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.

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• Paul - Verified booking

  We had a fantastic break for 4 nights at Newton Hall in the Easter holidays.

  The owner was extremely helpful and courteous, calling us before the stay to make sure we had all the details we needed, run us through what the property offered, check out whether we had any specific requirements, and also give us info about the team they have available to help out during our stay (although we didn't need to call them - everything was fine!). The rooms were clean, relaxing and comfortable, and the views from the front of this property are spectacular - we hadn't clocked from the photos that the arched windows at the front have window seat cushions, and watching the sunrise over Loch Fyne with a morning coffee was magical. We also didn't realise quite how convenient it was going to be for local amenities - there's a well-stocked Co-Op literally 2 minutes walk from the back door, and it's only a short distance further to the George pub in the centre of Inveraray which serves a great menu of both good food and malt whiskies. We also had no problem organising a supermarket grocery delivery to here for the first night when we arrived. There's heaps of good walking nearby even if you're not an experienced mountaineer. We did a walk through the town and up to the watchtower in the old hill fort above Inveraray castle, which is a good, well-signed path to do with the kids: it's a fairly modest 220m or so up, but still gives you fantastic views over the loch and mountains from the top. Oh, and of course, the kids loved spending time with us in the hot tub! We only had a few nights when we could stay this time, but we really hope we get a chance to visit again in the future.

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• Confirmed Guest - Verified booking

  1. The property was very well equipped and very clean. 2. The location and views were wonderful. BUT 3. 2 of the bedrooms were through rooms ie you had to go through one to get to another which was not made clear in the description of the property and was not suitable for different households. We had 6 households in the 6 rooms. Our group was not happy with this. 4. The water pressure was very low such that if more than one shower or bath was run at the same time, there was no water or it ran cold, especially upstairs. We had 7 adults all wanting showers after coming in from a walk or a cycle, and in the morning, so we had to go one at a time. It would have been totally unworkable with 12 which the house could take. I know there is a water shortage but a business like this with paying multiple users, needs to find an alternative means of water supply if as I suspect, this is a private spring supply. A borehole for example. 5. The track was actually terrible, and is just getting worse with continual use. We are used to driving up forestry roads and were prepared for it but there was one particular pothole which was dangerously deep and could not be avoided. There had been forestry work closeby so perhaps it had been made worse by machinery. But the owners need to go and look for themselves. It has reached an unacceptable state now. For such an upmarket and expensive property the access must be improved.

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• Jane - Verified booking

  Location was lovely, walking distance to Loch Awe with access to large, beautiful gardens where the children could run around & play football.

  House has good amount of space with very useful porch to take off dirty shoes etc before entering main house. Unfortunately the house was not very clean. Both showers were completely blocked with hair so they filled with water after about 30 seconds. We did not feel inclined to remove excess hair left by other guests. Both bathrooms and the kitchen have white carpet. The carpets were badly stained, ESP round the toilets and near the fridge. This was very disconcerting and difficult to keep clean. One of the showers also leaked so the floor was permanently wet. The kitchen was not well equipped; no dishwasher, no basic coffee making facilities, no dryer (it was almost impossible to get clothes dry), no supplies at all, not even salt and pepper, no tea towels ( we have never come across this before although it was mentioned in the brochure.) Good TV but poor set top box so the picture was blurred. Just a small amount of attention would make this place really super. The living room was spacious and comfortable and the beds were satisfactory. There was room for all of us to eat at the table and the layout worked well. Updating the kitchen and bathrooms would make a huge difference.

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• 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!

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