Scarba

8 Customer Reviews

• "Beautiful surroundings this is a diamond that maybe needs a little polish ."

  Washing machine not working( not to much of issue for us as only there 2 nights) most of windows were dirty , hair in shower , blinds in bedroom not working, fridge box not defrosted was thick with ice (wife sorted that) , decking need bit of upgrade . This is not a moaning minnie review my wife and i use cottages every year in west or east of Scotland just a bit of constructive critisism . My wife and i loved the peaceful surrounds of the lodge and my dogs loved the safe spaces if highlighted issues were resolved we would definately return in the future for a longer stay ...

  Thank you for your constructive criticism. I cannot apologise enough for the shower. Salty windows are an issue with Scarba and some maintenance has not been possible as we have been so booked up. The washing machine and fridge will be replaced at the end of the season when access is possible. This is our first year as hosts and we are still learning. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Ian3.0★Jul 2026

• "The cabin is in a nice quiet area on the outskirts of balvicar with a nice view of the Loch."

  The cabin is nice enough but is starting to show it's age. The bathroom tap constantly drips, the cistern button is loose, the shower door is hard to open and close. In the kitchen there is zero space to put your food unless you rearrange what's there. For some reason an air fryer and a pile of spices take up a whole cupboard. We didn't notice the toaster until we were leaving as it's tucked up on a shelf, probably because the kitchen is so tiny. The fridge door was hard to shut and there were warning to shut it properly. Perhaps buy a new fridge? There's no dishwasher. The washing machine was out of order which was annoying as we had just been camping and really needed to do washing so had to hand-wash. There's no proper place to eat, there is a folding dining table which would have to be placed in the middle of the living room when eating (which is carpeted) and then put away. Only 2 dining chairs fit in the living space with the others stored in bedrooms. There's no proper curtains in the double bedroom with the light shining in from dawn. Eye masks are a must! The garden is enclosed so good for a dog. The dome was nice and we ended up eating in there. The decking is starting to rot and needs replaced. I wouldn't return to this cabin as it's not great value for the price paid, it's needs some money spent on it. It's also really small for a family of 4.

  The drop leaf dining table is great when the weather is poor. You had fabulous weather for your short break and could easily have used the decking furniture for your meals. Guests do move things around to suit their needs as no two groups are the same. Scarba is not the ideal place for everyone, was it the right choice for your family? Perhaps a more family-focused venue might have been more satisfactory. Do hope you took away some good memories - stone skimming on the secluded bay? Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jill3.0★Jul 2026

• "What a lovely place ."

  Spotlessly clean great welcome goodies . Comfortable. Once the washer and fridge are sorted it will be perfect . If you want peace and quite and have dogs fantastic . The little shop is well stocked if you forget something. I would definitely recommend.

  Yes Scarba is the place for peace and quiet if that is what you want for your break away from home. As our photos show, we are right on the bay but as you point out the village shop is very close for topping up. There are lots of birds during the day and a resident owl at night but that is about the sum total of noise. Very happy that your stay was so enjoyable. The washing machine leak will be dealt with as soon as possible when it will not interfere with any one's stay. Do hope that you will return in the future. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Pat5.0★Jun 2026

• "Literally only and I mean only negative is, the loroperty which is brilliant is listed as having enclosed garden."

  However we noticed quickly before letting our dogs loose that once you go around the garden you come to a metal gate, which our little terriers could easily get under the gate. I'd book this property again regardless of that, but if a board could be attached to that gate that would stop the dogs from going under then that would take this property to 10 out of 10.

  Thank you for saying that the property is brilliant. The top deck is secure for dogs , having said that my friend's Lab. can jump about anything. We will look into a board below the gate as long as it can still be opened easily for additional parking. Several guests have brought their own dog tethering stake , I aim to add one of these to the 'dog box' in the shed. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Kevin5.0★May 2026

• "Overall Scarba is a lovely little chalet with fantastic views from the garden for wildlife etc and peace."

  Need a car that's a must. Our daughter didn't sleep well from the pillows but we both slept great. Had to defrost the freezer box one night because the fridge door wouldn't close properly from the ice and stuff in the fridge was getting wet . Other than that it was a lovely break.

  Thank you for your comments and we will now add a note for guests to ensure that the fridge door is closed properly or it will ice up. It would be nearly impossible to get the correct pillow to suit all tastes and without further details concerning her problem I don't know how to rectify that. Sykes do allow for guests in advance to say about any special requests that have for their stay and we would try to accommodate them. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Melanie4.0★May 2026

• "We had a wonderful stay here."

  For the first 'couple' holiday after our son left to go to university it was perfect! The area was beautiful, the chalet was immaculate and I've never seen such a well provisioned self catering property before. Everything you could need was there and a lovely welcome pack including some treats for Moppet, our dog! The pod was such a peaceful environment for my husband to write and me to read and the electric fire meant that even with some rather dismal weather it still felt cozy. Despite being the exact amount of remote the WiFi was strong and we even managed to have an Indian takeaway delivered which felt like a real treat! The exrmtra care to provide dog blankets and towels was such a nice touch as well. We have nothing bad to say about the chalet and we will definitely be returning.

  Thank you for your lovely comments. Really pleased that your stay was just what you had hoped for at Scarba. As we are new to providing a holiday cottage, it was great to hear that we are getting a lot of things right to make our guests time enjoyable and relaxing. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Eleanor5.0★Feb 2026

• "Had a lovely stay apart from weather!"

  ! Bedrooms a bit small. At times chalet was cold. Very well equipped.

  Glad you enjoyed your stay. You did get some serious rain while you were at Scarba. The joys of a Scottish winter which can surprise you at times with how mild it can be by the sea. The chalet was immaculate when you left. Property Owner

  Reviewed by John3.0★Nov 2025

• "The property was brilliantly equipped and clean."

  We had a gorgeous welcome basket and milk etc left for us with a note which was so lovely. When we arrived the heating had just come on (8pm ish) and it was cold. The heating then didn’t come on in the morning and we contacted the owner who sorted it out promptly. The location is quiet, picturesque and remote which is just what we needed. There was a lot of condensation in this property and, for the comfort of future guests, I would strongly recommend a dehumidifier was installed to reduce as the level of humidity did not help my allergies and asthma.

  So glad you enjoyed the peace and quiet of Scarba and the the effort we had put in to make your stay relaxing. Having explained that there was an issue with waiting for a part for the central heating, I feel that this may have had an effect on the humidity level. The engineer did the necessary work on 03.11.25. I wish they had been able to come before your stay. We do hope you will visit again , your family were excellent guests. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Helen3.0★Oct 2025

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