Auchenvhin - Rockcliffe

Returning customer to Auchenvhin.

Never disappoints. Beautiful scenery, unique deco, comfortable bedrooms, inviting communal spaces for a large family group to spend time together, and great bathrooms. The private grounds with views are remarkable...its hard to leave! A few maintenance jobs and replacement items need attention in the house now it's been open a few years but nothing that would spoil our time there and nevertheless we have rebooked for annual family hols next year.

This house was stunning , the views the garden the decor , just loved .

A little bit attention to detail on cleaning especially showers . I cleaned mine sbd sent a picture to National Trust who assured me the will address. Very minor and will defo book again

Fantastic place.

Been there before but maintenance was poor. Same faults as 2 years ago. Cleanlng was so so. Felt needed a good spring clean

This was a great family holiday, the house was lovely and spacious with plenty of rooms and the grounds and landscape really good for children.

The views are stunning and the good weather made it one of our best holidays.

Lovely accommodation and setting.

Our third visit so far. Comfortable, peaceful, fab garden, great dog walks and beaches. Had an issue with one of the showers but it was dealt with quickly and efficiently. I think it would be nice to have a pint of milk in the fridge on arrival especially as there was a tea and coffee tray provided. A few extra supplies would be great like foil or bake paper, bin bags in bathroom bins and laundry liquid. Very comfortable generally although one of the big sofas in the lounge is much comfier than the other! All in all a lovely place to stay.

It is a lovely house in a fantastic situation.

We were disappointed by the housekeeping however. The 'welcome tray' on arrival was 2 cafetieres, and packets of instant coffee/tea etc. - somewhat incompatible, and no milk. Most of the door hinges were in need of oiling. The waste of the basin in the downstairs ensuite was almost completely blocked. The central heating was not set to the hours described in the welcome book, but luckily rather longer - it was cold weather. The washing machine was useless as there were no pegs for the whirligig washing line (it was windy). It was generally clean but the corners of the shower trays needed attention. The garden was immaculate.

Beautiful place to stay.

Heaven for both humans and dogs. Inside is beautifully furnished and outside are extensive, safe, dog friendly grounds that woofs can roam freely. ( the poo hunts take some time!) National Trust for Scotland staff are helpful if needed and respond very swiftly. Thank you We are booked for return visits in 2027 so don’t need to say anything else Fi, Neil and the woofs Xx

Excellent accommodation.

Clean, warm and inviting. The National Trust do not disappoint. All rooms very comfortable, a great place to share with friends.

Excellent!

This is our second stay at this fabulous house. Much improved cleanliness and heating facilities compared to our last visit. We did have a minor issue with an upstairs shower which leaked into the kitchen, which meant we had to share bathroom facilities. However, it didn't spoil our stay and I believe it has now been dealt with. We are so pleased that we returned. The house is very spacious and kitchen well equipped for cooking and has plenty of crockery. The weather was fabulous which enabled us to enjoy the outdoor sitting area. We loved watching the deer in the garden. Our dogs really liked exploring and running around the grounds. Thank you to Linda for posting back my friends left behind belongings! It would be great to have some info on the house, about its history - it intrigued us all. Already planning our next visit. Can't wait to return. Highly recommended.

Absolutely stunning property in stunning surroundings, unfortunately I didn't get get to stay the full holiday due to illness , but half of our party did and had a wonderful time .

Everything you need is there. Our dog buster loved the little forest and his own little beach . It was great that it was so secure for him . We will definitely be back We've stayed in lots of sykes cottages , this was by far the most luxurious , spacious and just generally beautifully furnished property we've visited.

2nd visit for our family.

We loved it 3 generations for a week of rest and relaxation, no better place. Great walks from the doorstep or just sit and watch the tide come in and out. Hopefully we will be back in 2026. Thank you nts

We have been before and love the place as it’s a fab house in a great location.

Just a couple of points and they are constructive, not negative as there is much to love! You need to let people know if you are not providing logs so they can bring some with them and there were only four matches. The information said there would be a fire starter kit. Would be helpful to have some dishwasher cubes and washing powder as you provide the machines - most holiday properties do provide these. House was generally clean but headboards have dust along the material tops and showers are starting to get black mould. We couldn’t find the torch but luckily we had our own. An oven mitt would be useful as there were only tea towels we could use. We are returning to the property next year and it would be great to see these minor queries addressed. I would have given 5 stars otherwise! Many thanks - we still had an amazing time

Beautiful place for a family gathering across age ranges.

It is our second visit and we have booked a third for next year. Clean and warm inside with amazing grounds to explore. Outstanding scenery viewable in any weather due to benefitting from huge windows overlooking the estuary and rough island. Plenty of wildlife to see for those with a keen eye too. My only unmet desire would have been to have an additional couple of comfortable fireside / armchairs downstairs in the dining room by the window given the number of occupants catered for and to enhance our enjoyment of the amazing views.

Auchenvhin is a beautiful property in a perfect location.

Perfect for family gatherings. We absolutely loved our stay.

Auchenvhin is in a lovely setting with views out on the bay.

The house is very comfortable with everything you need. It is so relaxing and private. I would recommend this property to family and friends so much that i have booked it again

Second time in this beautiful house.

Excellent accommodation, amazing views and outstanding garden. All the comfort you could wish for and more!!

This is an amazing house: lovely big rooms with high ceilings and masses of room for eight people.

It is extremely well-equipped - I have never seen so many plates and mugs and so much cutlery in any house I have rented! It is private, with its own small 'beach' and access to the slipway which was very helpful for kayaks. Everything was spanking clean, there was always masses of hot water, and on the two rather chilly days we had, the central heating was most efficient. It was worth every penny of the rental charge, and we would love to return in future years. I have known Rockcliffe all my life and in over 80 years very little has changed - long may it remain so.

We had fabulous week at Auchenvin, the photos on line do not do it justice.

The property, decor and setting are outstanding. We could not have asked for anything more. So peaceful, well equipped with quality equipment, and Rockcliffe itself was so quiet and beautiful. The private access to the beach was a bonus. All in all a perfect place to unwind.

The location is stunning you can totally unwind stunning views from the patio/garden, the property was very comfy and had everything we needed.

Lovely walks straight from the property. We felt very relaxed it was Wow

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

What a fantastic property well-furnished and with stunning views and the grounds very well maintained we intend to re-book for next year.

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.

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.

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.

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.

All lovely

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

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

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.

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!

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!!

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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!