School Holidays 2017 Cottages In Argyll & Bute

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Kelsie - Verified booking

  The property is lovely and spacious, however it badly needs a but of a deep clean and TLC, there were a lot of cobwebs all over the property and the grout in both bathrooms is very yellow (HG mould spray would get it back to white without re-grouting).

  My partner is badly allergic to dust and on day 3 started heavily sneezing and struggling to breathe, the property isn't dusty but I think possibly the central heating being on caused it and the radiators maybe need a deep clean. Although self catering, the lack of dish soap to wash dishes was a big disappointment, there was 1 bottle of kitchen spray and 1 bottle of bathroom spray but no cloths, and only 1 replacement kitchen sponge, one big bag supplied at the property etc, for somewhere so rural I think this is a let down as there aren't local shops to pop out and get these things, and it would be a big advantage to the stay to be able to properly clean up. There was also a lot of pots, cups and plates, plenty casserole dishes bit no oven trays to cook anything on which left us having to use the muffin baking trays to cook chips etc The kindling wouldn't burn well at all, not sure why as we got the fire going then the wood just charred and went out, possibly good to have slightly more small bits of wood as the livingroom and fire is lovely. The games room is great and as there was a storm during our stay let us keep busy, plenty games too and good TV options/signal. The water pressure is really really bad, to the point you almost can't run a tap upstairs, the bath water ran filthy and full of bits, and as others have said down stairs shower was far superior. The upstairs toilet barely flushes, would be concerning if there was a party of 6 adults for sure. The livingroom and dining area are both very cosy and well furnished, the main sofa cushions are definitely suffering a bit from usage and possibly would benefit from being swapped with the one against the wall, but plenty seating and a lovely cosy feel. We both enjoyed our stay, we actually didn't find the 3rd upstairs bedroom until our last day! Thought it was a cupboard door! It's a nice property but certainly needs a little bit of time and love to clean up the grout, cobwebs etc but it was still a lovely stay with a lovely bottle and sweets left for us, beautiful setting too by the water, bit of a shame it is private for the lodges however and you can't get near the water but still beautiful. I don't think it would take much to get the property looking a bit better/cleaner and maybe add more cleaning products to help out. Property was lovely and warm and heating easy to use and very effective, good number of lights/lamps for different areas and to get cosy, maybe could supply a warm blanket in the livingroom for couples to cosy up in at night. Overall loved the stay, just a few little things that could improve it.

  Read more less >

• Linda - Verified booking

  The service from Sykes was excellent and East Firwood Lodge was a stunning house in a fabulous location.

  The beds and bedding were extremely comfortable and the shower room and bathroom were high spec. as was the kitchen. There were, however, a few minor improvements which would have enhanced our stay, some of which had been mentioned by previous visitors: * there was only one set of knives and forks for 8 people ( we bought spares at a local charity shop) * the double ovens were excellent but we missed having a microwave for general defrosting and quick reheating * only 4 toilet rolls were provided for 7 of us * we had a few glitches with the central heating going off and it wasn’t straightforward to work it * the views from this beautiful lodge are magnificent and the woodland garden was gorgeous and very well maintained with quick access from the rear to woodland walks into town are further along the island. Many of the original features in the Lodge made it a very special place to stay * the house is very dog friendly and “lived-in” enough for us not to worry about our dog being there * access for a disabled member of our party was good and the downstairs of the house was easy for to negotiate * we would be happy to book this place again and will recommend it to friends- great for a large group of people to get together but also have their own space. Thankyou for a lovely break.

  Read more less >

• Matt Patrick - Verified booking

  Great escape

  The house is a great escape being on a remote loch side location with lawn running down to the water front. The house inside feels much grander than the photo impression of a small dormer bungalow. The children loved the pool and was great for the adults for a morning swim. The pool is about 30ft long and about 4ft to 8ft deep. The pool shower lights up with blue LED's. You feel that you have your own holiday complex. The only issue is the 3 mile drive is quite rough. We managed with a Mazda 3 with a couple of scrapes. At least is keeps out people just having a snoop around! The new caretakers are friendly and helpful and live about 100m from the property. The owner also greeted us on our arrival. The caretaker Andy took our children out on the boat to see seals and to go fishing, which the children really loved. If your party desires complete isolation from other people this property may not be for you. If we were to go again we would get a certificate so we could use the boat. This would have transformed the whole holiday as it would have given us much more freedom to explore the area including going across to Tarbet to go shopping, site seeing and go to reasturants and bars with no need for a car.

  Read more less >

• Pavels - Verified booking

  All 6 of us were very pleased with the house and the hosts, who were extremely helpful during the blackout due to the heavy storm.

  From a very few cons, I might mention there was a leak in the top bedroom during heavy rains, but nothing major - I'm sure the owners will fix the issue once the weather gets better. We wish there was a dishwasher which a party of 6 would greatly benefit from, but since it wasn't listed we knew we would have to invest in manual labour. Another slightly negative aspect we experienced was the oven which didn't close properly so we mostly had to cook in an air fryer which we brought with us. Having said that, the pros outweigh the cons and shouldn't discourage anyone from enjoying this marvelous house. It's great for get-togethers as the house invites you to spend most of the time in the main living room whether you are dining together, dancing, playing board games, or watching movies near the fireplace. We also enjoyed the fact there was a pool room with darts. It was nice to change the atmosphere and activities while other people cooked or had a chill moment upstairs. The house was perfectly decorated for Xmas and was very clean and tidy. We highly recommend the house and hope to come back one day!

  Read more less >

• Arjen - Verified booking

  We immediately fell in love with the beautiful Victorian house, which was even more beautiful than the photos had showed us.

  It had lots of space was so cozy and comfortable, with lovely sofas in the living room, where we could enjoy the fantastic view over the water and the mountains that disappeared in mystic grey or appeared in beautiful pastel shades depending on the weather. The wonderful beds with crisp bedding, the comfortable down duvets and the generous pile of towels gave us a luxurious hotel feeling. We made extensive use of the very well-equipped kitchen and on rainy days we lit the wood stove there, wood was for sale in the Coop. In the kitchen we were only missing extra dishcloths and tea towels and some matching glasses. The wine glasses did not fit well in the dishwasher, they were better washed by hand, we noticed when one glass came out broken. The garden must be lovely when the weather is nice, and through the gate at the back you walk via a beautiful forest path to the village. The island is so lovely, and there are beautiful walks to take. The house is a 15 minute walk from the ferry and shops in Rothesay. A car is not really necessary. We highly recommend this house for an unforgettable holiday.

  Read more less >