Guests say
Checkers Cottage on Beaufort Estate offers a cosy, comfortable stay with stunning views and a peaceful location. Guests appreciate the spaciousness, the surrounding wildlife, and the garden. The shepherds hut is a highlight, especially for children. While some guests mention a need for better kitchen equipment and more guidance on facilities, the overall experience is positive, with many looking forward to returning.
The cottage received mixed feedback on cleanliness. Some guests found it tidy, while others noted issues with utensils and a need for a thorough clean. The shepherds hut was mentioned as clean.
The location is highly praised for its beauty, quietness, and proximity to nature and local attractions. It serves as an excellent starting point for excursions.
Guests find the beds comfortable and the cottage cosy. However, some guests experienced difficulty with steep stairs and mentioned the property could be cold, suggesting room for improvement in comfort.
The facilities are adequate but several guests suggested the need for additional kitchen equipment and better heating. The lack of a welcome pack and guidance on using the facilities was also noted.
There are no specific mentions of gifts or special touches that would indicate thoughtfulness. Therefore, it is not possible to provide a score for this category.
About this property
Sit back, relax, unwind and enjoy the tranquil setting of this holiday property, located on the Beaufort Estate..
Ground Floor:
Living room 2: 32" TV, Freesat
Kitchen/dining room: Electric Cooker, Microwave, Fridge/Freezer, Dishwasher, Washer Dryer
Living Room: (No TV), Woodburner
Bathroom: Bath With Shower Over, Toilet
First Floor:
Bedroom 2: Double (4ft 6in) Bed
Bedroom 3: 2 x Single (3ft) Beds
Annexe:
Ground Floor:
Open plan living space.
Living area: (4 Steps), (No TV), Sofa Bed (Single)
Dining area.
Kitchen area:
Bedroom area: Double (4ft 6in) Bed
Shower Room: Cubicle Shower, Toilet.
Oil central heating, electricity, bed linen, towels and Wi-Fi included. Initial fuel for fires included, remainder at £5 per basket (honesty box). Travel cot and highchair available on request. . Front garden with patio and garden furniture. 400-acre natural grounds with woodland (shared with other properties on-site). Private parking for 3 cars. No smoking.. A warm Highland welcome awaits you at this holiday property, located in the Beaufort Estate. It enjoys a tranquil setting only a few miles from Beauly in the heart of the Scottish Highlands and without doubt, make a super base for exploring the many attractions and activities this area has to offer. The cottage has been equipped and furnished to ensure as relaxing and comfortable holiday as possible, and it has its own individual character and style. You can explore the extensive grounds of Beaufort Estate with its abundance of wildlife, idyllic picnic places and easy walking routes and also travel further afield to experience some of the stunning scenery, interesting and historic attractions and a large variety of sports. The popular village of Beauly is only four miles and offers a very good range of shops and restaurants with Inverness, the Highland Capital, just 12 miles. You can visit Culloden Battlefield and its interactive visitor centre, Fort George, Cawdor and Brodie Castles all steeped in local history or explore the picturesque fishing villages and beaches of the stunning Moray coastline. Take a boat trip and perhaps catch sight of the famous bottlenose dolphins or go to Drumnadrochit, which is set on the shores of Loch Ness, as well as Fort Augustus, where you can watch the boats coming through the locks in the centre of the village. Slightly further afield is the beautiful Isle of Skye and the wonderful unspoilt scenery of the West Coast where you will find some wonderful restaurants to sample to local produce particularly seafood. From Skye, you can hop on to a ferry to the Outer Hebrides – a truly unspoilt part of Scotland with its rugged landscape and sweeping white sandy beaches. A day trip to the Orkney Islands is recommended where you can visit numerous archaeological sites such as Skara Brae, the Eagles Tomb and The Ring of Brodgar to name just a few. For the energetic and outdoor enthusiast, there are numerous mountain bike and forest trails, walking and climbing in the nearby glens of Strathfarrar, Cannich and Affric, golf with a large number of acclaimed courses such as the Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart within easy reach. Snow sports are available in Aviemore, Glencoe or Glenshee. For the less energetic, sit back, relax and unwind and enjoy this tranquil setting which is Beaufort Estate.
Free WiFi
additional charge Honesty box provided for fuel for woodburner £5.00 per basket.
Approach to property is by a rough or gravel track.
EPC Rating = E
Pets must be kept on a lead at all times.
Reviews (19)
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Confirmed Guest
Very enjoyable stay - thanks!
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Confirmed Guest
Whilst given clear and timely instructions to get there and gain entry, after that there is a lack of information provided. Needs a guests folder with details of what, where etc. place is in need of a good clean and refresh. There is a reason you don’t see photos of the stairs !! Cooker hood filthy with grease. Hasn’t been cleaned ever. Utensils were filthy. Had last customers stir fry still dried on ! Bought my own utensils so didn’t use theirs. Lack of equipment..cooking bowls, jug, etc. Fridge doesn’t get all that cold. It smelled of curry and there was the remnants of someone’s curry sauce left dried up in the fridge. Salad drawer door broken so can’t get open it to use. Freezer has seen better days. Downstairs is freezing in the morning. Bathroom lack of heating. Just a small towel rail. Can’t use fire in dinning room. Photos online are not reflective of how it is. Original front and side doors let cold in. No draft proofing. Other cottages there have replaced the doors. Furniture looks like a mix match of anything that will do. No welcome pack to get you in IE: pint of milk, small loaf and tea bags etc. Stayed in many cottages and always have had a very basic pack provided to welcome. Very steep stairs. I get that it is an old workers cottage. But in this day and age, the place needs an overhaul. We had the heating on all the time but it still didn’t warm the downstairs. Apart from the lounge. Upstairs was very warm until heating goes off overnight. The bathroom is in the extension downstairs so it is freezing through the night and day. Bath panel cracked and coming away from the bath. Bathroom needs a redesign. If you know, you know !! Considering we travelled and stayed when the snow storm hit and freezing temps, it would have been helpful to have had the fire laid ready to use. No check to make sure we were ok. It’s a basic simple task really. Wallpaper peeling away, 1980’s black and white block pattern on stairs and dining room walls gives you a headache just looking at it. Come on, put some effort in and don’t just take the money. Now the good part. Lovely setting. Friendly chap who came to read the meter and check oil levels on last day. I am from the highlands and was visiting relatives who live close by so I know what the winter is like up there. So I was prepared for it. Others not so aware might find it a struggle with the cold of the house. We left the evening before we were due too simply wanting to get home to a warm and clean house. I opted to not inform the estate of the issues from the beginning because from experience, it would have meant having to wait for someone to come and clean the place which meant waiting for whenever that would be. Of course, no one was going to sort out the bad heating / need for refresh/ overhaul whilst we were there. Wouldn’t expect that. Yes, we could have raised our concerns from the outset but as mentioned, I opted to not do so as we don’t want to either have to wait in and loose a day of our holiday or go out and leave for who knows to come in. This is an honest review in an open forum so that others can be fully informed to make their own choices before booking and also hopefully so that the owner / manager invests effort and money. It is needed. And will benefit them in the long run. Shepherds hut was warm and clean. A member of my family opted to stay there after 1 st night in the twin room and said it was so much better. So to sum up..Stay again..noValue for money…not really. Happy to pay more for a clean , warm and tidy cottage Setting…lovelyStaff…only met one on the last day and he was helpful Dated and in desperate need of a clean / overhaul. I’m guessing the owner is either not aware of issues / doesn’t care or leaves it all the her grandmothers estate team to deal with. I took plenty of photos but can’t upload.
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Confirmed Guest
Cosy cottage, comfy beds. Thank you!