Gate Lodge - Threave Estate

On arrival we could tell we would enjoy the holiday.

The house is beutiful well presented we had tea then a short walk around before retiering to a good nights sleep. The grounds and gardens are to die for brilliant. We visited lots of areas deer parks otter pools castles sandyhills was a lovely place my bid disapointment was i never saw a red squirrel the locals said they all died cos off an invation of greys i think the tourist board should get on top of it alot of people go to scotland to see them but theres always another year thank you sykes we will book another holiday soon x

Location is very pretty.

We saw deer outside the front on several occasions, between 5 and 6.30am and 9-10pm during our stay in early August. We found the lodge very comfortable. Excellent quality towels, bedding and crockery. The kitchen was well stocked and easy to use. We could've done with a larger fridge space but this was really our only niggle. We slept well. The water pressure in the shower was amazing. One of the best showers I've had. It was nice how thoughtful it was that handwash, bleach, air freshener, washing up liquid, bleach etc was supplied and of good quality. The Internet was very good. It stopped working once but we called the non- emergency number and received help and someone came out to look at it. We enjoyed our visits to the gardens. Ground staff and those in the visitor centre were very friendly and helpful. Great location to use as a base for the surrounding area.

This was a magic stay in a Scottish Baronial Lodge at the edge of spectacular gardens.

We enjoyed both the Gardens and Castle and also ventured into Castle Douglas and the artist colony of Kirkcudbright and had the pleasure of visiting Broughton House. This was such a peaceful reset, and we made wonderful memories together as a family.

Great place to stay with use of the grounds.

Everything we needed was there, and convenient for visiting the area.we would stay again, beautiful area. Only criticism, downstairs bed could do with mattress being replaced or turned. Thanks for a lovely stay.

A wonderful property on a magical estate.

I would highly recommend it.The interior design of the lodge was beautifully executed. A well equipped kitchen.

We really enjoyed our stay at Gate House, Threave Estate.

The surroundings are lovely with so much to do in the area for our young family. The house was really well set up with lovely fresh linen and plenty of space. The kitchen was well equipped and instant coffee/tea bags were provided. There was a high chair included as well as a travel cot which we did not use on this occasion. I have given 4 stars due to the presence of a wasps nest on the property, meaning we could not leave windows open during warm weather. There were several dead wasps on the stairs on our arrival to the property and I can see that this has been mentioned in previous reviews, meaning it is known about and has not been acted upon. In addition, there was some clothing left behind by a previous guest that indicates drawers had not been checked/emptied prior to our arrival. Overall we enjoyed our stay and would be happy to return.

The cottage was so lovely!

We really liked staying there. The only negative was the internet, which gave us a lot of trouble. We had to hunt down around the house to find the router and wifi, then turn on the outlets (not something I have ever done, as American plugs just always work!), turn on the devices and restart several times, and then it really only worked in the living room and the bedroom right above it. Some guidance about turning it on when we got there would have been very, very much appreciated.

Beautiful house in wonderful location.

Threave gardens are stunning. Short walk in to castle Douglas. House very comforting well equipped. Lovely private patio sun trap out back. The only consideration would be winding stairs and low ceilings at top of stairs and into second bathroom if you have mobility problems or are very tall. Overall would highly recommend.

Cottage is beautifully appointed and presented (thank you to the housekeeper).

Well equipped and comfortable. We would suggest that the doormat inside the kitchen be moved outside to replace the soggy well worn doormat currently there, and a textile mat be placed inside the kitchen door. We found it difficult to avoid bringing soggy vegetation from the patio area into the kitchen. Up-to-date information on bin-collection days would be useful. We dragged 3 full wheelie bins out and only one was emptied.

The house was lovely and very relaxing.

It was beautifully peaceful. The beds were extremely comfortable and all the rooms were spacious. Having access to Threave gardens was good and just the immediate surroundings were a real treat. For a bird enthusiast the bird song outside the cottage was wonderful. Our only minor concern was the size and location of the small fridge. It was not large enough for four people and we had to get on our knees to get things out of it.

Very happy with our stay at Threave.

The gate lodge was well equipped, comfortable and it was lovely and quiet and dark in the evening. It was really nice to walk up the drive to the cafe for morning coffee and as national trust members we could pop in and out the beautiful gardens too. The location, just a mile out of Castle Douglas, was perfect and we found it easy to jaunt about visiting Kirkcudbright, Newton Stewart, Wigton and the Isle of Whithorn. We had a happy time at Threave.

Amazing stay with tradition and history intertwined with modern facilities.

We would definitely stay here again!

The house is lovely, was well-equipped and clean.

It's in a beautiful setting, immediately inside the entrance to Threave Gardens. However the directions given in Sykes email were rubbish, almost impossible to understand, and Google maps also shows the wrong position for the house. The Sykes helpline couldn't help, but fortunately the gentleman who answered the National Trust for Scotland phone number was very helpful and immediately explained exactly where to find the house. We had fortunately phoned a little while prior to the 5pm entry time, otherwise we'd have been completely stuck!

The lodge is lovely and quirky.

Lack of a dishwasher is a bit of a bore, and the Wi-Fi really only works in one room, but neither of these was a big problem for us. Location is brilliant. With hindsight we would've gone one month later as many plants were just on the cusp of bursting into springtime colour. But the gardens were still a delight. I really appreciate it being able to take our dog Daisy on the estates circular walk each morning – it's a nice walk and right on the doorstep. All in all, a pleasurable week.

Second stay here.

As before the property was spotless and well equipped. Great location, comfortable and characterful place to stay in rain or shine. Only minor issue was overflowing recycle bins. Left them out for collection but no success. Maybe it is a different day to that in the instructions?

An extremely comfortable property in a beautiful location.

Threave Gardens are a gem and nearby Castle Douglas has good facilities. Would return to Gate Lodge in a heartbeat.

The information in the property owner supplied booklet has different information to your site, in so much as your site says pets are allowed but the booklet said no pets are allowed.

There is a health and safety issue as far as the staircase is concerned as part of the stairs which go round a corner has no banister. The walls on the the left hand side of the stairs are ideally suited to have a bannister fitted. One of our party was unable to climb the stairs due to this hazard.

A wonderful stay.

The photos didn't do the property justice! The seating/patio area was lovely. And great to be able to wander out onto the manicured lawns from the back door. Lawns also good for stargazing, we caught a meteor shower. Kitchen was well stocked (bar a potato peeler!). Free access to the fab threave gardens only in opening hours. Public access to rest of the estate at all times. Food in the cafe was really nice, straight from walled garden! Wifi kept teen happy! We've come away very relaxed, from a very comfy holiday!

Our second stay in Gate Lodge.

Spacious, clean and comfortable accommodation in a beautiful and quiet location.

A lovely property, comfortable beds with nice bedlinen, plenty of crockery and cutlery in the kitchen.

We had friends from Canada with us and they were thrilled with the place. An added bonus is free admission into the gardens which are beautiful.

Lovely property, kitchen very well equipped, one of the best I have stayed in.

The estate is well maintained with great walks from the door. There is a national trust scotland garden centre, cafe and shop on site. Access to the grounds is at a cost or through national trust membership. The gardens are well worth a visit, gorgeous and well looked after.

A wonderful location and a very special property located within a grand estate.

We loved coming back to the Lodge each evening as it was so peaceful once the visitors to the House left at 5pm. We enjoyed the fabulous formal gardens and the walks around the wider estate and were lucky enough to see the nesting ospreys. We hope to return soon.

Gate Lodge is a lovely setting, by the gates to Threave Gardens.

If you're a National Trust / NTS member it's lovely to be able to wander to and from the Gardens. Late May and the rhododendhron and long summer evenings make it all very memorable. The cottage is cute; well furnished and supplied. 3 bedrooms, with nice new cotton linen and a well stocked kitchen. 2 bathrooms, although the smaller shower room is tiny. Castle Douglas is a couple of miles away and has lots of independent shops and cafes along the high street.

The property was in the ideal location, close to the A75 and Castle Douglas but unaffected by traffic noise.

Wildlife was on the doorstep and the views were great. Excellent area for walks, birding and coffee! The house was quirky, but comfortable and any drawbacks such as the lack of dishwasher, small kitchen and dark eating area, were understandable given the age and layout of the property. Would we visit again? Very likely.

Wonderful National Trust Of Scotland owned property set in a beautiful area, lovely gardens and well maintained house with extremely friendly guides.

The property itself was comfortable and furnished to a really high standard with Denby plates, bowls, cookware. It was impeccably clean and looked like it had been fairly recently refurbished. It was really well equipped for those fully self catering. Lovely location to explore an off the beaten track and unspoiled part of Scotland. Highly recommended for those looking to stay in the area which has numerous restaurants, pubs, fish and chip shop in short walking distance (about 20 mins).

The Gate Lodge is a delightful cottage which we have stayed at many times.

There has clearly been some thoughtful upgrading since our last visit but the lack of a dishwasher is major minus. I understand that there are plans to remedy this and I hope this is done in the near future. The other point is the handbasin in the understairs shower room. This room has benefited from improvements but one of them is a definite downgrading. The wash hand basin is about as small as we have ever seen and, perhaps, a finger bowl.would be a better description! It is far too small to be a useful basin. This does need to be addressed as the previous basin was far more easier to use. However the Lodge has an excellent location with plenty of wildlife to admire.

Characterful and comfortable.

A stylish property in a great location. The house was very clean and well presented, preserving it's character with sensible modernisation. The wood stove door latch needs repairing but this wasn't an issue as the heating is very effective.

A lovely cottage in a beautiful location, very comfortable and clean with everything we needed.

Walks from the doorstep and Castle Douglas close by for shops and restaurants. Great location for exploring wonderful Dumfries and Galloway and the beautiful Threave Estate. Our second time here since Covid and we’ve booked back in for next year.

The lack of anywhere to store food was a major problem.

The fridge was very small and icebox was unusable. The location is excellent for a group like ours - walkers and birders.

Lovely cottage, well equipped kitchen although no space for any food in cupboards.

Comfy, clean beds and warm. Great location. We had a fabulous holiday.

Would have liked a dishwasher please (hence 4 for facilities).

Best showers ever! Would have liked to have been able to start our booking on a different day (which should be manageable during this quiet season?).

Although we live in the country we were not prepared for how dark the house was.

Set in the trees I suppose. We found there were very few electric sockets so difficult to find somewhere to charge mobile phones. Appreciated the torch/light in hall. Essential if you needed to use the cloakroom in the night. The cottage was very comfortable. We moved a chair from dining room into lounge as no one likes to sit three on a sofa, not very relaxing. Beds extremely comfortable. Found the kitchen a bit odd, nowhere to put food other than the fridge. No dishwasher. Also found the crockery and cooking pans extremely heavy. Denby looks great but that shape not all that practical when you want to stack things. Surprisingly couldn't find a kitchen fork. With five of us in the lounge we felt that it would have been better to have a smaller table. A number of knees got bashed. All in all it was a plesant experience and we would recommend to friends.

Absolutely loved this cottage - a perfect home from home with great facilities.

Deer on the doorstep and beautiful walks round the estate. You do need to take care with dogs as the garden is not enclosed but it was so quiet and the woods at the back of the cottage made a great little place for them to explore so not a problem at all. Castle Douglas is walkable distance away with all the amenities you could want.

Really loved the Gatehouse at Threave.

A beautiful location with the gardens and nature reserve on your doorstep (literally). Cottage was immaculate, comfortable and cosy, and really well equipped. Perfect for a relaxing break.

Spotlessly clean, very comfortable cottage with plenty of space, character and everything you need to hand in a lovely peaceful location at Threave Gardens.

High quality kitchen provision (Denby crockery and pans) and a welcome tray. Comfortable beds with high quality bedding. Walks from the cottage (gardens, grounds, Threave castle/osprey circular and Castle Douglas circular via loch etc) where there are some lovely restaurants eg Carlos, Olive Retreat and good shopping (bakeries, grocers, butchers etc). We stayed here pre-pandemic and loved it then since when it’s been refurbished to a high standard and we love it even more and look forward to coming back. The location is brilliant for visiting Dumfries and Galloway in all directions.

The cottage was in a beautifully location and fully as described, I particularly liked the use of Denby kitchen items and crockery.

But the cottage hadn’t been cleaned when we arrived at 5pm, I complained to NTS and two people arrived within half an hour and did an excellent job of cleaning and changing bed linen etc, they were very apologetic. There were a lot of wasps under the roof tiles of the cottage, we had on average 10 to 20 inside the cottage, mainly in the kitchen and bathroom, every day. I reported this and was told that NTS were aware of the problem and were trying to get them stopped. They were not in any bedrooms. I would stay there again when the wasp problem is fixed.

Quite a few cobwebs around.

There were two wasps' nests in the roof resulting in several wasps finding their way into the kitchen and bathroom on a daily basis. We reported this and an attempt was made to destroy them but this failed. The wasps weren't too much of a problem for us as we simply caught them and evicted them each day but they could have caused difficulty for guests with a young family. A pair of scissors in the kitchen would have been useful.

Bit concerning as booked dog friendly cottage and on arrival reading the welcome book said no dogs allowed?

Cottage was beyond expectations really well appointed and comfortable. Only suggestion: fence sectioning off the patio from the drive would have made it safer for both dogs and children as road leading to the main house and garden centre/cafe was busy at times. Had a great family break away

A lovely place to stay and very comfortable and cosy.

Good location for visiting the surrounding area and the walks around the estate are well worth doing. Overall well equipped. Pity there is no room for a dishwasher. The minor problem I reported with the front door key not working was not followed up, hence low maintenance rating. Would certainly recommend and may well return.

Lovely cottage in beautiful location on the Threave estate.

Beds super comfortable with lovely fresh bedding. Leaflets and maps in the cottage need refreshing with up to date ones. Maybe include a Threave estate guide? Free access to gardens during our stay although that wasn't entirely clear in the cottage info folder. Might be worth clarifying for future guests. The cafe terrace at the visitor centre was brilliant. Walks round the gardens and into the woods perfect. Saw Ospreys at the bird hide on the Threave estate nearby - with parking at Kelham Mains - brilliant! Loved the area and will return.

A wonderful quirky cottage.

Fabulous furnishings and quality decor. Kitchen was incredibly well equipped. Perfect location - loved watching the deer and bats. Hope to return.

Gorgeous period property, lovely "period" features and furnishings, but with comfortable modern furniture, in a beautiful location.

Extremely well equipped. The wildlife around the property was a joy to see and hear.

Beautiful, comfortable cottage with lovely mattresses and everything you need apart from hot water and cleanliness.

After reading other people’s feedback I went prepared to do a bit of cleaning when we arrived and I’m glad I did. The dust was very thick on the stairs and around the base of the furniture. The fridge was dirty and the kettle etc hadn’t been wiped down nor had the cupboard doors or the general doors. The inside of the main wardrobe shocked me. The bathrooms were clean though!! If I thought volunteers were cleaning I wouldn’t say anything but on leaving Threave we saw it was a private company. Seriously, they are doing you NO justice. It’s such a beautiful cottage but the cleaners are letting you down. There were a couple of pairs of dirty socks behind one of the cushions in the lounge; they weren’t ours. I didn’t touch them and guess they are probably still there. Honestly though, after a wipe down and a bit of a winge all was well. The shower was amazingly powerful but was hot for the first five mins then cold. The cottage sleeps five, there should be enough water for five. Please sort the water out. The heating on the other hand was fab though it would be nice to include a pack of logs and some kindling in the price. There’s usually a little bit provided for guests. The kitchen was beautifully stocked with everything you could need. Loads of glasses, cups, crockery and pots and pans; all Denby. The furnishings are lovely (why did you buy such short beds? My 6’ husbands feet were hanging out of the end) and the location is stunning. We had rain for most of the week but it didn’t matter because the cottage was relaxing and warm. Threave Estate is blissful. The cafe and the staff are fabulous. There are lots of bats and the dark skies go on forever. Go for a walk up the road after dark or lie on the head and look at the sky - wow. Go with a cloth in hand prepared to spend a small amount of time wiping down the surfaces, be selfish and always have the first shower and you will love it. Beautiful. Oh, on arrival there’s are tea bags, coffee and biscuits waiting for you. That was a nice touch!

Cottage is lovely and comfortable.

Good location ideal for walking into Castle Douglas. Circular route around the estate is a wonderful walk and we would highly recommend doing this.

The Gatehouse was a perfect base for a relaxed family holiday.

The building is stunning inside and out. A great location for local exploration. Very cosy and warm.

Beautiful lodge and surroundings we would definitely stay again, however, On arrival I had to clean the inside of the microwave, the toaster as it was full of breadcrumbs and the oven could do with cleaning, I drew the line at cleaning this as after paying over £800 for the holiday I didn't want to spend it cleaning - perhaps you could have a quiet word with the housekeeper about checking things.

We were unable to sit outside due to a rather large wasp nest in the roof ( not sure if you were aware of this, but it needs looking at particularly if young families come to stay. None of the above spoiled our holiday we had a wonderful time and will be back at Threave some time in the future.

We loved nearly everything about this property!

It was beautifully and comfortably furnished, well equipped and in a great location. The only drawback with the property was the very patchy WiFi, which did not go down well with three teenage boys. On the other hand, the free Netflix account was definitely a hit!

The property is in a gorgeous estate.

It was comfortable and but cleanliness was poor in many rooms, but especially in the kitchen area. Food had left on pots which we had to scrub. We were very lucky to have met a chap from Solway ecology who was training others to catch and classify bats. He let us see some of the bats. Definitely a highlight.

Decent house.

Nicely decorated and furnished. Should really have a dishwasher though Excellent hot powerfull showers Great positioning , very tranquil Second bathroom a little small All in all a very nice comfortable place

Good value in a nice location.

Not luxury but a nice country house to chill and enjoy the surrounding nature. Beds were a bit hard. Threave Estate was interesting and we toured the house. Castle Douglas is a bit dead but there are some nice restaurants both in town and in the surrounding villages.

Living areas were well appointed, comfortable and relaxing.

Kitchen was clean and everything worked including the heating and hot water. Bathrooms were the only disappointment. Both on the ground floor, which we knew about when we booked, but the second bathroom was very small and under the stairs. We did love the location and would recommend it for a holiday for two.

Lovely setting !

What’s not to like?

The Gate Lodge is not luxury accommodation but it’s perfectly adequate, comfortable and warm. It has everything you need for a fabulous holiday. The location, scenery and walks from the door more than make up for anything else you feel may be lacking. We had the best sleeps ever, so peaceful and quiet with the only noise coming from the local blackbirds and blackcaps etc. We visited the local Osprey viewing platform and saw the nest with parent birds & young. We had beautiful weather. We had one of the most enjoyable holidays we’ve ever had. 5 stars.

First time we have stayed in this lovely spacious cottage and hopefully not the last.

Ideally positioned with just a short stroll up the drive to the gardens and less than half an hours walk to Castle Douglas. A really enjoyable stay and many thanks to Linda in the estate office who quickly sorted out a few minor issues for us.

e had a good week with excellent weather but found several issues.

The heating is a struggle to balance with the bathroom rail getting excessively hot. Cleaning was not good with many cobwebs around. I do object to your requirement to strip beds etc. Is that not what the cleaners should do in their time between lets. We are paying for the Lodge not to carry our maintenance as such. The paperwork was was out of date and still referring to non-existent COVID paperwork. We have used the Gate Lodge several times before and it has a great location. However, more attention to detail is required as we noted a general downgrade in decor and furnishings. However, the manager did respond to our problems, that she could deal with, promptly and that included the lack of the bath's safety mat which was a worry.

We Loved The Gate Lodge The Grand Kids Had A Ball Threave's Estate Is Lovely Walks In It And Round The Outside Of Estate.

THere Is A Lovely Rot Iron Table And Chairs Round The Back Where Its So Peaceful And Quite Do Not Take Towels There Are Plenty In The Lodge To Go Round As We Did And Didin't Use Them The Heating Is Brilliant Nice And Warm When Arrive And Lodge Was Spotless. They Could Be Doing With A Bigger Fridge Freezer Which Is Situated Under Stairs Next To The Toilet.Other Than That We Will Be Back.

This is a most delightful holiday home.

Very clean and comfortable. We had much pleasure watching the red squirrels from the lounge window and very nice walks in the surrounding district.

Had a lovely week, cottage was cosy, and had everything we needed apart from maybe an outside firepit, which would have been great for the nights sat outside watching the stars.

We also were lucky enough to see the northern lights. We didn't see any red squirrels, but we did see some red deer and a baby stag roaming the gardens from the living room window. Would definitely return.

Feedback on lodge cottage - lovely little period property in a super setting with a good range of materials for self catering.

There is a wood burning stove which we didn’t use as it was so mild during our visit and the cottage was plenty warm. Nicely decorated and styled, it needs just a little care over minor things (please see below). We visited in low season so the adjacent gardens had limited visitors and location was pretty quiet with birds and red squirrels popping by. The rooms are nicely decorated to a good standard and in good repair, feeling comfortable and spacious. The cottage would however benefit from the following; 1) needs a much larger teapot (could only find one that held one cup!). 2) advertised as accommodation for 5 but only had 4 place mats and 3 drinks mats - could do with a full set for dining and extra for the sitting room so guests don’t mark tables etc and larger mats to keep hot dishes on (we used magazine and books to keep hot/wet stuff off tables). 3) very limited pantry space. There was only 1 drawer not full of pans etc but not clean enough for food (dead spiders and debris from other visitors) we used window ledges, worktops in kitchen and shopping bags on the floor instead. 4) generally well equipped for self catering but needs a veg/potato peeler (and a teapot - already mentioned). 5) Lodge was super hot on arrival (turned radiators down to 2 from max). 6) the Blind over the single window in one of the upstairs bedrooms needs a proper replacement as what’s there doesn’t work properly or close completely. 7) Pretty clean on arrival although could do with cleaning upholstery on the two sofas (grease-staining on arms) - we always bring spare blankets anyway to sit on anyway. Past guests have obviously swatted large mosquitos or similar in a couple of places on walls which hadn’t been cleaned up. 8) An up-to-date bin schedule in the cottage would be is useful for guests (all the bins were almost full from previous occupants and particularly one with lots of beer cans) especially as bin collections are infrequent. 9) the main bathroom was clean but it was really hard to get out of the bath! Really needs a vertical grab rail to get put out of the bath safely. 7) electrical junction box outside the bathroom frequently made loud sustained buzzing noises. Needs to be looked at or even replaced. 8) we found we used the front door because we could hang coats in the hall over the radiator to dry. A coat hook rail in the kitchen area (or next to the bathroom) would be handy for leaving wet coats on when coming in the back way.

Unfortuantely, the wifi connection did not work, despite the owners replacing the router box during our stay.

Also, the hairdryer was placed at the back of the wardrobe and not found until the end of our stay. It may be more helpful to store it in a drawer in the bedroom where it might be more easily found.

Threave, Gate Lodge is a beautiful place to Stay, in lovely, peaceful surroundings.

Being disabled, it is advantageous to have the large, double bedroom downstairs along with two bathrooms. The house is quite large with tall ceilings, is cosy, warm, has the log fire, lovely furnishings and has the quaintness of some original features. Anything you need, the lovely people on the Threave estate will look after you. There are the gardens to explore and visitor centre. Also Threave house, shop and cafe in season. But the lodge is idyllic for a peaceful break. I’ve been before and I’ll go again in the future.

Cottage in a lovely location and is generally well appointed and comfortable.

Could do with a little better cleaning - cobwebs were obvious on lampshades, including bedside lights, and dust on some surfaces, especially in upstairs bedrooms. There is no DVD player - this has been covered in previous reviews but it's still included in the listing! There was no Internet access through the WiFi for the week - we reported it but heard nothing further. None of this really affected our enjoyment and we had a great week and would be very happy to return. The Threave estate is lovely and walks from the cottage door are great.

We loved staying at the Gate Lodge!

The location is peaceful and beautiful, and the cottage is comfortable, warm and full of interesting antiques. It had everything we needed, and there were lots of lovely walks nearby. It was also easy to get to plenty of local attractions and we enjoy shopping and a few lovely meals in Castle Douglas.

It was one of the best cottages we have stayed in and we staying in about 4 cottages a year on average.

A few basic items however were missing; peeler, masher and tin opener are the most obvious. Also no visitor book. Apart from that everything was very good.

The gate lodge at Threave is a wonderful place to stay and is an ideal place to use as a base for exploring the gardens and surrounding area.

The lodge is comfortable and everything about our stay was first class. I would not hesitate to recommend this place for your stay in the south west of Scotland.

The Lodge is well located and easy to find.

Key instructions were also good. It's location, just on the outskirts of town, is very handy and Castle Douglas has everything you need for a holiday. The Lodge has some beautiful furnishings and the bed and bath linen was of a high quality. The kitchen is fairly new and lovely and clean but lacked some simple equipment like a tin opener. The house was not dirty but would have benefitted from a deep clean (lots of spider webs and dusty places) and the paintwork could do with being refreshed. We also found the beds a bit lumpy and hard.

On arrival at 16.

50 (only told to arrive no earlier than 17.00) we couldn't access the property as instructed, I rang Sykes, no answer, I proceeded to ring the emergency number given and a lady said she was only the out of hours no. I told her the problem and she said the last guests in the property were supposed to leave the snip off the door and that it's happened a few times before but she would be there within half hour, I did think to myself should that not be the cleaners job to make sure this doesn't happen, and it's a bit annoying when you've had a journey and because of 'covid' now they're pushing access times to properties later in the day because of extra cleaning. Saying that the man arrived after 20 mins and it took him around 10 mins to get in. The property is in a beautiful location and it was plenty big enough for 5 adults, however a couple of issues was the walk in shower didn't have a slip mat In and this was the one my parents in their 80's was using and mum only told me at the end of the week it was very slippy, which if I'd have known I would have bought one myself, also I feel the general cleanliness around the property could be improved, the bed linen and towels where clean and beds very comfy and kitchen implements where clean and everything we needed but nothing to clean the oven or hob apart from a couple of scourers and no bin liner in the big kitchen bin, we like everything lined so it makes the bin easier to keep clean, I realized it says bring your own liners but we forgot till we could go out and buy some. Also only 4 mats and coasters for the table, no cloth or table protector and it was too nice to put hot stuff on it, 1 night we had a mixture of food, buffet style, and we used a towel with a newspaper spread out over the top so as not to damage table or stain the towel, but I fear some people wouldn't bother, one of the dining room chairs had a spring hanging down and it was uncomfortable to sit on, as there are only 5 chairs there was no alternative. The sitting room was ok for 3 of us but sofas too low for mum and dad, we did bring the easy chair out the dining room in for the week but 1 had to sit on the sofa. In the downstairs bedroom when we arrived quite a few bits on the floor and webs and a couple of spiders which I moved them also I noticed quite a lot around the house and upstairs in the bedrooms the windows needed a good clean and brushing down from all the webs, inside and out, saying all that it's a beautiful property and the small issues won't bother everyone, I must admit I'm very keen on cleanliness and a bit fussy, so that's the reason I have not given 5* and I think the property was quite a reasonable price we paid for the week compared to some we've stayed in before. All of us said we would definitely come back it's lovely and quiet and the Threave Estate it's on is stunning.

We would have liked more fridge space and less freezer space.

Although the location building and surroundings were exceptional there were one two things that may be worth raising with you that could improve the stay.

1 There is very little usable storage in the kitchen for self catering items 2 There sre no instructions for the microwave and TV (not able to remove subtitles) 3 No additional equipment provided such as CD and/or DVD player 4 No safety mat for the bath or shower 5 Downstairs toilet sink hot tap requires new stop washer 6 Power switches not labelled 7 Rear door yale lock key very tricky to operate Hope the above are of some help

I think the property has been recently decorated and possibly a new kitchen installed but I still found it lacking in a few items and was disappointed to notice stains on carpets.

Generally, we enjoyed our stay but the hot tap in the shower room was a problem to switch off, the heating was not set as proposed in the Welcome Manual, there was no teapot/tray/tea strainer and the dishwasher was impossible to open. Luckily there is a freezer as it was also impossible to open the integrated freezer compartment of the fridge. Pegs are provided - but no washing line. I would add that we were only two occupants but we could not imagine the property being fully occupied by six adults. When I booked the cottage it was for five but the single bedroom is now twin! In the sitting room there are two two-seater couches. There are two other chairs in other rooms but moving them in would not make a comfortable evening's TV viewing. The duvet on the double bed is not big enough to cover two people, either.

We had an absolutely wonderful, peaceful stay here at Threave Gate Lodge.

The house was immaculate, modernised in keeping with the type of property it is and everything we needed was there. The property was warm and comfortable. We went there to relax and that’s exactly what we did. The grounds were delightful and we made use of the garden and had picnics since the weather was nice. The daffodils were beautiful as we sat amongst them. We will definitely return in the future as it is one of the nicest properties we have stayed in. Absolute 10 out of 10 for everything!

This was our 1st stay at the Lodge.

This is a fantastic place for a family. A lot of spaces insie and outside for the kids to play. The cleanliness and equipment were good. There were only a few issues that we think are easy to fix. The radiators in all the bedrooms are too small and the rooms always fill cold. Dining chairs need replacing. Outside light from the kitchen side will be a massive help too. There is a lack of information on the website about the BATS. Only on the outside of the Lodge. So on two different nights, the kids run down screaming because something was walking and making scratching noises in the attic. However, taking everything into consideration we are recommending this place and we will be back too. Regards Mr Wieczniak

This was our second stay at the Gate Lodge - we had stopped there last year.

Some improvements had been made - the log burner is much better than the previous open fire, additional kitchen items had been added and some nice touches to the furnishings like new cushions and lamps. The kitchen and both bathrooms are definitely in need of updating and it would be nice if these could be done to fit in with the traditional feel of the property, as at the moment they feel incongruous with the rest of it. One of the chairs in the dining room is quite uncomfortable and since we’re a family of 5 someone always had to sit on it. The standard of cleaning was OK, and better than last year but there were still some kitchen cupboards that were a bit dirty inside and cobwebs in the corners of some rooms. Overall we had a nice week, the overall feel of the cottage is cosy and it was nice and warm. We kept the bird feeder in the back garden filled and it was lovely to see so many birds. It’s a shame that the one at the front of the cottage has gone now. The location is fantastic and this is what made us come back. The lovely walks from the cottage and the beautiful area made for a relaxing week.

The accommodation was great, didnt have any issues.

On arrival we found one of the toilet seats broken but not a problem as there were 2 bathrooms. The only other thing I could think of was perhaps having a tablecloth available so the table doesnt get marked.

States washer/dryer and not a dryer.

No dishwasher although mentioned. Sofa's uncomfortable. But all good except for these points.

Had read the mixed reviews that had been left and many of the issues identified had been remedied.

There were new utensils and kitchen equipment and ample crockery. Although the lodge is a little tired in places, it was comfortable, loads of room and it was great to stay in and the location was amazing and so central for all the places we wanted to go to and family that we were visiting. The setting is beautiful and we were lucky to see deer from the kitchen window and in the grounds of Threave. Would definitely stay there again.

The cottage was quirky with very comfortable comfortable beds.

It was clean but could do with a few new cooking implements. The location was great for exploring the country side and Threave gardens were lovely. Lots of good beaches to visit a varied walks. Castle Douglas itself is a nice town with interesting shops. Could have stayed longer. Our 4 year old grandson had a ball.

There were quite a few problems with the accommodation.

These have been reported to Sykes & the National Trust for Scotland. The only usable shower bathroom under the stairs is poky & has no shelving to put stuff on. The kitchen is also small, I'll equipped & difficult to use. The hot water being on 24 hours a day was a nuisance, causing a constant noise in the upstairs bedroom and affecting my daughter's sleep. She had to wear earplugs in the end. I suggest someone actually lives in the property for a week to really understand the challenges of staying there. It looks lovely on the outside, the cushions are impressive but that's about all.

The Gate Lodge is a wonderful place to stay for a holiday in South West Scotland.

Clean and Tidy and ideally located to visit the beautiful beaches and Woodlands of Dumfries and Galloway. Theres a few things that would improve the comfort of the stay ... some comfortable outside furniture, at least one full length mirror and whisk wouldn't go amiss.

If you are expecting a bijou NT house with all mod cons then this ones not for you.

No working WiFi all week Antiquated cooking facilities and stained utensils Only one set of crockery so you'll be washing up by hand all week- take your own liquid! Tiny outdated TV Dingy bathrooms with not a full length mirror in the house No handbook or visitors book. No recycling facilities until requested No working open fire as advertised The house is in a beautiful spot , is spacious and warmwith comfy beds and a new patio but needs urgent updating to meet my expectations

Lovely lodge - homely and quirky - did miss an upstairs toilet as we had to use the twin bedroom.

Generous central heating with constant hot water and a good shower. Would definitely stay again.