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"What a fantastic time we had in this beautiful house in a great location and the most beautiful setting!"
Lovely comfortable rooms and very well equipped kitchen. It had everything we needed and more. We found it to be a very child friendly accommodation.
We were a family of 6 adults and 3 children and we all enjoyed it equally! There was so much to enjoy in the immediate area that we didn’t have to seek entertainment out with the area! Sand, sea and rocks to explore and great walking trails for all.
We had one small issue which was responded to immediately. Our customer care contact, Linda Marshall, was excellent, a lovely person to engage with!
I cannot praise it highly enough!
Reviewed by Mary5.0★Apr 2025
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"Comfortable base to explore the local area."
Great area for walking.
Property was ample size for a group of six with everything required to enjoy a break in a tranquil setting.
Reviewed by Louise5.0★Mar 2025
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"This was the second time we had visited this beautiful property."
It is outstanding in every way- decor, comfort , scenery and location. The kitchen is so well equipped and it was lovely to have some coffee, teabags and biscuits this time on arrival. It wasn't as perfectly clean as the first time though, quite dusty in places and the curtain in the lounge was hanging off the rail which meant we couldn't close them completely at night. However none of this detracted from our stay in this beautiful house. Thank you. We had a wonderful, relaxing stay.
Reviewed by Angela4.4★Feb 2025
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"An amazing house ideal for a family group."
The house is very.comfortable and made foe a lovely week.
We did have some issues with a few things but the national trust team were great and did what they could whilst we were there and sykes supported when we got back.
The customer service on all fronts was great.
I have already booked for next year.
Reviewed by Joanne4.4★Nov 2024
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"Great house and grounds."
Well equipped for large party, comfortable and really peaceful location within short driving distance if amenities, shops etc when needed. Rebooked for next year already.
Reviewed by Sherilyn5.0★Nov 2024
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"What a fantastic property well-furnished and with stunning views and the grounds very well maintained we intend to re-book for next year."
Reviewed by John4.7★Oct 2024
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"This is a very spacious house, well equipped and comfortably furnished."
The setting is spectacular and there are some lovely walks from both the grounds and the local area. I would highly recommend.
Reviewed by Gillian4.7★Sep 2024
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"Everything we wished for and so much more besides."
Beautiful house and garden with amazing views to Rough Island and beyond. We loved every minute we spent there.
Reviewed by Carolyn5.0★Sep 2024
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"The house is beautiful and decor amazing."
Views are outstanding as our the very large grounds. Location perfect for peace, quiet and close to nature with stunning landscape on the doorstep.
Practical suggestions for inside property would be door knobs very stiff especially for older and younger family members. Expensive bedding which appears fairly new should have mattress protectors on as should pillows and inner duvet covers would all ensure prolonged useage. This is not a criticism but advice from visiting other special houses.
All our large party had a fabulous time and there were plenty of ooohs and ahhs in appreciation of this special property.
Reviewed by Maureen4.4★Sep 2024
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"Just as other reviewers have written, the house is lovely, with outstanding views across the Urr estuary and the Solway Firth."
It has been restored and refurbished to a very high standard. I would love to know its history. The interior design is inspiring: beautiful furnishing fabrics, carefully restored and reupholstered older furniture, art and museum pieces discreetly fixed down or locked behind glass, modern beds and sofas. All tableware and cookware is by Denby, and there is plenty of it.
Unfortunately, there were shortcomings. We arrived to find the dishwaher out of action, with an inadequate note telling us not to use it, an engineer was needed to fix it. We called the NTS representative on Monday. She explained that the engineer was waiting for a spare part to be delivered. She did not know when the dishwasher might be fixed. Washing up by hand for a large household was a disheartening chore, especially after we invited our Scottish family to Sunday lunch and washed up for 21. The dishwasher was eventually fixed on Thursday afternoon. Five days at the sink certainly dampened our holiday spirit.
Standards have fallen since reviewers mentioned the house being "spotlessly clean". While the kitchen and bathrooms were very clean, many weeks'-worth of dust covered some surfaces (sideboards, mantlepieces, hearths, TV table, half-landing windowsill). It appeared that a golden retriever had occupied the first-floor en-suite bedroom; its long hair remained on the carpet and sofa and soon transferred onto the one-year-old baby's clothes and hands.
Some bin bags and a second kitchen bin for recycling would be useful. Perhaps NTS could also ask Dumgal Council for more orange-lidded wheelie bins for recycling. Both recycling bins were already three-quarters full and, as they are shared between Auchenvhin and Saltflats Cottage and are collected only once a fortnight, two bins are not enough.
Thank you for taking the time to give us feedback. We are really glad you liked the property and sorry it didn’t meet all your expectations on this occasion. We are striving to make improvements. We’ve been working with the council to improve the bin collection service for this property and are putting in additional bins and checks to ensure that collections have taken place. We have also implemented new cleaning procedures. We hope this does not deter you from visiting us again in the future.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Brian4.4★Aug 2024
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"All lovely"
Reviewed by Lindsay5.0★Aug 2024
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"The property is beautiful and in a great area."
Plenty of equipment perhaps just short of hairdryer. The decor is very original and attractive. We loved our stay. Thankyou
Thank you very much for your lovely review.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Pamela5.0★Jul 2024
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"Stunning Stunning Stunning
Beautiful decor throughout 10/10 to the ..."
Stunning Stunning Stunning
Beautiful decor throughout 10/10 to the designers
Very small niggle was the absence of a DVD player to show our 4 year old a disney movie when it rained
Again minor comment was the loose toilet seat in the downstairs ensuite
For owners attention one of the lead chimney cowls covers to the right of the property on entry via gate, is sitting in the roof gutter
Many thanks for your lovely comments about the house and thank you very much for the notes about the toilet seat and cowl. We have alerted the property team about them.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Sally4.7★Jun 2024
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"I would love to say it was awful and no one should entertain this property - as if people don’t book it then there would be plenty of availability- but I can’t as it was fabulous - beautiful decor - amazing comfy beds - rare in holiday cottages - position of Property is outstanding - all you can hear is sea,birds and breeze - plumbing quirkay but really didn’t care."
Reviewed by Lyn4.7★Jun 2024
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"A superb property in a beautiful setting."
Everything we needed was there, and the whole family enjoyed their stay. The occasional appearance of deer in the garden was an unexpected bonus!
Reviewed by Stephen5.0★Mar 2024
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"Fantastic Holiday home."
The views are amazing! It’s the best one we’ve been too for a long time. We had two dogs with us and they loved it. Ball games in the garden. Footpaths from the house to the woods which we all loved. Wonderfully equipped kitchen with everything we needed to cook meals for 8 adults. Would recommend and come again. Plenty of crockery and cutlery and cook ware. All great quality! Just missing salt and pepper grinders. Which is really only a first world problem!!
Reviewed by Georgina5.0★Mar 2024
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"You cannot beat the coastal location and outlook of this gem of a property with its breathtaking views of the bay and its paths to the coast, the causeway to Rough Island and the surrounding woodland hills."
Auchenvhin is deceptively spacious, super-stylish and supremely comfortable. Its interior design is stunning; the central heating kept us warm and we also had log fires on occasion. The kitchen has been kitted out to the highest standards. We wanted for nothing. We’ll certainly be recommending Auchenvhin to friends and family.
Reviewed by Nicola4.7★Mar 2024
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"This property is just wonderful!"
Clean, warm and fully equipped with everything you could need.
The gardens are just wonderful and well kept.
From the second driving through the gate..the views are stunning.
Very well placed for many walks.
Would definitely book again...and again!
Reviewed by Julie5.0★Mar 2024
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"This house is in a wonderful location, with great views and lots of good walking from the doorstep."
In fact the pictures struggle to do it justice! Very spacious, beautifully furnished and very well equipped, it had everything we needed, except ..... there were only two small toilet rolls for the four toilets, most of the hand soap dispensers were empty, there was no hairdryer, tea towels were not left out for us, and the bath towels were so small they barely covered even a slim person's modesty! Why skimp on little things when the overall impression is one of luxury and comfort? Also, the oil ran out on our last day which meant we were without heating for half a day. The facilities team responded promptly, but this had happened twice recently (I gathered from them), so that problem should have been sorted out by now.
Many thanks for your feedback and we are very sorry that the team had not prepared the house to our usual standards. We apologise for this and hope that you will book again with NTS.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Janet4.4★Feb 2024
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"Stunning property and gardens, views outstanding, beautifully decorated and furnished, comfortable, lovely comfy big bed, well equipped kitchen, we really enjoyed our stay."
... Including two named storms. Beautiful walks on the doorstep for our dog, was perfect. Hoose can be a wee bit chilly in January, take a fleece.
Before we set off I had asked Sykes Cottages to request the owners for the option of a further super king size bed in one of the rooms, rather than the two singles.... This didn't happen but we managed to do it ourselves
We also asked where we were going to be able to purchase fuel for the open fires and were told the supermarket, my wife and I both felt we were fobbed off by Sykes
Lovely man just before Dalbeattie on the left sells logs with an honesty box store just off the main road and very reasonable
Many thanks for your comments and we apologise that our housekeepers omitted to convert the twin to a kind sized bed.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Martin5.0★Jan 2024
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"I absolutely loved this house."
Beautiful location. The decor and the period features were very appealing. The grounds were fabulous for my dog to explore. Very comfortable bed. The kitchen was very well equipped for cooking, ample amounts of crockery and cutlery. The views from the windows are fabulous. However, there are a few things that do need to be addressed. As previously mentioned in reviews, the door knobs are extremely difficult to open, the hot water taps in the bathrooms are dangerously hot. The plug in the private bathroom requires attention as water drains out quickly and its not easy to top up with a scalding tap. The house was very cold and it was not possible to over-ride the control. The guest information said there were extra blankets in the cupboard under the stairs, unfortunately, it was locked. I was slightly niggled that I had to empty a very full dishwasher before I could use it. There were no dishwasher tablets, salt, pepper, cling film or foil - I rarely stay anywhere where these aren't provided - so come prepared! I thought the living room could have been cleaned more thoroughly - my dog was very interested in all of the snacks between the cushions. There was an ice-cream spoon and burst balloons on the floor and evidence of dog hair on the furniture. Also, the Christmas trees were still up, despite me arriving on the 12th night! I'm aware all of these things are very easily rectified. These are the things that could turn a very good stay in to an outstandingly fabulous one! All this said, it certainly wouldn't deter me from booking again - I'm planning another visit. The area is beautiful for walking and tranquility. Fortunately, I had great weather. Just the break I needed.
Thank you very much for your feedback and we are sorry that you had to report some issues at the house. We will ask the maintenance team to look at the door knobs , look at replacing the bath plug and to look at the heating controls. The extra blankets will be moved to a more accessible location. We will reiterate to our cleaners that they need to check the dishwasher thoroughly, check under all seat cushions. The Christmas tree should have been taken down before your arrival. We do hope to welcome you back to Rockcliffe.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Donna4.1★Jan 2024
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"We had a marvellous stay over Xmas in this property."
It was very well appointed and had a happy family vibe. I have never made Christmas dinner in such a fabulous kitchen.
The views of course are to die for and we were very lucky on Xmas Eve to witness the rare Nacreous Cloud. (Naturally, caused by Santa’s sleigh.
Reviewed by Derek5.0★Dec 2023
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"We've stayed in many cottages over the years and this is the best."
large period property, beautifully decorated, in large gardens with it's own rocky beach. fantastic views from the large bay windows. peaceful location. the beds were very comfortable. would definitely stay again. just some things to bear in mind: we arrived in sub zero temperatures and it took a long time to heat the house up. bring throws and maybe a fan heater. the fire was provided with coal and paper but no kindling or firelighters so bring them. some people might struggle with the door handles which require a strong grip. when we left we took our rubbish and recycling to the bins at the far gate but there was no general waste bin, just recycling. owners notified. couldn't find a dishcloth. there were several wet towels in the washing machine when we arrived which we removed and dried. but these don't matter when you're staying in such an amazing property. we all had a lovely holiday.
Many thanks for the excellent scores and feedback. we are sorry that there were a few slipups on preparing the house for you. The team at Threave have noted the comments about the bin and the towels.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Colin4.7★Dec 2023
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"Well what a stunning house & location, spotlessly clean, and well equipped."
I could've honestly just have stayed permanently, just having a cup of tea and watching the view with the occasional deer thrown in. Would like to thank Linda from NTS (Threave) for her help, without this help we couldn't have stayed. I can imagine this property will be fully booked going forward as its that good, but i promise i will try to return.
wow thank you for your great feedback, it has been selling extremely well since it came online .
Property Owner
Reviewed by Fiona5.0★Oct 2023
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"The photos of this special house and gardens in such an idyllic location did not do it full justice."
On arriving to a beautiful sunset we were first bowled over by the views and autumnal garden, and the size of the house. On entering the house it was clear this was a beautiful, well maintained and cared for property to spend the week. 7 adults/teenagers fitted in comfortably with our own space and plenty of space to share too. The beds wrapped you up for sleep, the kitchen was spacious for creating good meals having worked up a good appetite walking and cycling in the local area and the sofas welcomed you for post-dinner snooze and games. We are already booked to return, even though this is such a popular property it is hard to book!
Reviewed by Paul5.0★Oct 2023
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"The property was clean and beautifully decorated."
The beds were comfy.
The kitchen was well equipped.
Our ‘ negative’ feedback would be:
Some of the doors are almost impossible to open. The handles are too stiff and won’t turn. Especially the door to the dining room and the en-suite upstairs.
The downstairs bedroom and en-suite are really cold. The cold wind whistles down the chimney in that room and it didn’t get warm all week.
The garden is only partially enclosed - this needs to be made clear in the description- it’s definitely not dog proof!
Thank you for your comments. We can look at the door handles in the house to see if we can ease them off. We are also researching a chimney draft excluder for the downstairs bedroom made from natural fibres.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Lyn3.4★Oct 2023
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"A really lovely property."
Very spacious and comfortable. The kitchen is equipped to a very high standard and the furnishings throughout the house are lovely. The extensive grounds and views of the sea are an added bonus. There are lots of good walks in the area, especially the path behind the property which takes you into Kippford.
The house is relatively new to the holiday rental market and did have one or two “teething problems”, but a quick phone call to Linda at NTS soon got things sorted out.
All in all, Auchenvhin is a delightful property. We really enjoyed our break and are hoping to return before too long.
Reviewed by Pamela5.0★Sep 2023
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"The holiday was fine and the house excellent."
However we had a problem getting into the house because your instructions were wrong.I called your company many times and failed to a response until around 6pm.Your staff member advised that they had emailed NTS and would have to wait up to 2 hours for a response but if that failed Sykes would try to rehouse me or reimburse me .He said they had no contact they could call to help resolve the problem.
Fortunately Linda at NTS arrived and we got access to the house.
She did advise that Sykes do have a helpline number to call. so there is something wrong with your procedures
This situation was extremely distressing for all of my party so I will be very wary of booking with you again.
Linda at NTS will be in touch with you on this issue but I expect a direct feed back from you
James Tiffney
Many thanks for your feedback about your stay and the access to the house. We checked the key pad and apparently it has ceased hence your problem getting in. We have checked the timeline with Sykes and we understand the first call was to Sykes at 5pm and they tried to assist with the door opening. Sykes then called our property manager. Sykes called yourselves at 6.20pm and we understand that our property manager had been able to let you in by then. We are sorry that you were inconvenienced at the start of your holiday.
Property Owner
Reviewed by James5.0★Sep 2023
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"An outstanding property in large private grounds right on the coast."
The furnishings and kitchen equipment are of high quality and plentiful.
The house is much larger than it appears in the external pictures — all rooms are very spacious with three good bathrooms.
Fantastic value — I would definitely try to book again.
Reviewed by Robert5.0★Sep 2023
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"Wow. The pictures do not do this property justice - it is amazing."
Alfie, the border collie loved the vast grounds and we were pleased that the drive had a gate that we could close. The property has its own rocky cove which was perfect for launching the kayak from. The house is much bigger than it looks in the photo and is extremely well furnished with comfy beds. No expense has been spared on the kitchen. There is a useful porch area which is ideal for taking off muddy boots and drying the dog. Perfect for a quiet getaway - we've already rebooked!
Thank you so much for the lovely comments, Auchenvhin is the latest holiday property that the National Trust for Scotland have brought online. You were our first guests and it is great to read that you really enjoyed yourselves and we look forward to welcoming you back.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Stephen5.0★Aug 2023
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