North Stables - House Of Dun

32 Customer Reviews

• "The steps are unsafe (uneven), but usable, although perhaps unsuitable for people with walking difficulties."

  They're also unlit, making a trip up after dark dangerous - especially when wet - unless you carry a torch/flashlight. The outside door light is insufficient to even illuminate the combination lock on the door. And, as I've told the NTS for several years, the door combination has not been changed in at least 10 years - so assuming 80% occupancy: 40 weeks x 10 years = 400 people with the combination. Does that sound secure?

  Thank you very much for the constructive feedback about North Stables. We have passed this onto the team at House of Dun and have changed the check in details as you quite rightly suggested. Holidays Team NTS Property Owner

  Reviewed by Frank4.7★Sep 2024

• "The North Stables, House of Dun, was a perfect few-days stop for us after we arrived from the States."

  The apartment is large and comfortable, and fully equipped. The staff with whom we interacted, in the shop and on the tour, were very kind and fun to visit with. The best for us, were the after-hours, when everyone went home, and we had the whole Dun property to ourselves... we took wine and cheese and sat on the front steps watching the sun set... pretty near perfect.

  Sounds like you had a great start to your trip. Many thanks for the very kind comments. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Micheal5.0★Sep 2024

• "Lovely flat at North Stables at House of Dun."

  Very comfortable, very well equipped and suited us beautifully. Staff were all very helpful. Really enjoyed our stay.

  Reviewed by Vanessa5.0★Aug 2024

• "Delightful property in wonderful location."

  House and gardens freedom to roam was magical! North Stables was an intriguing holiday location and worthy of the National Trusts properties. However, their maintenance of a safety light could have prevented the fall onto a gravel path that spoilt our stay there. The lack of concern by the Operations Manager to address a known defect and indifference to my wife's injury was hurtful. Another member of the NT staff, Ms Bissmire, did address the problem and made provisions to rectify the defective safety light and asked about my wife's health. The Cafe man kindly gave us some fresh cream scones, which also lightened the situation. I thank him for his kindness! Six days on, her wounds are starting to heal..

  Thank you for your feedback about the cottage at House of Dun. We have checked with the team about their contact with yourselves after your wife's fall and they assure us that they were concerned about her fall and also noted the fall as per the National Trust for Scotland's Health and Safety policy. We have also been told that the fault was reported to an electrician and this has been dealt with. Holidays Dept NTS Property Owner

  Reviewed by Paul3.4★Aug 2024

• "Amazing place to stay, peaceful, beautiful surroundings."

  The accommodation was top class, well equipped, spotless, comfortable and spacious. Friendly NTS staff, tour of the house is a must.

  Reviewed by Christine5.0★Jun 2024

• "All National Trust Scotland properties are 5* and fantastic value, however if I could I would give North Stables - House of Dun 6 stars !"

  The comfort, location, cleanliness etc is 5 out of 5 - everything you could want for, large comfortable beds, fully equipped kitchen and lovely living room set in such a historic environment. However at House of Dun they go that bit further... There were even blankets, bowls and even a new ball for our dog, a fantastic selection of teas and coffees (and biscuits) in our cottage when we arrived and the most friendly welcome ever from the facilities manager on site. Every member of staff was welcoming, the site was spotless, the house tour incredibly informing and just the most lovely place to stay. I cannot rate this place high enough. When we checked out the manager of the Cafe came out and gave us some freshly baked shortbread to take back with us - a perfect end to a perfect stay. We will definitely be back !

  Reviewed by Matt5.0★Jun 2024

• "We had a lovely stay here."

  We were given a very friendly welcome by the housekeeper. The flat is just as described. Light and airy. People have mentioned the cooker is old. It is, but it works perfectly well it’s just very slow to heat up. The beds were very comfortable and bedding and towels were clean and new. 10.5 tog quilts in May were too warm for us, but at least we weren’t cold. I couldn’t open the beautiful old sash windows on my own, but together we managed. N.B. If you leave the windows open you’ll be visited by house martins. They like to leave little parcels behind them! The gardens and surrounding woodland are open to guests and it was wonderful having the freedom to wander around. All the staff were lovely, friendly and helpful. It’s a few miles straight into Montrose to the nearest supermarket, there are beaches, nature reserves, castles, gardens and grand houses nearby . A lovely place to visit if you can manage 18 old stone steps up to your front door!

  Many thanks for your feedback, good to read you enjoyed yourselves. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Susan4.7★May 2024

• "We spent a lovely week at North Stables, as a couple with our two dogs."

  The setting was beautiful and we loved having the grounds to ourselves in the evening. The apartment was very spacious, nicely decorated and furnished with lots of storage. Very comfortable bed and a well equipped kitchen. We couldn't of asked for more!

  Reviewed by Abi4.7★Mar 2024

• "Had a lovely time at north stables."

  The property is very spacious and comfortable. Lovely comfy beds. The staff are very friendly and tour of house with Colin was very entertaining. Would recommend the property to anyone. Need a new tin opener, the one there not working also egg cups.

  Reviewed by Bruce5.0★Feb 2024

• "We spent a happy week in North Stables between 9 and 16 September."

  The flat was clean and well-presented. The sitting room and bedrooms were well-decorated and comfortable. The NTS staff were exceedingly friendly and helpful. We had an excellent tour of The House of Dun given by Colin who was a terrific guide. The surrounding area is beautiful and there is much to see and do. However, while most of the flat was highly acceptable, the kitchen left a great deal to be desired and needs to be re-designed. The flat accommodates four people but there was an inadequate amount of cutlery. Serving a starter and a main dish involved washing knives and forks between courses. It seems, judging by the irregular number of glasses, that breakages are not replaced. There were only two eggcups. One of the frying pans has buckled and did not work well on the rings of the antiquated cooker. The fridge/freezer was far too small and inadequate for two, never mind four, people. It was also poorly positioned especially for older and infirm people. The kitchen was full of cupboards, most of which were empty. A proper re-design, removing most of these unnecessary cupboards, could result in the dining table being accommodated, more suitably, in the kitchen rather than the sitting room. Surely some more cleaning materials could be left. On arrival, we found two dishwasher tablets and two tea towels, one rubbish bag and no cleaning cloths. In the bathroom there was one roll of toilet paper. There was a time when a welcome tray would have been left but all I could see was a bowl with sachets of instant coffee and tea bags. NTS holiday properties are not inexpensive. My recent experiences suggest that they no longer present particularly good value and compare unfavourably with other properties in the “heritage” area of holiday lettings. We enjoyed our trip but certain aspects of the presentation and equipping of the property left us feeling disappointed and gave us the impression that not enough attention is being paid by the NTS to important, smaller details which make so much of a difference.

  Thank you for sharing this feedback , it is disappointing to have found the apartments to have fallen below the standards we have come to expect, especially as they are typically in such excellent order. The issues identified have been shared with the team and the majority have either already been addressed or will be sorted out by the end of this week. These are the issues that relate to replenishment of equipment, and we should of course not allow this to be depleted to such a degree. We will make sure that we update our processes around housekeeping, building in more suitable inventory checks to make sure that this level of depletion does not happen again. The team at House of Dun are fully committed to delivering excellent experiences at North and South Stables , and we appreciate the customer feedback that enables us to identify where we have fallen short. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Alexander3.4★Sep 2023

• "Everything about the property was first class."

  The kitchen was fully equipped with good quality facilities, including an excellent washing machine, microwave, fridge, freezer……..and was well planned and set out. The lounge and bedroom were beautifully carpeted and the furniture was high quality, very tasteful and comfortable, creating the perfect ambiance for a period home.

  Reviewed by Brian5.0★Jul 2023

• "Wow! This place is lovely."

  The only thing that was not perfect was the tired cooker. The whole flat was warm and cosy and we had a great holiday. Having the whole estate to ourselves when the house was closed was an experience not to be missed. Everyone at the mansion was helpful and friendly. A great place to visit.

  Reviewed by Janet4.7★Apr 2023

• "We found the North Stables, House of Dun excellent."

  The apartment was well presented and clean, with all the necessary fixtures and fittings. The grounds are superb, with several varied walks to exercise our dog (who loved it)! The staff who we met were very pleasant and helpful, especially the lady in the shop!

  Reviewed by Tony5.0★Apr 2023

• "Pretty well equipped, comfortable accomodation."

  In a beautiful and quiet location. Lovely walks through the woods and grounds. Be warned - the shops are 2 -3 miles away. We had some trouble with the fridge - either too cold or not cold enough. The same with the shower - either cold or very hot.

  Thank you for your feedback and the team at House of Dun have been notified of the problem with the fridge and shower and will try to rectify. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Peter4.4★Mar 2023

• "A great location and a well equipped flat."

  Having the cafe directly below is very handy. The staff in the house of dun were very nice and helpful. Would recommend and hope to return in the future.

  Many thanks for the lovely feedback and we hope to welcome you back . Property Owner

  Reviewed by Alan5.0★Mar 2023

• "Once again what a fantastic place to stay."

  The estate is wonderful and the NTS staff were so friendly. North Stables is so cosy. We love the House of Dun and will be back again in 2023.

  Thank you so much for the lovely feedback and we look forward to welcoming you back. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Lucille4.7★Oct 2022

• "Great as always."

  Very friendly staff. Wonderful grounds and such a cosy flat. We will be back.

  Many thanks for your wonderful comments. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jamie5.0★Sep 2022

• "Thank you for a wonderful stay, I would like to make a couple of suggestions."

  Perhaps you could consider a tumble dryer or alternatively, a drying room/area (not necessarily within the property but nearby, not visible to visitors) as drying clothes was a problem. Furthermore, it would be good if you could cover the open windows with gauze to stop wasps and bees from flying in.

  Reviewed by Patricia5.0★Aug 2022

• "We had a lovely week at North Stables."

  The property is situated within the most stunning grounds with lots of different walks and beautiful views from every room. We practically had the grounds to ourselves after hours, which made us feel like lord and Lady of the Manner! The property itself is beautifully decorated in keeping with the House of Dunn. It is extremely comfortable, well equipped, and provided plenty of room for a family of four. on a minor note, the fridge was not cold enough to refrigerate food properly. However, I'm sure that this has probably been sorted by now.

  Many thanks for your lovely comments. It is great to read that you enjoyed your stay and that you took advantage of the grounds and walks. We will check with the team that the thermostat is working on the fridge. We hope to welcome you back to House of Dun or one of our other NTS cottages. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Deborah5.0★Aug 2022

• "The North Stables apartment was truly lovely, set at the heart of a beautiful National Trust Scotland property and gardens."

  It was spacious, clean and decorated to a very high standard. We had everything we needed for a week of self catering; the kitchen was gorgeous, beds really comfy and lovely bathroom and shower. All the staff at the House of Dun were so helpful and friendly and gave us lots of tips for places to visit and eat. It is a lovely location, so much to see and do, lots of history, beaches and not too busy. We were on bicycles and the cycle routes are great. We loved our stay and have such good memories that will last. The House of Dun is beautiful and well worth a visit. Lovely little coffee shop too.

  Thank you for your lovely comments which we have passed onto the team at House of Dun. We hope to welcome you back at the House of Dun or indeed any of the other National Trust for Scotland holiday cottages. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Louise5.0★Jul 2022

• "We had a lovely stay at North Stables."

  The staff were really friendly and helpful. The property was so comfortable, fresh and clean. It would be a good idea to update your photos as it does not reflect how lovely the property is. If anyone is looking a for a relaxing break then the house of Dunn is the place to go.

  Many thanks for your kind feedback and we have passed it onto our team at House of Dun. The new photos of North Stables are being loaded up, the apartment does look more colourful and contemporary now. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Lucille5.0★Jul 2022

• "Quiet, comfortable accommodation in beautiful surroundings."

  The online photographs of the apartment do not do it justice.

  Thank you for completing the feedback form and for your positive scores. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Roger5.0★Jun 2022

• "We enjoyed our stay at North Stables very much."

  The flat was comfortable, clean and to a high standard. Very quiet and peaceful when the house closes. The staff that we had contact with during our stay were very helpful and friendly. The complimentary House of Dun guided tour is a must and the grounds/gardens are good to walk around. A few things that could be improved: 1. The washing machine is not working and appears, from previous reviews, to have not been working correctly since February. This should have been fixed by now. 2. The Wi Fi signal is very bad and keeps cutting out. 3. The boiler intermittently cuts out mainly when having a shower resulting in a cold wake up! It has to be reset by pressing the button on the boiler. 4. Several doors are difficult to open/close due to them catching on the carpet. 5. Two of the duvets appear to have a plastic covering under the cover and these can be very hot to sleep under. 6. Front door handle nearly off and needs refixing. 7. It would be nice to have had a starter supply of washing up liquid and hand soap. The above in no way spoiled our enjoyment of the property though and we would have no hesitation in returning.

  Thank you for your feedback, we passed on your comments re the maintenance to the team at House of Dun. The staff would have been more than happy to sort out the problems you mention whilst you were in the property and have since then resolved all of the issues. There has been a brand new washing machine fitted, the boiler was serviced in June, we have installed new carpets meaning the doors have some friction, the duvets have been replaced as they were there for a Covid requirement, the front door has been fixed and we have installed washing up liquid and handwash. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Chris4.4★May 2022

• "A unique property in a wonderful setting made even better by the lovely helpful national trust staff."

  Reviewed by Ewan4.4★Apr 2022

• "All was well , though the washing machine was not working it did not spoil the enjoyment of the stay."

  We have recommended the location to others already , so we where very happy with the location and interaction with the staff of the house added greatly to the whole experience. Thanks for listing this place . Regards

  many thanks for your lovely feedback. We have asked the staff to check the washing machine. We hope to welcome you back to House of Dun or anyone of the other National Trust for Scotland properties listed with Sykes. Property Owner

  Reviewed by David5.0★Apr 2022

• "Absolute gem of a place."

  We found it very comfortable and homely whilst situated in a grand and beautiful setting. The bedrooms were very spacious and airy, as was the kitchen. So many fantastic walks for your dog(s) and the peace and quiet at night was bliss. On site staff extremely friendly and helpful. Will 100% book this apartment again. Thank you for fantastic stay.

  Thank you so much for the kind words about North Stables and our team at House of Dun. We will certainly pass your kind words onto them. Look forward to seeing you again. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Dawn5.0★Apr 2022

• "Beautiful setting."

  We had a very enjoyable week. Only grumble was the washing machine was leaking. Kitchen could be better equipped also.

  Thank you for your feedback and we have taken note of your comments. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Matthew4.7★Feb 2022

• "We enjoyed our stay and the grounds of House of Dun are so lovely."

  We had to attend a sad family event, so the opportunity to walk and appreciate the beauty was appreciated. We have stayed at the property previously, a few years ago, at that time the property had beautiful throws on the beds, national trust tartan throws. these made a huge difference to the feel of the property, giving it that extra Scottish Charm. I felt the lack of these on this stay. With the property feeling a bit more generic and less special.

  Thank you for your kind words and we are glad that you found some comfort in the peaceful surroundings. When the properties were reopened after lockdown the Covid guidance for the industry was to remove any soft furnishings that maybe touch points or require additional cleaning each changeover. We are now starting to put back the furnishings and extras following on from guidance from the Scottish Govt. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Richard5.0★Nov 2021

• "Fabulous location with friendly, informative staff on site during working hours."

  Many thanks for your kind words about the team at House of Dun. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jennifer5.0★Oct 2021

• "A number of items were broken or absent but when we contacted a number in the guest book they were soon attended to."

  Visitor information needs updating: The trolley is in a cupboard in the flat not in the courtyard. There are no wall safes containing the keys, the Hi-Vis jackets were not found, the need for these is unknown! The freezer part of the fridge works the fridge does not. Tried to contact Sykes on their 3 numbers for over an hour on 9th.October and the calls were cut after the welcome message within 2 seconds every time!

  Many thanks for your feedback following on from your stay at House of Dun. Thank you for pointing out that the house information needed to be updated after the building work we carried out earlier in the year. The hi-vis jackets were to protect our customers while the contractors were on site. The door works on a combination pad, we understand that you had a problem with the snibbed on the door and we have replaced the lock. The fridge has been checked and it is working perfectly so we are unsure why you had a problem. Property Owner

  Reviewed by John3.8★Oct 2021

• "The staff were very friendly and helpful."

  We had 24 hour access to the gardens and grounds, and the House of Dun is very, very beautiful. All the staff were friendly to our 'Wee, scruffy dog' and gave us advice on places nearby to visit.

  Reviewed by Gary5.0★Aug 2021

• "Lovely peaceful setting."

  Was really able to relax unwind. Plenty to see and do locally and within a few miles.

  Reviewed by Neil4.7★Aug 2021

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