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"We had the most wonderful holiday at The Lookout."
The property was absolutely beautiful with stunning views out to sea in the little village of Hopeman.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
I am delighted you enjoyed your holiday and time at the Lookout.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Clive5.0★Aug 2024
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"Great house, really comfortable beds, amazing views, incredible location!"
Thank you for your compliments and feedback!
I am so pleased that you enjoyed your time at the Lookout. (-:
Property Owner
Reviewed by Helen3.8★Aug 2024
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"We really enjoyed our stay, beautiful house with amazing views."
This is one of our favourite holiday cottages we’ve stayed in to date, just a shame it is so far from home for us! The only thing we wanted to use but couldn’t find were pizza trays for the oven (hardly make or break)! Otherwise really well equipped and comfortable, so close to the beach and the kids loved the park just outside. Needless to say, we didn’t want to leave.
Thank you so much for your compliments and feedback!
I am delighted you enjoyed the house and your holiday and am sorry about the lack of baking sheets!?
I shall immediately purchase more.
Best wishes
Julia
Property Owner
Reviewed by Rebecca5.0★Aug 2024
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"Well-kept tastefully furnished accommodation."
Great location with small shops, playground for the children, the beach and rocks directly in front of the house. Highly recommended!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
It means a lot to know you enjoyed the cottage and your holiday too!
Property Owner
Reviewed by Steven5.0★Jul 2024
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"Would book again"
Amazing! Thank you! (-:
Property Owner
Reviewed by David5.0★Jun 2024
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"The property on the whole was lovely , fantastic location, comfortable downstairs areas, well equipped kitchen; in particular the sitting area and the outside decking area which was superb."
However, upstairs was a slightly different story. Due to the low ceilings the beds are almost on the floor which were difficult to get out of and quite uncomfortable. Storage was limited in the smaller bedroom so we had to use the two chest of drawers on the landing area that, on arrival were full of additional bedding and towels belonging to the property. As we were a party of four adults we needed this space and there was no hanging space other than the back of the bedroom doors. We booked this cottage months ago and since I think the listing has been updated to reflect the low ceiling and beds but I would suggest that this property is probably better listed as suitable for two adults and up to two children?
Dear Mr Buckley
I appreciate your feedback and am grateful for your compliments and comments.
The cottage was developed and used for owner occupancy prior to leasing and I can agree with all you have pointed out. It was a case of making the most of the available space and focusing on the days rather than the nights. That said we purchased bespoke extra large (loft style) beds and very good mattresses to ensure a good nights sleep at least!
Storage is indeed limited and hanging space impossible to provide (trust me - I have tried and failed to come up with a solution.)
That said, my fabulous housekeeper has just informed me that she has reorganized one chest of drawers to create more storage for the twin room.
Best wishes
Julia
Property Owner
Reviewed by Mark4.1★Jun 2024
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"Oh my goodness where to start!"
… We absolutely loved our stay at the look out. It truly is like home from home with every creature comfort made available to you. Beds are super comfy with quality bed linen. Ample towels available. Everything is catered for, thought has been put into everything from cooking, relaxing and fun!
The views are incredible with literally a 2 minute walk to the beaches which are stunning! Conveniently located for local shops and central to many locations to visit.
Words don’t do justice but a visit will!!! We will definitely return “Thank You”
Awww! Thank you sooo much for your wonderful feedback!
I’m delighted you had such a great stay! I hope to welcome you back sooner rather than later!
Property Owner
Reviewed by Nicky5.0★Apr 2024
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"Facilities fantastic."
Everything you could possibly want up to and including wetsuits and kayak for outdoor and an Xbox and great tv/ broadband if you are stuck indoors. Close to great beaches. Bathroom/ shower you won’t want to get out of. Parking on road but it’s a cul de sac with about 2 houses so no issue. Grocery store within 2 mins walk which sells most everything. I would say the bedrooms are in the eves so low beds and ceilings may be a concern to some. Just a shame we came in a freezing, stormy February so not able to use the gas fired bbq or kayak/ boogie boards had to drink wine in front of the log burner. Bummer
Reviewed by Simon4.7★Feb 2024
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"We are vegetarians and some of the cooking trays had not been cleaned properly from previous meat cooking."
Reviewed by Derek4.1★Dec 2023
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"Having just arrived home from our week at The Lookout in Hopeman, we wanted to give you/the owner feedback before our experiences fade to memory."
Overall, we enjoyed a beautiful week in the area and The Lookout provided us with a super central point from which to explore. Sadly, The Lookout itself, didn’t live up to expectations - especially for the price paid. We had holidayed with our elderly parents, who are able to manage stairs and lower than normal beds - however, our shock on arrival to find that the beds were literally on the floor, found us wanting to turn round and come home. Our folks are in their 70’s, and fit for their ages … but, had we known that they would have to crawl on hands and knees into their bed, we would not have booked The Lookout. Further, the beds were situated under the coombed ceilings meaning that even the most agile and fittest of people had to bend double to get into the bed, crawl from the bottom and manoeuvre into a sleeping position - after what felt like an agility course to get into bed. Getting up from the bed saw the reverse as it was impossible to get out of the bed at the side, the only way out was to crawl back to the bottom and ease out avoiding the coombed ceilings. Our parents banged their heads many times during the week. On our first night, my wife banged her foot on the wooden base of the bed which was not visible under a throw at the end of the bed, and a black and bruised and swollen toe meant a fair bit of pain and discomfort which persists. We enjoyed the ground floor of The Hopeman, the facilities and space was super and we all very much enjoyed the views and the outdoor space. We were disappointed to find that the kitchen was not as clean as we would have expected: the shelving on which glasses were stored rim-down, were not clean, some of the oven trays were very grubby and over-used and the top of the fridge was similarly dusty. The kitchen had no tinfoil or greaseproof paper for use when cooking, which meant the very worn oventrays etc had to be scrubbed clean after each use. The cushions for the two loungers on the deck were beyond threadbare. The shelving in the TV room was very dusty - behind the TV and nearly no-one had reached over to dust them in a while. Skirtings and ledges throughout the house hadn’t been dusted for some time. The house just felt a bit tired and unloved. As to personal storage space: my wife and I spent the week living out of our suitcases on the floor by the side of our bed in the smaller bedroom - there was limited drawer space for 4 adults (with one unit on the landing being used to store the properties linen supplied) and no hanging space at all for dresses etc. Finally, the rubbish bins were stacked at the front door of The Lookout. They had clearly not been cleaned in a very long time and were very smelly. Worse, the green bin had a thriving colony of maggots feasting on the detritus available to them … and I mean, crawling with maggots! So, yes, we enjoyed our holiday but felt awful for our parents as we had no option but to make do with the bedtime challenges. It was disappointing to find on our last evening that the sofa in the downstairs TV room was actually a pull out bed, and had we known that, we would have made that room up as a bedroom for our parents. Perhaps this facility could be advertised and offered for future visitors’ information and benefit. Making it clear that the bedrooms suffer from little or no headroom when entering and rising from the beds (which are mattresses on the floor) would also be helpful information to share with would-be visitors. I’d be grateful if you could respond to this e-mail to advise me of the steps taken to improve The Lookout as I would hate for others to feel as we do, having paid handsomely for use of the house, our expectations fell short of reality. Many thanks Sharon Saunders. PS: We found an item of jewellery (necklace) in the small jewellery box on the chest of drawers in the main bedroom - left by a precious visitor ... we left it in the jewellery box.
Thank you for your feedback.
I sense you had a very challenging and stressful time.
In order to prevent future confusion, we have now amended the descriptive text to better emphasise the compromised ceiling height upstairs.
I am assured that the price point is appropriate. (It has been my own experience that the cost of all accommodation has increased sharply post covid.)
The bins are emptied on Tuesdays (turnovers are only ever on a Saturday), so forgive our oversight and rest assured that all 3 bins have now been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
I have spoken with the housekeepers and trust that they will redouble their efforts to ensure all guests are happy with the standard of cleaning.
Although attempts are made to provide all sundries, there will be occasions when the absence of items (such as tin foil) may not be immediately evident. Thankfully there are two general stores within 3 mins walk of the cottage and an honesty jar of money available should guests feel strongly about the cost of such a purchase.
Our cottage is well loved by us and thankfully by the vast majority of those that stay there.
I sincerely hope that your next holiday is more successful. I know how precious time spent with family is.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Sharon1.3★Aug 2023
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"Easy key collection, well stocked utility with lots of items that were handy for the beach and the sea."
Well designed interior with quality fittings.
We will definitely return
Thanks you
Reviewed by Wendy5.0★Aug 2023
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"So the ”Lookout” is a wonderful house however it doesn’t mention that the bedrooms upstairs have very limited headroom due to the angle of the coombed ceilings."
If you are tall then be prepared for a few head bumps. The bed is lovely and comfortable and huge but is on the floor. The kitchen utensil drawer lacked an ice cream scoop. There’s a great ice cream shop on the street but no scoop in the house. We feel the house would benefit having a tv in the kitchen family area. Although there is one in the main living room the room itself is dark with a small window and the view from the kitchen family room is far nicer.
Thank you for your feedback and custom.
Although it states “sloped ceilings” on the first floor, I agree that the restricted head height should be made clearer and I will raise this with LHH.
I shall also purchase an ice cream scoop for the kitchen.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Stephanie3.8★Jun 2023
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"This was a really lovely holiday in a beautiful and comfortable accommodation situated overlooking the sea with the mountains in the distance."
We really relaxed on this holiday and everything that we needed was there. I would highly recommend this accommodation to completely chill out.
Reviewed by Philip5.0★Apr 2023
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"Lovely well equipped property, very welcoming atmosphere."
Terrific views and location to take day trips or just admire the beauty of the sea and the backdrop.
Reviewed by Jane5.0★Mar 2023
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"Excellent holiday but question the value for money it now offers"
Reviewed by Derek5.0★Mar 2023
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"We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at The Lookout."
We loved the sea and distant mountain views from the house and the beautiful walks along the coast where the house is located. It is a really beautiful location. We felt very comfortable in the house and had everything we needed for our stay. We would happily return.
Reviewed by Claudine5.0★Mar 2023
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"Great location for access to coastal walks and beaches."
Lots of cultural heritage to visit locally even in winter.
Reviewed by Robbie4.7★Feb 2023
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"Had a great stay at the lookout in hopeman."
The property is ideally situated and so peaceful and relaxing. We had a problem with the smoke alarms that kept going if every 15-20 minutes that was ear piercing loud and caused great stress to our dog but after a call to Julia the owner who got an electrician to come and repair the problem fairly quickly and had no other problems the rest of our stay. The views from the kitchen are breathtaking out into the moray firth. The only 2 small things I would recommend to do is to fit a tv into the kitchen seating area and to provide a small welcome pack with milk, bread and a pack of biscuits etc as if you happened to arrive at the property late after travelling a great distance there is nothing to have a cup of tea etc on arrival. But apart from that I couldn’t find fault at the lookout
Thank you for your compliments and suggestions.
There should be complimentary tea and coffee available and the honesty cupboard offers snacks and biscuits. There are also two convenience stores within 2 mins walk for fresh milk etc.
With two TV’s in the cottage already, we have deliberately kept the open plan kitchen/diner as a tv free space in order to encourage conversation and to appreciate the incredible view.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Ross5.0★Sep 2022
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"My family loved the overall design and quality of furniture and fittings, stating that beds were full sized and comfortable."
Also, the kitchen table and outside area was well thought out and allowed space for gathering round for meals and games. The utility is another well considered space that allows wetsuits and wet walking gear etc to dry without having to trek through the house.
Reviewed by Wendy5.0★Jul 2022
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"Only minor gripe would the lighting in the bathroom."
It’s not very bright and can be difficult to see things that are bit fiddly such as contact lenses. Otherwise we were very happy with the property. Very nice to have the use of the kayak and board. We shall be returning visitors.
Hello there!
Thank you for your feedback.
You will be pleased to know that the bathroom lighting has now been upgraded!
Property Owner
Reviewed by Jeannette5.0★Jul 2022
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"A gorgeous house, beautiful outlook, well equipped and very comfortable living areas."
But be aware that the upstairs sloping ceilings are low, my 6'3" had to duck at anything more than 6" away from the central roof line
DaveLFeb 2022
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"The Lookout is a beautiful, stylish, cosy, comfortable, thoughtfully and very well equipped house with a fabulous view."
We really loved this amazing house and will definitely return. Thanks to Dawn and Wynne at LHH, Julia the owner and Claire the housekeeper for all your help and kindness, we really appreciate it.
Annie FinnApr 2020
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"We had a brilliant week here in Hopeman!"
The house is both a perfect place for exploring and equally suited for just chilling out in - the views!!
Beautifully designed and decorated.
We were very grateful to be able to borrow wet suits, kayak and boogie boards and had a lovely time simply paddling around at the beach and enjoying the coast generally.
Visitor BookAug 2019
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"Beautiful house, everything well thought out and loved the extras eg wetsuits and dogbed."
Stunning coast line. Loved the cycle paths, coastal walks and Bothy Bistro in Burghead.
Visitor BookAug 2019
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"Our second trip to Hopeman, made better by staying here."
The photos didn't do it justice. Lovely!
Visitor BookAug 2019
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"Fantastic week away."
Great house and location. Will definately return.
Visitor BookAug 2019
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"This is one of the most stunning houses i've ever seen."
This house had a lovely vibe. We thought this house would be beautiful but it wasn't just beautiful if was extraordinary!
Thank you so much. We loved it!
Visitor BookAug 2019
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"We really enjoyed our stay at The Lookout."
It was the third time we visited Hopeman and the weather was terrible for some days this time, but the house is the perfect place to enjoy even bad weather!
MarkusJun 2019
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"We absolutely loved The Lookout."
It's such a special house, beautifully furnished and decorated, (and immaculate)-we were so inspired by it! The views are to die for, it feels so light and spacious in the open plan kitchen/living room-just lovely spending family time around the huge, chunky kitchen table. And at night there's a lovely, comfortable snug with log burning stove for cosying up after days spent walking in forests, visiting castles or out on boat rides spotting elusive dolphins! At the end of the day the lovely beamed bedrooms have really comfortable beds and the master bedroom in particular is gorgeous being situated on a mezzanine with blue views for miles out to the sea.The perfect base for exploring the North East Coast and good for the soul!
Danielle BirkettNov 2018
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"We loved our stay at The Lookout, the house was lovely, a real home from home, very similar to our house."
Its position was fantastic and the neighbours were friendly too! Hopeman was great, it's not a part of Scotland we had been to before and we would definitely consider going back as we had a great week there. We don't want too many people to know about it as it will get booked up too quick!
KMNov 2018
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