Kennels Cottage

A return visit to this very pleasant and convenient property, whose owner is supportive and super responsive.

Very comfortable accomodation in a handy spot for exploring the Borders.

We have stayed here several times now because it has easy access to tourist activities, walks and all the Border towns. The cottage has lots of character and is reasonably well equipped though some of the kitchenware is becoming rather well used and there is a small shortage of mugs. We would book it again if we return to the Borders.

This is a lovely cosy small cottage in a beautiful location.

It is very clean, comfortable with plenty of places to sit and lovely comfy beds. It does have a few things that need updating, which it looks like they may have started to do as it looks like it has new carpets. Could do with more cutlery a scrubber for cleaning the frying pans, maybe a couple of dishwasher tablets and the bedroom upstairs could do with being moved around so that you can sit up in bed as in the one room you hit your head on the ceiling when you sit up. The downstairs shower could do with some black mold cleaner put around the base but its a great shower other than that. I would get rid of the huge wardrobe and put the bed there. Other than that we thought it was very cosy and comfortable St Boswell has a few eating places in walking distance has a lovely friendly golf course only 9 holes but really worth playing along the river. And lovely neighbours that we met, don't let my review put you off booking it, i just think if you never say what you think could do with updating the owners never know.

To address a comment by a previous review about the cottage's location on a residential estate; there is a small, quiet, aesthetically pleasing estate behind the cottage.

You are not aware of this as the cottage looks out onto an expanse of grass large enough for an exuberant border collie to chase her ball. Completing the vista are a horses' field, hills and trees...so very pleasing on the eye. The cottage is warm, provides comfortable beds, a well equipped kitchen, a good shower and all rooms are of a good size. It is a little tired in places, but that does not deter from the satisfaction. However, some of the cookware is in need of replenishment - we didn't want to risk the oven tray ! For clumsy oafs like myself, the upstairs rooms have low, sloping ceilings, so take heed - or bash your heed ! To answer the big Four in a Bed question - "would you stay again" - yes.

The location was perfect.

Super comfy beds and large fluffy towels were lovely. The general condition of the cottage was quite tired and a little bit of time and effort to sort out the downstairs toilet flush could be addressed. I believe this is a common problem shared by previous people who have stayed. The oven needs a professional deep clean as it is filthy. The grill had remnants of burnt food and should have been washed before new holiday makers arrived.

Loved the place.

Only negative was it was too cold inside so i would need that changed if i were to stay again.

Lovely warm and comfy cottage with all the basics- stayed several times and good value for money.

We enjoyed the surroundings but based on the description we expected the house to be situated in a more quiet area and not in a residential area.

The house was superficial clean. Kitchen cutlery, bathroom, etc. Beds were fine and bedlinnen very clean. The layout of the rooms can be improved, now just (not) enough space for 4 adults. Also the furniture is quit massive and not appropriate for the room. With good layout it is possible to avoid the problem of low ceilings upstairs, which is now even a problem for smaller people.

Delightful Cottage very homely and comfortable aswell as spacious for my disabled husband.

..only niggle upstairs toilet seat too small for toilet and oven not clean...this would definitely not put me off staying at the Cottage again...wonderful area for visiting the Borders...ate out every day and food was delicious in all eating places we went to...dogs welcome everywhere...bliss.

A lovely base from which to explore the Borders.

Close to the pub, shops of St Boswells and bus stop. Comfortable size, good heating, well-apppointed and clean. Great for short and long stays.

Very easy cottage to stay in, well situated for walking.

Only a few things need maintenance eg toilet seats were loose and nest of tables in the living room looked in need of renovating.

Lighter tog weight of quilt for warmer weather would be more comfortable. St. Boswells is well placed as a centre for visiting the Borders for private driving and public transport.

Refurnishing taken place since Sykes photos.

With 3 sofas lounge was over furnished and armchairs in bedrooms were impractical under slopping eves. Sofa in kitchen unnecessary just took space. Kitchen adequately equipped indeed in crockery & glassware over equipped. Not enough space to put renters own food. Provision of gas cooker, unusual in rental cottages was welcome. Lack of shaver point inconvenient. Cleaniness good. No emergency contact list provided.

We love staying in this cottage.

It is so convenient for the local shop and pub and perfect if you have a dog.

Great location for exploring the Borders.

The accommodation was extremely well equipped. A very enjoyable break. Would highly recommend.

Lovely, warm comfy cottage in a great location.

We are up regularly seeing family and friends and this will be our go-to holiday let of choice. Great location- not flash or perfect but homely and welcoming. Thank you.

We booked the cottage to stay in whilst visiting family and it was perfect.

Lovely location, cosy clean, well equipped cottage.Suzie was really responsive and helpful. We will definitely look to book again.

Before reading this review, we did enjoy our stay.

However, the property does require some maintenance. For example, the upstairs toilet seat is beginning to fall apart at one of the hinges, the downstairs shower requires re-sealing and a very good clean. On the plus side, the cottage is well-equipped. St Boswell is a great location for visiting the borders and, if you wish, Edinburgh via a park-and-ride railway station 6 miles away at Tweedbank. The cottage is located in a quiet area. Overall, if these issues are fixed, we would recommend staying there.

We stay here every year when possible and agree it does need a little tlc in terms of maintenance and decoration but is more than adequate for our needs.

It provides a welcome break and restful holiday in a peaceful environment. The basket with dog towels although not used as we had supplied our own was a nice addition.

We were a little disappointed to he honest.

We found the house quite dirty, not very homely and lacking a nice touch really. There was thick dust all around the edges of the floors, worktop hadn't been cleaned on arrival. Rust on toilet brush/bins, floors were dirty in kitchen. Stool in living room quite stained. Comfort wise it was ok, beds were comfy and nice linen/towels. Very low ceilings in bedrooms and quite squashed in furniture. It was nice to have dishwasher, washing machine etc. Kitchen reasonably well equipped however no space for any food of your own etc all cupboards full of random duplicates of pots/dishes etc. No essentials like oil, salt which is always nice I think. Really cheap soap in handwashes, which is a shame. Few items broken, toilet seat upstairs not the correct fit. Dustpan handle brush broke off in my hand when I picked it up. Planter outside with dead plant in. Which I feel is an easy fix to make it look a little nicer. We have stayed in many holiday lets all over the country and although we appreciate the money spent I feel personally there was little effort into making this a nice place to stay. A bad review is not something I bother doing unless I feel totally necessary to feedback so I hope it is taken on board and used constructively.

Comfortable, well equipped accommodation convenient for all the Borders towns and visitor activities.

Communication with the owner was easy. Only two minor negatives. Parking was restricted and over-crowded at the weekend. Also, entrance to the cottage was at the front so everything had to be hauled from the car park along a path between the buildings. We would happily book this cottage again for a return visit to the area.

Great location

The listing actually undersold the property as several features, e.

g. toaster and coffee maker weren't listed The owner was very helpful and we would definitely go back there again.

The property was comfortable and acommodated 4 adults and a dog.

It was very convenient for local services and also for access to hiking routes. Safe, off-street parking - although better directions to front door would have helped.

I was not on holiday.

I stayed at Kennels Cottage while on business in Kelso. The house is warm and very comfortable, nicely furnished in a way that makes you instantly relaxed. The kitchen is well equipped and easy to work in, the beds are huge and comfortable. My only grumble is the very squeaky floorboards upstairs and the taps in the bathroom making odd pressure related noises when in use. The wifi is fast and reliable making working from the cottage a viable option. I would recommend this cottage to other business users, the quiet location and comfortable setting makes it a pleasant change from noisy hotels as long as you don't mind doing your own breakfast.

This is the first time I have stayed at this property, nice, warm & cosy.

Excellent facilities. Good location, dog friendly, village green on your doorstep. It was our first dog friendly holiday. The village had a few shops and convenience store. There is also a Petrol station nearby too. The Buccleuch Inn hotel was in walking distance, also dog friendly, we went twice as the food was good and reasonably priced. St Cuthbert's way is easy to access through the village and well signed. We very much enjoyed our stay, The Scottish Borders is a beautiful part of Scotland.

Lovely setting and potentially good cottage.

However it was let down by cleanliness and a few small maintenance problems. The shower had serious mould problems and the kitchen extractor needed a good clean and degrease. There were several light bulbs not working, and the upstairs bathroom loo seat was very wobbly. All in all I would say a four star cottage with two star cleaning and maintenance. It didn’t spoil the holiday but was definitely not up to the usual standard one expects from Sykes.

We had an excellent week in St Boswells, the property was clean, well laid out and spacious.

Great base for touring around the borders towns and villages. There are 2 very good restaurants only a stroll away - Buccleuch Inn and Hunters Stables. Would highly recommend this property, nice quiet peaceful location but central in the region with good bus services nearby and good roads around for driving and sightseeing.

A great spot, convenient for St Boswells and a great base for visiting the Borders.

Property was immaculately clean and we had everything we could need. Look forward to a return visit.

Lovely cottage.

Within easy walking to the village. Good base for surrounding areas. The only drawbacks with the cottage were the upstairs bathroom tap made a dreadful noise. The front bedroom wardrobe was so close to the bed that you could not open the doors to put clothes in.

A fantastic holiday cottage.

We visited friends and family in the borders therefore the cottage was our home for a week and what a great place it is to. Clean, comfortable and with home from home comforts, shower room AND bathroom, two king size beds a comfortable Iiving room with three sofas and a well equipped kitchen with oven, hob, fridge freezer, microwave, dish washer,washing machine, iron absolutely fabulous. Just what we needed having our two grandsons (6yrs & 12yrs) with us. THANK YOU.

Great property, great location- would definitely recommend and book again

The Kennels is spacious, clean, comfortable and well equipped.

It's a great location for visiting the Borders.

Lovely and cosy cottage superbly equipped.

Will definitely be back.

This was I think our 4th stay at the Kennels and it was simply wonderful as always.

Thank you

We really liked the accommodation, and were able to relax once we had moved in.

We certainly felt Covid safe. The distance from the parking was a bit much after a long drive, but we managed. We had been worried about low ceilings, but the existence of a downstairs bathroom meant we could avoid the only place (above the upstairs bathroom sink) where this was a problem. The bed was lovely. We would have liked a small external space to sit out in privacy. We would like to suggest that the provision of a grab rail for the bath would help a great many people.

Very comfortable cottage, not overlooked.

Very central for a short drive to Melrose and Kelso and other surrounding villages.

The only thing missing was a seating area out the back, and more comfortable seating at the the front especially as we had lovely weather :)

We enjoyed staying at this lovely home, in beautiful countryside.

Everything was fine except for the upstairs bathroom. The sink was difficult to use, as we had to bend almost double, and the hot tap to the sink was noisy. The fitting of the concertina mirror on the wall was coming away also. The toilet seat in this bathroom was loose, and therefore uncomfortable. The owner will need to fix it. The house itself is very good, and the level of comfort is exceptional. The large beds were particularly comfortable, and extra wide with plenty of pillows. Wifi was great, and we were able to enjoy watching the olympics. It would have been a good idea if there were instructions for working the fan oven, and we couldn't use the washing machine for the same reason - though we did try. Overall it was a pleasant stay.

Generally the cottage needs a thorough deep clean (especially of the living room carpet) and some maintenance to the bench at the front of the property which was very shaky to the point of being unusable.

A worrying aspect was the dangerous, broken shaving mirror attached to the bathroom wall which appeared to have been like this for some time as it was extremely dirty. Cracked and broken floor tiles in the entrance hall, kitchen and shower room need replaced. Moving around upstairs was awkward in places due to the sloping ceilings and positioning of some of the furniture. The duvet in the bedroom on the right at the top of the stairs was stained and in a poor condition. However, we did enjoy our stay as the cottage is in a lovely position and the beds were comfortable. Linen was clean and all the appliances were in good working order although no instruction manuals were in evidence. With a bit of TLC the cottage could be greatly improved

Pleasant setting, friendly neighbours, pub nearby.

Some attractive paintings and lamps, clean bedding, big comfortable beds, all facilities as listed. Internet fine.Minus points - couches a bit uncomfortable, only one tea towel, no dishwasher tabs, no instructions on how to put on heating so a bit cold one night, (plenty of hot water), a bit shocked to be left an old and well-used wash-up sponge, although it seemed 'clean' but didn't choose to use it. One towel had a raggy edge but all clean. Loose toilet seat in upstairs bathroom, very noisy hot tap. I know this sounds negative but I expect real attention to detail when I rent for a holiday. Please leave some cupboard space in the kitchen for a 'pantry' and a towel in the downstairs cloakroom and kitchen would be helpful. I understand that things had to be removed re Covid 19 but who would have thought I needed to bring salt and pepper?

Lovely warm cottage in good location for exploring the borders.

Downstairs perfect, upstairs right hand bedroom needs a clothes rail and take the cupboard out as it’s cramped, otherwise highly recommend this property

The cottage was well equipped, area was good and local pub was excellent but the upstairs flooring was a mess, you couldn’t walk up the stairs or in the bedrooms without making a horrendous noise, if you used the upstairs toilet at night you would wake everyone up, in one bedroom you couldn’t use the wardrobe because the bed was in the way.

Lovely cottage let down by a few things.

.. The hot water system is tricky - we did figure out how to get hot water, but it was cold only the first day. It took 30 minutes to run a bath, at a trickle so the hot water wouldn't turn off! Also. most things are provided, and really appreciated the number of tea towels, but we would have liked a soup ladle and bigger, less tippy mugs. Had a lovely few days though - really enjoyed the area and the cottage was comfortable.

Bonus was the Tour of Britain cycle race going past the cottage.

Overall very good Immaculately clean and comfortable, and very well positioned for touring the Borders

We had a very enjoyable time in Kennel Cottage.

It is very well equipped for four people, comfortable and in a prime location for exploring the Scottish Borders.

It was a lovely cosy cottage in the heart of easily the best town in the borders.

The only recommendations I would make would be get rid of the wardrobe in the room to the right of the stairs as it is impossible to open the doors because the bed is in the way therefore you cant use the drawer or shoe tidy within and have to sit on the bed and open one door at a time. Also couldn't find the iron. These improvements would make it the best holiday let we have had so far.

Lovely cottage, great quiet location.

If we could have, we would have stayed longer

A quaint cottage in a lovely village .

Couple of things we didn't know about was how near the road we were which at times was fast and busy.The parking distance from the car park to the cottage.If it was raining when unloading your luggage you would definetly get wet by time you got to the cottage .The matresses in the twin room definetly need changing.they were so hard myself and hubby hardly slept and had such aching backs afterwards .they need to be more universally friendly or at least have a mattress topper on them.The beds need repositioning as were under the alcoves of the ceiling .Im 5ft 2 and my feet stuck over the edge of the bed! Hubby is 6ft so you can imagine .we lost at least 2 feet of the bed as its under the ceiling so you cant sleep on it ,they need moving to another wall so you can use all the length of the bed, uncomfy or not.I think with these slight changes the cottage would be top notch.Its very clean and has everything we wanted .we didn't spent any time during the day there as were out all day .but if you neede to use facilities all was well provided for.A plate of scones were left on the table and a fresh bottle of milk which is a lovely thought after lots of travelling ,they were delicious by the way.I would recommend it again if they could just sort the beds out.

The cottage was perfect.

Clean, great location, super for our dog. Please can you pass our thanks onto the owner of the cottage please. We had a great week

This cottage was everything we would have expected and more.

Lovely location. Comfortable, 2 bathrooms, well fitted kitchen and everything provided. Could not have asked for more. Home made scones and jam as a welcome, very gratefully received - thank you! We liked it that much we have booked again in February. St Boswells itself is a lovely place, very friendly and the perfect location for us to go exploring. Highly recommend this cottage. Dog friendly too a big plus for us.

Hot water, heating and everything you need.

Dishwasher wasn’t working but informed landlord and there was two of us staying so not a problem. Shower was good didn’t use the bath. Freshly baked scones on arrival with pint of milk left in fridge just what you need after a long journey

House was nice and clean and so good to arrive to find home made scones, butter and jam on the table and milk in the fridge.

Just a nice touch.

nothing at all had a great stay enjoyed everything.

The cottage was in a very nice area good outlook on to the green parking for the car was fine short walk to the cottage lovely and warm a nice touch for my welcome fresh scones butter and jam, Iwas very happy in the cottage it met all my expectations and would definatly stay again.

I’ll is an excellent base for exploring Scotland and the Buccleuch arms is a fantastic pub.

The beds in the cottage were comfortable and the the cottage contained all the amenities needed. The dishwasher did not seem to get hot. Not sure if there is an issue with the dishwasher or if we weren’t doing it right. I would recommend this cottage.

This property is in a quiet and peaceful area and is centrally located for the cycle routes as just off the A68, which we enjoyed using.

A great location for also visiting Edinburgh, especially for the fringe in August, we went up to the Fringe a number of times. The nearest train station is Tweedbank which is 6 1/2 miles away (train fare 2018 costs £11.60 return and free parking). The nearest town Galashiels is just over 9 miles away, which is served by a 24 hr Asda and a large Tesco supermarket for groceries. The process for booking and entry into the property on arrival was easy. The property itself was fully stocked and was like a home from home with all the amenities you would expect, TV, Wi-fi, crockery, and utensils. On arrival there was also a nice welcome pack of milk, butter, scones and jam. The only comment I would make is that the upper floor where the bedrooms and the upstairs bathroom is, is built in the eaves and has lots of sloped areas which could be a problem for really tall people. This did not affect our own visit and we would recommend this property.

1) The "combi" boiler is old and noisy.

It is also extremely wasteful of water. Up to date ones are much more efficient. 2) The blinds on the Velux windows in the bedrooms do not restrict the daylight (they may give some privacy from low flying aircraft) With young children we had to use towels and blankets to darken the rooms. It goes dark well after bedtime in summer in Scotland.

This is the 3rd year in a row I have stayed at this cottage, it’s location is perfect plus ideal off road parking.

One bed is is annoying because of the sloping roof but the other is a dream.it was nice to sit outside on the bench in the sun and watch the world go by

The Kennels was as described in the listing but it is now very faded and tired.

The description to get from the parking space to the property needs updating as we struggled find it. A local came to our aid and said the same happens all the time. Thank goodness for great neighbours. The bed was extremely uncomfortable which resulted in very poor sleep for the entire 6 nights. The pillows we very badly stained. The sofas in the lounge are very old and uncomfortable. He iron did not work. The dishwasher powder drawer is broken. The kitchen was well equipped and the washing machine was great. The downstairs shower was good. It’s a great location.

Great cottage in really good location.

Very well equipped and efficient heating so very comfortable. The restricted head height upstairs would be a problem if you are tall - not helped by the layout of beds. And also parking is not next to cottage so all luggage has to be carried round.

Kennel Cottage is a beautiful cottage located in a beautiful place.

The local history is very interesting. Local wildlife is abundant and easily spotted. There are great places to eat and drink. The locals are very friendly. We've been before and we'll be back again.

A lovely place to stay.

Very welcoming-there was even a Christmas tree beautifully decorated when we arrive for the festive period! The property was very clean and had everything we needed. We travelled with a toddler and the property didn’t need any impromptu baby proofing measures! The location is fantastic for exploring the borders and day trips to Edinburgh or the coast.

Cottage was very good overall.

Clean and tidy with plenty space. Kitchen in particular was exceptionally well equipped. On the downside however there seems to be an airlock problem with the plumbing and we were unable to get hot water in the upstairs bathroom so could not use the bath. The downstairs shower was good. Also, the low sloping roof upstairs caused us problems. We bumped our heads many times getting in and out of bed and it was very diffult to use the upstairs wash basin as the roof sloped down so low over it. The remote control for the DVD player was missing so we had difficulty trying to use it. It was a long carry from the car to the cottage for unloading luggage etc and this would give problems to those with less mobility. Although ideally placed for those wishing to drive around the local area (there are plenty nearby places of interest to visit) it is not suitable for those who wish to arrive, park up and explore totally on foot. We even found it difficult to find somewhere to walk the dog. The local pub, the Buccleuch Arms was exceptional - just a short walk down the path and providing good atmosphere and food.

Nothing to add.

....thank you

We just felt that some of the kitchen crockery and cutlery weren't clean.

The sink area hadn't been cleaned properly and some of the cooking pans were rusty and unusable. This was a shame as otherwise the cottage was very comfortable.

Nice comfortable cottage.

Lovely pub just 2 minutes walk and dog friendly.