Lilac Cottage

Lilac cottage is amazing.

This is our 3rd time at the cottage ,our dog Basil loves out in the big garden,playing with his balls,we will definitely be back.

Lilac Cottage is one of the best Sykes Cottages I've ever stayed in.

Beautiful inside and out. Spacious, comfortable, with eveything we needed. But it was NOT a holiday cottage. It was STERILE. Spotlessly clean, but there was no love there. No welcome note or gift from owner. No information on how and where everything was, or how it worked. No instructions on what to do when leaving cottage. No local information on where to eat, drink, and what local attractions there were. No books, magazines, games, DVD's to keep us entertained Only problem we had was with 'Henry' the vacuum cleaner. He needs replacing. It didn't work very well, and spewed out what appeared to be black dog hairs all over the carpet when we used it. Probably a previous resident

Our stay at Lilac cottage was mostly enjoyable, its a lovely cottage and extremely quiet and private, with a huge enclosed garden for our dogs.

Now the negatives. For most of the week from Saturday the grass in the large garden was long and was eventually cut on the Thursday, the outside light wasn't working which was awkward when our dogs went out at night to do their business as it was pitch black. So we contacted the owner about it and she said she was waiting for an electrician to repair it but in the meantime would supply a large torch but she never did and questioned if it was a problem, which it is if you have dogs and they go toilet in long grass and you don't have decent light. The fridge door doesn't seal when closed so the fridge wasn't chilled enough. The grill pan and rack were disgusting, not cleaned but covered in kitchen foil and the vacuum cleaner was absolutely stinking when using it so we had to air the whole place afterwards. Some of the dinner plates still had food on so not cleaned properly and obviously not checked. The bathroom which was really nice had a great shower but there was mould at either side of the drawer/sink unit. These are simple things to sort for guests. Cleanliness is top priority in our eyes so unfortunately we won't return.

Secluded location, close to many amenities.

Wonderful to look out at the hills from the kitchen window, or to sit in the garden looking at the wide variety of birds. Comfortable bed, I slept like a log. Generous supply of wood and firelighters left for the burner, which lasted me for 3 nights. Central heating system was on a timer, which I didn't change. The heating was very effective. A blissful stay. (SYKES - A couple of things to consider for improvement - this is an old building, built I think from a plaque on the wall in 1660. It would be good if this plaque were painted and higlighted both for historic interest and also to help identify the cottage on arrival. The mirror in the bedroom has come off the wall. A box of toffees was left to welcome visitors, but having flown to Inverness I would have preferred if this had been some milk, tea and coffee so that I could have a hot drink before food delivery arrived. A visitors book would be useful to put these comments in but also I find it useful for looking for recommendations of days out, where to eat etc. Sykes, there is no need to include the bits in brackets on my review, these are just suggestions for the owner).

We had a lovely stay ,cottage was beautiful and spotless.

Hopefully we can come back some day

Lovely cottage with a fantastic enclosed garden,our dogs loved running around it.

Very cosy and comfortable.The dog treats and sweets were a nice touch. A great base for exploring or just enjoying the garden where there are amazing sunrises and birdsong. Hope to return soon.

Lovely cottage in a quiet and peaceful location.

We loved the area and enjoyed exploring, we even saw wild deer on one of the walks from the cottage, which made our day. The garden is a great size and fully enclosed, the photos on the website do not do it justice. We travelled further afield exploring, visiting Ullapool and even made it to John O'Groats, well worth a visit. Nearby Dingwall has all the shops and amenities you need, and the Haggis and the Chilli & Irn-Bru sausages from Scotland's first ever Champion Haggis Maker in the town were fantastic. A couple of things which we feel would have made for a more welcoming stay would have been some guest information, a better starter pack for the wood burner, we only had 1 log in the basket! The freezer would be better placed on a unit of some description, rather than on the floor and for such a spacious bedroom a king-size bed would be much better, and the mirror is still on the floor! The boiler room was brilliant for drying clothes. Nothing detracted from a most enjoyable stay, the cottage was comfy and clean as well. We had a great time, dogs loved the garden and I'm sure we'll return one day. Thanks for everything, Angie & Rich (Honey & Sadie too) x

excellent and very clean but time for a new bed

Great place to stay and a great location for exploring the highlands.

We loved how peaceful it was. We loved our stay there. However, it could benefit from a welcome book and guest book. Also, the mirror in the main bedroom needs to be attached to the wall, it served no purpose lent against the wall as it was unusable and had the potential to be knocked over and broken.

Another lovely relaxing holiday at Lilac Cottage.

Love coming up here with my two dogs. So peaceful, quiet and private. Will be booking for next year.

Fantastic cottage in a beautiful village.

The cottage was very clean when we arrived, and very comfortable after a long day exploring the Highlands, the facilities were great with a good washing machine and small drying room. Our large dog adored the enclosed garden. The local area is beautiful with mystical woods nearby to walk in and a hill fort to explore. The local deli does excellent bread and biscuits and we highly recommend the chippy in contin.

Wonderful location.

A wee home from home

One small complaint.

We had a problem finding Lilac Cottage.We must have passed it three or four times .A name plate on or near the house would have been a great help.Other than that a lovely house with a huge enclosed garden for the dogs.

Overall we were very pleased with the property and all its amenities and would certainly re-book should we choose to stay in that area again.

A lovely, homely cottage set in a beautiful area of Scotland.

Had another wonderful and relaxing time at Lilac Cottage.

Weather was good. Out walking most days with the dogs. I would highly recommended Poolewe Tuesday Market. Have visited on a few occasions. It is about 1 and a half hours drive from the cottage. The river walk is also lovely for the dogs and takes you into the hills. Beautiful scenery. Have already booked for next year.

The only thing we noticed was that the outside light was not working that was the only issue.

The cottage was perfectly placed for us to complete the NC500.

The cottage was in a quiet location, and the fact there was off road parking was perfect. We had an issue with the heating, but that was sorted out very quickly and fixed but we were also given logs, firelighters and electric heaters incase there were any other issues. The garden was perfect for dog to safely run around in. We will definitely be returning to Lilac cottage in the future.

A very comfortable cottage in a lovely area .

Would recommend and would like to return

A great little cottage with everything you need for a comfortable stay.

It is in a very peaceful location, which was the main reason we booked it. It would benefit from a little TLC in areas but as a base to explore the Highlands, it is a little gem!

This is our 2nd time at Lilac Cottage and we will definitely be back, the Cottage is well equipped and the back garden is amazing for our labrador to play in as we couldn't get the dog in at night .

The only downside of the Cottage is when you are there for 1 week and you only get 1 bath towel to last you for you're full week. We will definitely be back.

Lilac cottage is the perfect getaway, and it is beautifully presented, clean, spacious and has a secure garden which was adored my my assistance dog.

The double mattress is worn out - hard, lumpy and has lost all its loft so that the buttons stick up, and that caused a lot of pain for me that really impacted my holiday. I have a disability, so it is bound to be a bigger problem for me though... My other half found it uncomfortable but not painful, and was able to sleep. There was no visitor book with info on the house, or a guest book for us to read recommendations from previous guests. The kitchen is a lovely place to cook and eat, having a little freezer is a bonus, but it would have been useful to know in advance that, unlike most holiday lets, there were no consumables whatsoever - we came with our own tea, coffee, milk, sandwich bags and general food supplies as we usually do, but this was the first place we have stayed where there was no salt, pepper, oil, bin bags, washing up liquid, soap etc. In most respects lilac cottage is an absolute gem, in the perfect location for a Highland getaway.

A really nice cottage with everything you need.

The beds were comfortable and the lounge area was perfect for relaxing in the evening. The kitchen had everything we needed and it was handy having a washing machine. The garden was big and the local area was quiet, so it felt peaceful. The location is perfect for exploring the Highlands.

The cottage is OK but could have been so much better.

Disappointed to find oven was dirty. A welcome book with information in would have been good ie how the tv works, heating controls and local amenities and visitor attraction leaflets where well out of date. Wifi signal was good but again the password card was on the iPod dock, this is the type of info that would go in the welcome book! Local area is lovely and it's well positioned to explore the area.

This cottage was neat and very tidy with a huge well fenced garden which was ideal for our 2 dogs.

We enjoyed our stay and all the accommodation was perfect. Loved the location as there were some lovely walks not far from the cottage. We could reach Loch Ness, Ben Nevis and many more impressive places and towns easily. Our main reason for booking this cottage was to go on very long walks and this was fore filled.

Although the box of sweets was a lovely gesture a pint of milk would have been much more appreciated sfter such a long journey

First time back to Lilac Cottage since 2020 without my late husband.

This was the 4th visit. Weather was mixed, which had been expected, but managed to get out with the dogs in the car most days. I found the cottage very comfortable and cozy. Had the log burner on a few nights. I love the new higher fence for privacy and dogs were very secure. Did a few trips to Tesco for some additional food, which is only 10 minutes away from the cottage. The only negative thing was that new pillows would be great for the double bedroom, The current pillows are very flat. Other than that nothing else. I am going to book for next year, as it was one of the most relaxing holiday I have had in a long time.

Comfortable welcoming cottage, thank you for the welcome treats!

Some bits are getting a bit tired, kitchen floor especially otherwise a good stay,loads of garden space for our dogs. Good place for us to stay to visit grandchildren in Dingwall, we would definitely recommend and come back again.

We loved our time at Lilac cottage.

Very clean, cosy and comfortable. Superb enclosed garden for children or dogs. Quiet area with lots of walking from the cottage. Strathpeffer 5 minutes away by car. Strathpeffer has all the facilities you need but Dingwall which is 10 minutes away by car has the big supermarket. We would definitely come back.

We loved our stay at lilac cottage and found there was everything there that we needed.

It was clean and very comfortable and would thoroughly recommend lilac cottage as a base to explore the beautiful surrounding area

Unfortunately the bed and sofa's we're incredibly uncomfortable giving us back pain.

. our opinion they need renewing The location was beautiful The cottage itself was lovely especially that we could let our dog

Fabulous stay at Lilac Cottage, spacious and comfy accommodation.

Great location within easy reach of Ullapool, Inverness and Forest walks. Nice walk into Strathpeffer for gifts and something to eat & drink. Secure garden for the dogs would recommend and return.

Lovely cottage with everything you need.

Large garden for dog to run around in and very quiet area. Beds are comfy and house very warm .Nice large t.v which makes a nice change and a smart one so handy for using my Netflix account .

Beautiful cottage, lovely location, made to feel welcome with extra gifts for our dog and ourselves.

Had a wonderful stay.

A comfortable, clean cottage.

The enclosed large garden was perfect for our two dogs. I would thoroughly recommend for a relaxed break. Plenty of nearby walks. Thank you for the arrival sweeties and dog chews, much appreciated.

Great cottage in great surroundings

We loved our week long stay over Easter.

The cottage was cozy, clean and comfortable, and had everything we needed. The garden space was perfect for very energetic dog. The location was great for just taking some time out and exploring the many fantastic outdoor spaces in the area, also convenient to local shops and with very easy parking. Host was very friendly and helpful. We would definitely return and recommend to others.

Had a amazing week at Lilac Cottage.

The cottage seems to have been freshly decorated. My Lab Basil loved the big secure garden. It was cold the last two nights in Strathpeffer so we fired the log burner up , was fantastic just watching the flames. Will be back at some stage as we all had a great time. And thank you for the welcome gift of Strathpeffer sweets they were tasty and appreciated. In the area we walked round Loch Kinellan which was picturesque.

I stayed at this lovely cosy cottage for a few weeks over Christmas and New Year with possibly the worst weather for years and had a fabulous time.

The hosts were kind and friendly and, though not intrusive, were on hand to help me out or provide additional advice or requests whenever needed. With sub-zero temperatures and 15" of snow at one point which lasted for several days I took advantage of the log fire which heated up the whole cottage in no time! If I'd been out walking for the day, though the central heating was on a generous set of programmes, clicking the manual switch ensured almost instant warmth while the kettle boiled! As I was by myself I didn't play with the range of games provided, but I did enjoy the Christmas decorations supplied, as well as the lovely basket of goodies which kept me going for my entire stay. Signing in to the Smart TV was also easy and as it was dark by 4pm provided plenty of entertainment in the evenings. There was lovely countryside to walk in from the front door and though located in a lovely quiet village, seemingly miles from anywhere, Strathpeffer and the cafes and shops, and Dingwall the nearest large town were only minutes away. I found the cottage very clean and cheerful on arrival and easy to keep clean for when I left again. The garden was a very generous size and a good safe area for children and dogs alike to play. I had to pop back a couple of weeks after I left to pick up a parcel that had been mistakenly left there from Amazon and found the cottage had been redecorated and had some new furnishings, which had been on the plan for when I vacated it - it looked lovely. There's generous car parking for families and visitors and I found all the local supermarkets did home deliveries to the village too. There was a Visitor's Book with lovely comments going back several years, many from repeat guests, to which I added my 5* review. I have no hesitation in recommending Lilac Cottage to anyone.

yes its November but cottage was cold on arrival.

No logs provided as starter pack for an unemptied,uncleaned stove.No welcome pack as was present for previous guests as shown in visitors book.Cleaning not in-depth as evidenced by pet hairs behind sofa cushions, greasy extractor in kitchen,grubby skirtings,cobwebby corners and hearth,pet waste from previous guest pets in garden,untidy and cluttered utility room.Inadequate storage in kitchen,frozen food left in freezer,one cupboard for foodstuffs.little instruction for facilities aside from a few small booklets buried under items in drawer.TV difficult to operate and we had to buy handset batteries as they were dead.Wardrobes would be useful as mentioned by previous guests and twin bed matresses were noisy and uncomfortable as if built from card.Very little in the way of books and tourist info out of sight in games box.Doorway from porch to hall would merit a safety sign on the porch side as heads were bashed several times.All in all the cottage functions as a holiday home but overall impression is that the owners may not be present regularly so are unaware of any issues.Some of the above are mentioned in the visitors book some time ago and clearly not acted upon.Decor very nice but I feel that more attention to comfort and facilities would be appropriate.I hate to leave a review like this but you should be able to expect a certain standard,especially as Sykes rate the property Excellent with 5 ticks.Once yuo have paid your money and travelled it is too late to turn back. Whatever the response to any of the above may be, the fact remains that the issues do exist and could be remedied

Warm, cosy, well equipped and well located for local sightseeing, walking, cycling and nature watching.

Double bedroom smelled faintly of dog. The hoover gave off a cloud of dog odour as soon as it was switched on. I was tempted to see if there was a dog still trapped inside. This didn't bother us but could be relevant to anyone with asthma or allergies.

Lilac cottage is a lovely, comfortable, quiet cottage.

The pictures of the cottage do not do it justice. There is a large garden which our dogs loved running around in. I would certainly return in the future.

Had a great time using this as our base to visit some of the unmissable sights of Scotland.

Ullapool, Loch Ness, Fort Augustus, Portmahomack, etc. Lovely clean cottage and a great place to stay. Garden is dog safe and provided plenty of room for our 2 Saluki/Greyhounds. Strathpeffer/Dingwall are short drives away. Most Excellent thank you.

Great place to stay & the dog had a great time running about garden

Delightful setting and very comfortable.

Good parking, well stocked kitchen, cosy and warm and perfect for pets.

Lovely cottage, well situated for seeing the area.

Some things need updating but overall we were pleased.

great wee cottage to base yourself for a few days in this lovely area.

Loads of walks around and scenery and wildlife great. the cottage has a big enclosed garden which my lab loved. If I return to the area I would attempt to book again.

We had a lovely stay in Lilac Cottage.

On a dull and wet afternoon the cottage was very welcoming, being warm, very clean and a lovely box of sweets which was a nice touch. We had everything that we needed and enjoyed very relaxed and comfortable evenings throughout our stay, despite every day being pretty dull and mostly damp. The drying room was particularly appreciated on a daily basis. The wood burning stove was lovely and made the evenings even more comfortable. Lilac Cottage was a lovely base for us to explore amazing places in the area, from Culloden to The Applecross Pass. We would definitely stay again, hopefully in the near future. Was also perfect for our two dogs who relaxed from the outset and enjoyed the walks around Strathpeffer

Nice cosy cottage in quiet location.

Owner very helpful with a couple of issues that arose during our stay. Would stay here if holidaying in the area again.

Lovely property.

Some painting had taken place so pics not same as in brochure. Definitely would stay again. Great for the dogs as well.

We had a great week hillwalking.

Cottage had everything we needed. The utility/boiler room was great for drying our gear.

Yet again Sykes description & photographs were spot on

Beautiful cottage, with very obliging owners happy to help when required.

Fantastic base for touring around and covering part of the North Coast 500.

lilac cottage was absolutely beautiful.

all we needed for our break, log burner was a great boost at night, garden was perfect for our dogs. overall perfect, hoping to go back in spring.

Enjoyed our stay at Lilac Cottage,felt vey much home from home!

!lots of space,toasty heating,drying room a welcome bonus due to us having loads of rain during our week.Doyle (the dog)loved the big garden!!would defo visit Lilac again.

The cottage was spacious, particularly as there was just two of us.

It had everything you could need for a lovely break in the highlands and if we head back there, which is very likely, we’d definitely want to stay there again. It’s well located for access to all the major tourist sites, and it’s just as easy to head west as east. We explored Ullapool and Loch Gairloch from here comfortably. On our first night I opened the back door to see the stars and sat listening to an owl in the trees nearby. The stars on the last evening were spectacular, you could almost touch them.

Sykes, as they have done previously, made the whole trip easy from beginning to end.

Great standard of property and good communication.

Travelled as a family, booked 3 properties all close by to each other and pet friendly.

Great for walking and not to far to travel to more built up areas. Would book again and recommend this property to anyone looking for a quiet isolated retreat.

Loved this cottage in a peaceful location.

Handy base for visiting places in the Highlands. Good communication with the owner. Suited our family of four really well. My only issue was with the cooker, which wasn't clean inside.

The cottage is well appointed, very roomy and warm, with a large garden and a large area of off road to park.

The owner is very friendly and helpful, and did her best to make our stay and holiday a memorable one.

Jenny, Gareth and dogs from Wigan.

Sept 2019 We absolutely loved Lilac cottage, so spacious, clean and tidy and we loved the log fire too. Doggies Bella, Mia and Ruby could have a really good run around in the big enclosed garden, we really couldn't fault it and lovely touch with the welcome basket too. Lovely stunning places to go and visit, and walks with the dogs. Thank you for everything. Would highly recommend

The house was faultless, but It would be lovely if the garden was tended to.

It was rather untidy and it has so much potential.

Very well equiped cottage clean and modern inside , goodbroadband if its raining .

Easy walks right outside the cottage and more challenging walks nearby We had a good week at lilac cottage and plenty walking with the dog . Dingwall is about 8 minutes drive away with tesco and other shops We would certainly use this cottage again

Lovely clean cottage, well placed for exploring the highlands.

Secure garden for the dogs

Lilac cottage was an exceptional self catering holiday.

Huge garden for dogs and easy access to nearby Strathpeffer. My only critique, and it is the only thing I would change is the fridge in the cottage could be doing with being a little bit larger for food storage. Everything else. Top marks and would definitely return. Jane was friendly and accommodating. Welcome food pack a great touch.

No absolutely loved it .

Wish had booked longer .owners so friendly and welcoming. Cottage charmingly decorated to my taste making it like to home from home but different setting .walked for miles and weather was great so all in all fantastic

Second time at Lilac Cottage.

It's a warm and comfortable cottage which is adequately equipped. It was clean and tidy on our arrival and the provision of bread, cake and other goodies was most welcome. The garden is secure and our dogs loved it. Beware the road outside the cottage, although in a 30mph area, a lot of vehicles seem to ignore it and drive past at some speed, especially those coming down the hill. The track across the road is good for dog walking and leads to a sawmill and walks through the woods, again much enjoyed by the dogs. Lilac Cottage is well located for touring the area and within walking distance of Strathpeffer, an interesting Victorian Spa.

The accommodation far exceeded my expectations and was excellent value for money.

I will definitely be returning to the cottage and it made my stay with my children all the more special. Thank you. One thing for anyone using sat nav as I did, on the last road turn right not left ( used postcode) .

Lovely cottage, good facilities

great cottage spotlessly clean good location perfect garden for our dogs could not escape welcome pack nice touch .

plenty of parking all in all fantastic time

Ein sehr schönes, gemütliches kleines Häuschen, das auch eine gute Lage aufweist.

Die Schlafräume waren sehr hübsch und in den Betten konnte man gut schlafen. Der große Garten ist für Kinder und Hunde ideal. Wir haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt in diesem Haus. Vielleicht wären ein bis zwei Tassen und Teller mehr ganz schön. Noch eine Anmerkung: Es gibt sehr gute Einkaufsmöglichkeiten in Dingwall. Wir kommen gern wieder.

The pubs / restaurants in the local village weren't accommodating for dogs which was disappointing but not the fault of the cottage.

The outside let it down plus some of the kitchen facilities were not very clean ie oven trays, utensil holder.

As the weather was so good we would have liked to have sat out in the garden but the furniture needed a complete rubbing down and varnish, not fit to eat off!

This our third visit, and won’t be our last.

Lovely relaxing holiday. Weather was fantastic. Dogs loved running about the back garden. Would highly recommend.

Lilac cottage has been our choice for the northern highlands twice now and is clean and comfortable in all respects, the owner leaves goodies for your arrival and the garden is fully enclosed for the dogs, their are great places to visit all around Inverness or you can walk direct from the cottage.

Well appointed clean warm and comfortable cottage.

Located in pleasant rural area with large secure garden for the dog. The cottage was cosy despite the cold March weather.

Lovely cottage with good possibilities for walks.

Very friendly owner who went out of her way to make us feel welcome.

Cottage lovely and warm (very cold outside!), great area for our dogs, good walks in the area too.

Second visit to Lilac Cottage.

Would highly recommmend. Great for dogs, with the spacious back garden. Jane, the owner, is lovely.

A perfect, comfortable and well equipped cottage in a lovely peaceful location.

The large enclosed garden was ideal for my dog too.

This is the best cottage we've ever had.

home from home.great for dogs and so easy to get around to some of the most beautiful places in the highlands.weather was glorious and so were the walks.cant wait to go back next year

We had a wonderful week at lilac cottage so peaceful.

The cottage is ideally situated to explore the beautiful highlands . Lilac cottage was clean comfortable,and very cosy . We would highly recommend a visit and we will definitely return!

Excellent.

Would highly recommend this cottage. Owner is lovely. Ideal location. Cottage very clean and very cozy. Ideal for dogs, with the very large enclosed garden. 5*

Not only was the cottage lovely but we were greeted with a lovely welcome gift of lovsl produce and the owner was friendly and helpful.