a disabled point of view. Evelyn Conn.

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• Steve - Verified booking

  We had a wonderful week at Culzean Castle in South Segganwell Cottage.

  We took our two dachshunds and they quickly settled in. Although it’s 100 steps down from the car park we only went back up them a couple of times during the whole week. We mainly walked along the beach and upwards past the gas house to the castle or North along the beach towards Dunure. The castle grounds are excellent, and take time to go inside Culzean Castle itself, the guides are really friendly and are well informed about the history of the place. Segganwell cottage was perfect, beautifully clean and very warm. Lots of towels and a comfy bed. You will need to take more loo rolls if staying for more than a couple of days but everything else is there including some great smelling shower gels and shampoos. Also there is a hairdryer provided. We took some spare towels and blankets for the dogs and be aware that when it rains the water creeps under the front door so have an old towel ready. The sea views are amazing, it was so lovely to wake up to the waves splashing on the shore. Everyday we saw different wildlife including ducks, a resident swan and a blue heron. The weather was great even when it rained we still got out and enjoyed the walks and the fantastic scenery. We definitely recommend this place for a quiet getaway.

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• Fergus - Verified booking

  Our 5th stay at the Segganwell cottages over a 20 year period.

  As ever the location is one of the most spectacular and special we have ever encountered. The cottages have recently had new kitchens and bathrooms installed which are great. However, the kitchen did have absolutely no space to put food other than in the fridge, and the selection of crockery was not great. Also, for those who have travelled a fair distance and arrive late in the evening it would be good if there were a couple of firelighters and a few logs to get you going on a cold evening without having to go out again. We visited the cottage before children, 3 times with young children and on this occasion with older teenagers when we booked both cottages. It is the most amazing location and experience for children, our children have fantastic memories of Culzean, as do the children of friends we have stayed there with. Flicking through the visitors book we are not the only people to have had this experience, it is full of repeat visitors and children with wonderful memories. My point here is why have you removed the bunk beds ? Children can no longer visit and experience the wonders of these glorious cottages. As I said earlier we stayed as a couple before children and having bunk beds in the alcove was absolutely not an issue.

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