School Holidays 2017 Cottages In Western Isles

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Andrew - Verified booking

  I stayed at this property between the 8th of March and the 15th of March and I booked it because I had stayed at Otter Cottage approximately 200 yards along the road recently in January.

  On the face of it this is a modern property which certainly looks the part but I had a nightmare week there. On arrival no satellite signal so could not use the TV, the basement TV also had no signal but access to iPlayer etc, I could not use this as my wife is disabled and on a feeding pump and could not use the stairs, when I booked I made sure everything that I needed was on the one level, after much faffing about with the owner and the housekeeper the following day they arranged for a satellite repair guy to attend from Stornaway on the Monday to check the satellite position as they stated that there had been storms and had knocked out a lot of other satellites, two guys turned up in a private car without a ladder and new they couldn’t reach it , came into house and checked the connections and could find nothing amiss, and stated it was a subscription issue, by this time I’m none too pleased so they went away in the huff, spoke to housekeeper Elly who said that she would get onto Sky and get sorted, came back to me and said spent hours onto Sky and it would not be up and running now till the following Thursday ( now I’ve been a Sky customer for over 25 years and never been in situation where it would take more than a few hours to upgrade or install a package ). because the Tv in the lounge was Sky Glass then you could not use it even as an app , was offered a smaller tv by Elly on the Tuesday to get me at least BBC iPlayer but by this time I was not prepared to stay in and deal with it so told her to forget it, now guess what? by the Friday when I left there was still no picture ( took a photo as proof ), next door neighbour who was a nurse noticed my wife had a nasal tube and new she was on a feeding pump as this was now Wednesday she asked if we knew the power was going down in area the next day Thursday, I told her no I was not given any information about this, she said that everyone had three months notice of this as a few properties ( new builds ) up the coast were all being connected to the electricity grid and power could be out all day and possibly into the Friday. The house itself is cold, although you can allegedly up the thermostat to increase the temperature but the owner 600 miles away can override it, the ceiling is the height of a double decker bus so any heat goes straight up about 16 feet, the owner said to use the display fireplace to boost the heat but as I explained to him it is a fan heater which aims the heat into a glass fish tank type display and cuts itself out constantly, so my wife is sitting with a hot water bottle in a property that I had paid a premium price for. The lounge had no small tables to put a drink on so I had to go upstairs and take two bedside cabinets down to use as tables ( Elly came with two small tables on the Sunday or Monday ) the lounge has large windows but no blinds or curtains so you are sitting there at night and feel like a goldfish, god knows what it would be like in the summer. There is a distinct lack of places to hang things, no key hooks , no towel hooks in bathroom, you are encouraged to use the side door into the utility but the door is either warped or badly fitted , no trays to put wet boots or hangers for jackets, no shower caddy, no space/shelving at bathroom sink to hold toiletries, had to store at windowsill, no scissors no torches, had to buy scissors in Tarbert , supposed to be dog friendly but large glass coffee table by lounge window with sharp corners at dog eye height ( and the owner is a vet ) place is surrounded by sheep which is not ideal if you have a dog as the new fence down the right especially has spaces at the bottom where a dog can escape. Supposed to be instructions in a black box on how to use the hob but found none ,had to google it. On reading the house guide it gives the owners application to Harris council to use the property as a rental BUT it clearly states that due to the way water is supplied/stored for use at this property and is susceptible to legionella then the property is NOT to be rented to people who may be vulnerable and the owner has clearly ticked the box to say that he complies with this regulation. So maybe he ( a medical professional ) can explain how my wife who has a suppressed immune system managed to stay here and was potentially put at risk, and why this is not clearly advised on SYKES SITE. So to conclude would I recommend this property Would you like to phone a friend?

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• Sheila - Verified booking

  The Best Stay We've Ever Had - Truly Exceptional!

  We recently stayed at this incredible property in Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, and words can't fully capture how extraordinary our experience was. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with the most thoughtful and luxurious welcome pack, which included champagne, local products, and even a decanter of fine whiskey. It was such a warm and delightful start to our stay! The property itself is absolutely stunning. The attention to detail in every corner is remarkable, with beautiful linen, plush towels, and stylish furniture that made us feel like we were in a five-star hotel, but with all the cosy charm of a secluded getaway. The fully fitted and equipped kitchen had everything we could possibly need to prepare meals, and the log burner in the living room made for the most perfect, cosy evenings. There was even an electric car charging point! The hosts Annette, Alex and Paul were just great, nothing was any trouble to them and they helped us remarkably when the ferries were disrupted and we had to stay unexpectedly. We certainly felt safe and valued. The views from the property are breathtaking. Whether you’re gazing out the windows or enjoying a drink outside, the scenery is nothing short of magical. It’s the perfect spot to relax, unwind, and reconnect with nature. We’ve stayed at many places over the years, but this one is truly in a league of its own. This property goes above and beyond what you'd expect from a five-star experience – it’s the best place we’ve ever stayed, and we can’t wait to return. Highly recommended!

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• Richard - Verified booking

  Obviously an amazing location and property.

  So please read this feedback from a group of adults whom have stayed in over 8 Scottish properties. We arrived to a very cold house (as you know) due to the app and settings having all reset themselves. The property was difficult to make "cosy" especially due to the weather. It currently lacks 1. Wood burner, 2. Curtains/blinds in living room, 3. Rugs, 4. Secondary (warm) lighting. From a comfort perspective it needs 1. DVD player attached to the TV, 2. Nespresso m/c, 3. Bigger fridge (or secondary fridge) - five adults for 1x week ran out of fridge room, 4. Maps/Guides of the area (like Big Sands), 5. Sharp knives to prepare food!! 6. Food recycling bin in the house. Oh and lose the containers around the property - unsightly within the location. So this is a new property in its first year. Everything else was great - don't get me wrong. On the heating side you have to have a secondary heating system (like a woodburner) that can supply fast heat. Underfloor heating is too slow for a house like this. Also towel rails look great but they simply don't work - you need to be able to dry your towels. To finish on a positive note - this is a stunning location on a stunning island and the house (when "settled in") is amazing. Housekeeper - Elly, and the owner were very supportive during the heating issue. Maybe we've stayed in too many great houses. Thank you

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• Helen - Verified booking

  On first impressions we were pleased until we found a hole in the bed sheets and stain.

  There were many unclean items in the kitchen that we needed to wash before use and the teabags, kitchen roll & washing up liquid had not been replenished. When we contacted the cleaner she told us to go and buy some and did not want to address it and was very rude. We found the dryer unusable until it was cleaned by us due to lots of sand, fluff & overflowing water tank. The wooden floor leading into the lounge was raised due to damp and therefore we could not close the lounge door. There are no side tables to put a drink on in the lounge, we had to put our drinks on the floor. In all three bathrooms there were no hooks to hang a damp bath towel and no hand towel holder. There was a roll of wires hanging out from the main bedroom wall. Sparkling grape juice left as a welcome pack rather than a bottle of wine! We have stayed in much more luxurious properties at half the price - very disappointed. There is much to address before the property can be described as luxury. Overall a very expensive non luxury stay.

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• Suzanne Louise - Verified booking

  August 2024.

  Gualan Sands is an excellent self-catering property. The quality of the house and all the amenities are exceptional and practical for families and pets. The location offers access to many islands but also remains private. We enjoyed walks from the door over the sands to the beach (low tide only - do be mindful of this) as well as relaxing and enjoying the views from the house. We visited North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay. Sollas Beach was a favourite but there are many more on the islands. If you enjoy bird watching bring your binoculars, many can be spotted without leaving the house. We had a short-eared owl visit daily. If you wish to travel to other islands book your ferries in advance. Flying from Benbecula to Glasgow is straightforward and Lochmaddy port is more practical than Lochboisdale. Fiona was extremely kind and helpful throughout our stay. I would highly recommend this property, you won't be disappointed and we hope to return.

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