7 Press Castle

This property could be an excellent holiday let but is currently let down by the damp smell in the main bedroom and the peeling wallpaper in both lounge and bedroom as well as marked doors needing cleaning and a coat of gloss paint.

There are holes in the lounge wall that have never been filled after a furniture unit was removed. A glass shelf had been removed from the bathroom. No logs were provided for the wood fire. There was a lack of signage to find the accommodation when on the estate. No information about which waste bins to use and there were many to choose from. When was the last time this property was inspected? Sykes do not appear to have carried this out recently or these things would have been noted. For the price we paid we would expect a much better property. I doubt we would use Sykes again if this is the standard that you work to.

The property is very remote, which is both a good and a bad thing.

It's very peaceful, but you have to drive to anywhere you wish to visit, which means using the long driveway that is full of potholes and speed bumps. We were unsure where we were allowed to walk in the lovely grounds, as we kept seeing private no-entry signs. This is the sort of information that should be included in the property's information pack, which contained very little information. For example, we had no idea where to empty the kitchen bin. Some history of the property would have been nice. The only instructions we found were for the coffee machine, with no instructions for anything else, not even the central heating or TV, which I worked out needed two remotes. The TV in the master bedroom had no remote, which was first pointed out in the guest book 12 months ago. Even if the TV did work, it is far too small. We found the mattresses and pillows very comfortable, but the beds in the double and twin rooms are very low. The drawers in one of the bedrooms are only accessible by climbing over the bed due to a large shelf on the wall preventing access from the bottom of the bed. The bathroom was excellent and looked fairly new but would benefit from a lock on the door. The kitchen was well stocked with everything we needed, but it is much smaller than expected from the photos. St Abbs and Coldingham Bay are well worth a visit, as is Reston with its impressive train station and hidden riverside walk with play area.

Proprty as described.

All on one level - good - but entry via a steep set of external stairs - could be a problem for some. Quite remote if own ttransport not available but liked the very generous space inside and peace and quiet. Eating good at the New Inn in the village, a short car drive away, but may need booking.

This could be a lovely place, but it needs major TLC.

First impressions were - the driveway is so potholed and uneven. The property itself is damp. Walking in, you're hit with a major musty smell which lingers on all your clothes. And it's generally a bit grubby. My young children actually came to me and said they are so glad I'm a clean person and that our house isn't dirty like this. So, that's a child's perspective. The beds are also incredibly uncomfy. I see previous comments mention this. We went during the heat wave and it was chilly at night. There was also no information about where anything was. The info booklet was useless. On the plus side, it's spacious, and there were loads of features most holiday accommodations miss like plenty of hooks for hanging things, airers, even cleaning products. It was very peaceful and quiet, and the night lights were such a boon too. We had amazing weather, lovely days out and were glad we didn't have to spend a lot of time in the accommodation. As I say, it could be so nice if it was less damp and musty, had a bit of a spruce up, better mattresses and a serious deep clean.

We had a lovely stay at the Press Castle.

It is a quiet area and the house is well equipped. Hats off to the owners who organised an electrician on the bank holiday to sort out a minor problem. We would definitely recommend this property.

We had a great time at Press Castle!

Lovely spacious flat with everything we needed for a great stay. The location is great for walks around Duns and Abbey St Bathans and for coastal trips too. The main bed was nice and firm but would benefit from a soft mattress topper. We'd definitely stay here again. Thank you!

Very peaceful and quiet location.

lots to do near .would definitely stay again.

Well equipped kitchen lovely bathroom with super shower but in need of major decoration throughout the property nice area for exploring the borders Larry and Lena

Little bit of damp which is to be expected in a basement apartment and beds could do with an update as not the most comfortable.

Had a lovely peaceful stay and a good base to explore the area