Holly Leaf Cottage - Drum Castle Estate

23 Customer Reviews

• "We were extremely pleased with our stay."

  The property is absolutely stunning, a hidden gem! Cosy and quaint, with everything at hand. It's a shame the bottom oven wasn't functional, as we would have utilised the kitchen more during our stay. Poppy the labrador ADORED the garden. A lot more spacious than the advert depicted. Perfect for her zoomies in the snow! It was also a spectacular spot to witness the northern lights. Super comfy bed, the best sleep we have had in ages! Closeby to convenient stores and a great base for all of our historic castle adventures. Although, a little difficult to spot the property when returning after dark. An up light on the entrance/property name sign at the gate may have helped. Overall, a fantastic location! beautiful, clean and comfortable quirky home from home. Thank you for having us!

  Thank you for your comments which have been passed onto the property team at Drum. we have asked them to look at the oven and they have reported back that it is working. It maybe that the timer was on stopping the oven from turning on. Property Owner

  Reviewed by William4.4★Dec 2024

• "We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas break at Holly Leaf Cottage with our two dogs."

  The location was ideal for the exploring all we had wished to do. We found the cottage to be cosy and had all we needed, maybe an extra roasting dish for cooking would be handy. We decided to keep our small dogs on leads in the garden due to the busy road but the garden is fenced. We would suggest looking at allowing daylight arrivals in winter months due to it being difficult to locate in the dark. Overall we had a lovely week break and was sad to depart.

  Reviewed by Antony5.0★Dec 2024

• "Heat adjustment buttons are up, down, and off (the light is very bright for sleeping)."

  Secondary glazing upstairs is on magnets, should you wish to open the windows. There's are no gauntlets with the fire, so when the handle gets hot, you have to manage with oven gloves. The fire extinguisher is hidden in a cupboard behind the sofa, and the two fire doors are very heavy for opening. The hook behind the dining room door is perhaps the best for coats. Cleaning products and items are spread across five cupboards, which is slightly inconvenient. If you are bringing your dog, then be aware that the garden isn't fully fenced behind the roadside rhododendron or the gate pillar; there is a wall beyond, but this could easily be hopped by our dogs (60mph road). The lower oven door doesn’t align properly, so the glass catches. The pictures slide about on the walls as doors are opened and closed. The click clack drain plug for the bath doesn't work, and the toilet roll is really very cheap. I lost a pair of socks to the nails in the bedroom threshold strip. The garden tap is broken, as is the clothes line and garden shed window. The house is difficult to spot in the depths of winter; even with the outside light left on for reference. A courtesy light would have been nice when we arrived, just so we could see the key pad to open up. Perhaps gate marker lights would be a good investment? The building is definitely ready for a deep clean; the longer you stay, the more dirt you see, but you can't leave a note for change over staff without a pen and paper. Overall, this place is 80% good. It just doesn't quite live up to my national trust accreditation expectations.

  Thank you very much for your feedback which has been forwarded to the property team. We do appreciate all feedback to help us improve what we offer in our cottages. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Joannah3.4★Dec 2024

• "This is a lovely, cosy cottage refurbished to a high standard."

  The only issues to be aware of are that the bathroom and location. The bathroom is on the ground floor and the bedroom is up a flight of quite steep stairs so be aware if you have any mobility issues. The location is slightly spoilt being so close to the A93 which is part of the NE Coast 250. This may be ok for car enthusiasts on a sunny Sunday afternoon watching the Ferraris, Porches Austin Martin’s passing by but be aware this is a busy road at all times and there are no footpaths alongside.

  Many thanks for your feedback comments. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Fraser5.0★Oct 2024

• "We had a great few days, cottage lovely and so peaceful, cottage so quaint, really enjoyed our stay."

  Reviewed by Joanne5.0★Oct 2024

• "As per previous feedback (which I am assured is already being acted upon) the access to this property is extremely dangerous and is an accident looking for a place to happen."

  The local NTS staff are super.

  We can assure you that the water heater has been replaced. Holidays Dept of NTS Property Owner

  Reviewed by Alastair3.1★Sep 2024

• "The cottage is very cosy and stylish."

  However, there were a few things we didn't like: 1) There is no wall mirror in the bathroom. There is only a small mirror on the windowsill. Also, the hot water did not always work - we are not technically gifted - the landlord should have adjusted this better beforehand. Only the shower worked perfectly. 2) The bedroom on the upper floor cannot be ventilated as the windows are all locked. 3) The other windows in the house can't be operated either - some opened a little and you had to wedge a block of wood between them to keep them open. (We also opened the front door in the morning to air) 4) We missed a few coat hooks in the entrance area to hang up our outdoor clothes. 5) There is a huge garden - but no garden furniture. It would have been nice to be able to sit in the sun with a cup of tea. 6) There are no bowls for crockery in the kitchen. So you had to put everything in the cooking pots on the table. (Otherwise everything you needed was there). - It was well organised: The info folder did have a phone number for the manager, who you could have called if you had any requests or questions. But unfortunately my English language skills are not so good that I could speak fluently and make phone calls. Without question, the cottage is really beautiful! But the negative things .......

  Many thanks for your feedback which we take seriously. It is very unfortunate that you had problems with the hot water, we would strongly encourage any guests who have an issue to report it as soon as possible to the property team. It then gives us the opportunity to get an electrician/plumber in as soon as possible and avoids the possibility that the next guests staying are also inconvenienced. We have asked the team to check the kitchen inventory for the cottage. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Bernhard3.1★Sep 2024

• "A very quaint little house."

  Fantastically kept and maintained. Everything was just as described, and in perfect order. Thank you for making our 30th wedding anniversary special.

  Reviewed by Andrea5.0★Sep 2024

• "Nice little castle with all the basics you need."

  We are wondering about the history and couldn't find any information.

  Reviewed by Maarten5.0★Aug 2024

• "Great location for us to meet up with relatives."

  Access was quite dangerous as the cottage is on a very fast road, pulling out onto this is scary as your view of traffic is limited in both directions. Simple cutting back of hedges would help greatly. Plenty of garden to the cottage but no garden furniture to take afternoon coffee there which was sad as we had some really sunny days. The garden was great for our dogs, however the chicken mesh on the bottom of the gates could have been more secure by an extra piece of wood being added at the bottom.

  Many thanks for your feedback. The team will be trimming the hedge back to improve the sight lines for the entrance. We are also going to order some garden furniture. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Ian3.4★Aug 2024

• "Very enjoyable holiday home for a week."

  There’s plenty to explore in every direction - castles, coastal villages, highland scenery. Staying in Holly Leaf Cottage was a highlight for us

  Thank you for your kind words. Holly Leaf is in a great location for exploring Aberdeenshire. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Allan5.0★Jul 2024

• "This is a wonderful little cottage absolutely enjoyed our stay quiet and tranquil."

  Two things that could do with being added one is Wi-Fi but that’s not a problem. Second thing is outside furniture we had the most wonderful weather and we couldn’t sit outside. This was a little letdown for us in the evenings, but other than that beautiful

  Many thanks for your feedback. The National Trust for Scotland have a project at the moment to install wifi into all of the cottages and hopefully we will have it available in all 60+ properties we own. We have highlighted the comment about garden furniture to the team at Drum. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Tim5.0★Jun 2024

• "We loved the cottage, however the garden was poor, the grass had not been cut and this somewhat prevented us from using this space especially with the Dog."

  Clive and Sheila

  Many thanks for your feedback. We have had a few problems finding a gardener to look after the garden at Holly Leaf but am pleased to say that we have now taken on a gardening company to keep the grass tidy . Holidays Dept NTS Property Owner

  Reviewed by Clive4.4★May 2024

• "Absolutely perfect, can't wait to go back, had a great holiday over Christmas and New year, very homely, and cosy."

  Reviewed by Lisa5.0★Dec 2023

• "What a lovely break we had."

  It's close enough to the next town to have conveniences, but far enough away to be peaceful. The place itself is immaculate with lovely views

  Reviewed by Pete5.0★Oct 2023

• "We enjoyed our stay very much."

  I should like to mention two things: No. 1: the windows definitely need restauration. Almost all windows are not operable. You cannot air the cottage. The window in the dining room is operable in theory. But you shouldn’t really do it. It’s trying to cut off your head or at least your fingers. No. 2: Why not put at least a simple table with attached benches in the garden as you would find in many NTS gardens? You‘ve got this nice little garden behind the cottage and nothing to enjoy it.

  Many thanks for your feedback, we value all the feedback we receive. These comments are passed to the teams at each location so that they can action where it is possible to do so. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Alexander3.8★Sep 2023

• "Fantastic cottage and grounds : I absolutely loved this cottage : great garden around the cottage : so private : inside the cottage was just what we needed - everything!"

  We travelled easily to all the areas that we intended to visit over our 4day break and always looked forward to returning to the cottage and putting on the log burner : just excellent!

  Thank you so much for your review, it is a great location for visiting all the NTS Castles in the North East and Mar Lodge Estate. We look forward to welcoming you back to one of the NTS cottages in the future. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Stephen5.0★Aug 2023

• "Ideal location between Banchory and Peterculter and is a good base for visiting various castles etc."

  Comfortable cottage with all the necessities for a week-long stay. Some outdoor furniture would be useful. The garden was a good size and secure, providing our dog a safe space to investigate. The access from the main road is awkward, however we turned our car in the lane to Coalford making access to the driveway easier. There is a broken slab covering the septic tank which should be replaced.

  Many thanks for the feedback, great to read that you found the cottage comfortable. Thank you also for the suggestion about access to the drive. The team have been notified about the slab and we have contractors booked for late Sept as we can't get them any sooner. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Andrew4.4★Aug 2023

• "We absolutely loved this cottage and would happily come again if it wasn’t for the noise from the road."

  It’s quite small and quirky however, and the steep stairs could be a problem for some people. Everything seemed brand new and of very high quality and we lacked for nothing, even with regard to cleaning material. Loved the bed and the beautiful duvet and the views from three windows! The bath was very high for me to climb into but the shower and heated towel rail were great. Sumptuous towels and constant hot water too! Our two cocker spaniels enjoyed the safe garden. Would have appreciated a couple of garden chairs as the weather was good enough to sit out. Very happy with our stay as Holly Leaf Cottage is so near to Castles and Garden centres - bliss!

  Many thanks for your feedback and good to read that you found the cottage comfortable and the garden ideal for your dogs. We do appreciate your comments about the road but there is little we can do, the road is quiet in the evenings. We do have a cottage within the courtyard at Drum Castle and this will be available again in October once the work on the Castle roof has been completed. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Morag5.0★Aug 2023

• "Exiting cottage in car onto very busy road with restricted visibility."

  Could not open any bedroom windows. No where to hang or dry outside clothes. No indoor floor mat. Could not increase heating temp when it was cold and wet in Aberdeenshore. The dog loved the garden. The furniture and fittings were of good quality and in good condition. With some small changes the cottage could be lovely.

  Thank you very much for your feedback – much appreciated. We have been in touch with the local council about improving the visibility when exiting onto the road – as it is not our land, we need permission to make any changes to it. All of the upstairs windows have had secondary glazing installed so cannot be opened without unscrewing and removing completely. There is a washing line at the property. The heaters are programmed for general background heating currently but are fully adjustable by guests if they choose. We will look at improving the instructions. We really do appreciate you having taken the time to give us constructive feedback and hope to welcome you again in the future. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jennifer3.1★Jul 2023

• "Basic facilities and comfortable but road noise was unexpected."

  Lower oven did not work.

  Thank you for the feedback and we have asked the property team to check the oven. We do hope that this didn't inconvenience you during your stay and the team would have only been too happy to come along and check it during your stay. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Arthur3.8★Jul 2023

• "Hi, I’ve never reviewed anything before but would like to say, how quaint Holly Leaf Cottage is."

  It is clean and very well presented. It sits right on the edge of an A road which is relatively quiet most of the time. You will hear the odd car go by from time to time. It is too remote to walk to any pubs and the road is a fast road. That said you can drive to PeterCulter which is approximately 3 miles from the property. Thanks to the local gardener/handy man the garden is now secure for dogs to roam about without the fear of them getting out onto the road. There are lots of beautiful places to visit and lots of walks through forestries. All in all we had a great time staying in Scotland and would highly recommend it. The people are warm friendly and caring. Such a beautiful country. Thanks Scotland see you next year!

  Thank you so much for your review, Holly Leaf Cottage is in a great location for visiting all the other NTS attractions in North East Scotland. We hope to welcome you back to Scotland and to one of the 60 NTS cottages we have across the country. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Mark4.7★Jul 2023

• "A lovely isolated cottage full of charm, well equipped and very comfortable within easy drive of Aberdeen and Cairngorms."

  The Deeside way is a 5 minute walk. Drum Castle Estate can be accessed without walking on road via (slightly overgrown) woodland track. The cottage has only recently been put on Sykes and there were a couple of very minor issues; The garden was almost completely enclosed for small dogs apart from the front gates ( with a length of mesh, could easily be sorted) Also a cullender would have been useful . The cottage is on the A93 so there is some road noise, but it isn’t too disturbing.

  Many thanks for your feedback and we are very pleased to read that you found our new cottage very comfortable. We have supplied a colander in the cottage and the gate has been covered to help keep the garden secure for dogs. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Chris5.0★Jul 2023

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