Skylarks

28 Customer Reviews

• "Such a gorgeous place to stay."

  We arrived in the dark and woke up to AMAZING views across the firth. Beautiful property and so clean. Loved all the extra touches like lovely toiletries in the bathrooms and the house had everything you could need. Great location not far from Inverness, but still feels like you are in the middle of nowhere. Emilia the owner was on hand to help and very responsive when we had an issue with the key safe.... A really lovely lady. Would definitely recommend this property to others ... Such a gem!

  Reviewed by Kate5.0★Oct 2024

• "Loved the view and the cleanliness of the property."

  Superb location for our day trips along the Moray coast, Black Isle and even over to the West. Thanks - we’ll be back.

  Thank you so much for staying with us! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Christopher4.7★Aug 2024

• "Amazing cottage."

  Had everything you could possibly need. The kitchen equipment was like being in your own home. Beautiful location and great outside space. Would highly recommend this cottage.

  Thank you so much for choosing us and delighted to hear you had a terrific experience. Hope to see you again! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Kerry5.0★Aug 2024

• "Highly recommend staying in this beautiful property situated in a stunning area."

  Clean and comfortable. Very well equipped with everything we could possible want.

  Thank you so much for choosing us. Delighted to hear you had a great stay!! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Tina5.0★Mar 2024

• "The house was incredibly warm, very beautiful, everything we needed was there ..."

  The house was incredibly warm, very beautiful, everything we needed was there making the travel lighter than we thought, we were very happy

  Wonderful to hear. Thank you for choosing us. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Urana5.0★Dec 2023

• "Lovely cottage along with the facilities."

  1st time using a log fire, works great but cost me over £45 to buy wooden logs to run it over the 7 nights. I'm glad I was out all day everyday or it would have cost a bit more. Still, my fault for not realising the cost of running it. Apart from that it's a 1st class cottage and would definitely recommend

  Thank you very much for the feedback. Delighted to hear you loved our cottage. There is lovely underfloor heating and thermostats in all the rooms. So we've never thought the wood burning stove would be something used constantly. That's why we only provide a starter pack of logs (we use coffee grind logs, which are long-burning, economical and greener) and kindling and advise we do so in the house manual each set of guests receives. There are other, similar types of logs made from remnants of other materials and suitable for a wood burning stove, and they might be a good option for you a next time. We hope to see you again and thanks again for choosing us. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jim3.8★Nov 2023

• "Plug in family bathroom needs attention, front door jams when closed."

  Otherwise everything was very satisfactory, loved the orchard. Lovely countryside round about.

  Hello and thanks for the feedback. The entire front door is scheduled to be replaced imminently. It's been on order since March. And thanks for letting us know about the plug. We will check it out immediately. Glad you enjoyed your stay. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Patricia4.1★Sep 2023

• "Great stay you can’t ask for more, we loved the property"

  Thank you so much! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Brian5.0★Aug 2023

• "We were very disappointed with the place."

  The photos on your website must be 10+ years out of date. This was not a true representation of the property and extremely misleading. We book cottages equally for outside space aswell as inside. The garden was NOT enclosed which is vital for us having a dog despite your write up saying it was. There is little view due to overgrown hedges. The larger garden was immensely overgrown and again you couldnt see it due to high hedges. The smaller garden next to the cottage was appalling it looked such a mess and the two little gates were pointless. The weeds on the path could easily be pulled out. There is rewilding and cant be bothered this sadly was the latter. Moss growing all along the decking rails and the picnic bench needs scraping off. Its such a shame because it could be beautiful but it was just so neglected. Inside was clean and tidy and comfortable apart from the sofa and only tepid water out of the shower heads so we had to use the hand held shower attachment to obtain hot water.

  Thank you for your feedback. And especially for pointing out the error in the description that the garden is enclosed. The garden has never been enclosed and we corrected that description some time ago with the lister. They have now rectified the description. As for the hot water, it's unfortunate you did not inform us of it as soon as you noticed, after all you had our contact details. We are very prompt in replying and addressing any issues. With respect to your other points: We do not neglect the property. The property isn't 10 years old and the photos aren't out of date. We do keep the garden and orchard largely wild and we describe it as such in the house manual you received prior to your visit. This includes plant life you call weeds. They're harmless plants which help the biodiversity of the area. It's also been raining alot, which makes mowing impossible. The hedges are cut twice per year, as is appropriate. Unfortunately, the second cut didn't coincide with your visit. We have had many guests let their dog out unsupervised within the gated deck area. With respect to the lichen on areas on the deck, we don't believe it's necessary to scrape that off. It's harmless and completely natural. In addition to the two Adirondack chairs, which are made of wood, we also supply fabric deck chairs which are lichen-free. The Highlands is a wild area with a variety of weather. Working and living with the landscape and nature are a much better option that a sisyphean effort to counter it. We hope you enjoyed your stay nevertheless. In contrast, our next guests were so happy, they gave us a thank you card and brought us beautiful flowers. We suppose, you can't please everyone all the time. But we try our best. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jane2.5★Jul 2023

• "We have just come back from a week stay, what a wonderful place, location is fantastic as well as the views from every window."

  The owners were so nice and helpful. My husband and our two Frenchies cannot wait to go back! Would highly recommend if you want a fab place to stay in the highlands that is dog friendly with walks from the door

  Thank you so much! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Tinna5.0★Jul 2023

• "The property inside was good but as for the outside it was very poor and uninviting."

  The walk up to the door was weedy and the front door was pealing and rotten not a good impression. The decking and handrails all needs a lot of attention, the outside furniture needed replacing and the deckchairs were to low. The heat pump just outside the living area was filthy and at times smelt so you couldn't have the door open. The garden area at the back was very overgrown and not as sykes pictures advertise it. Not sure what the sauna was like as the approach to it was overgrown with grass and weeds. I think sykes should re-evaluate it. The inside would benefit with having a walk in shower as an elderly person would struggle to get into the bath/shower as it was to high.

  Thank you for your feedback. We can't please everyone, but we wish you had alerted us to your concerns whilst you were there. We keep the garden relatively wild and we don't use weedkillers or pesticides. It's better for all life - people, plants and animals. And we note that in the house manual. There are plenty of walking areas within the garden and paths cut into the wilder parts in the orchard. The weeds in the walkway are harmless and most are native plants, like thistle, and there are clear pathways to reach the sauna. We love the native plants and they're beautiful. The flowers of all these plants provide lots of food for bees and other pollinators, which I'm sure you agree are important to our world. This is a countryside cottage and work with our environment. Tt's unfortunate you didn't venture into the sauna. It's lovely, warm and made of cedar wood from Canada, so it smells great. A new front door has been on order since March and will be installed in mid-September, at a cost of several thousand pounds. Things don't happen quickly these days, as I'm sure you can appreciate and maybe even relate. The deck is cleaned with a high powered water spray every year as are the hand made Cape Cod deck chairs. The fabric deck chairs are from John Lewis and the fabric is taken inside at the end of the season, and all is washed. The sizes are standard. And the bathrooms, showers etc are clearly pictured in the brochure. If you required a different typology of bathroom fixings, then that would have been evident in the listing. We hope you had a lovely time in any event and that you'll return to the Highlands Property Owner

  Reviewed by Fred3.8★May 2023

• "Fantastic cottage in a fantastic location."

  In a peaceful area while only a 10/15 minute drive from the nearest town. Beautiful woodland walk for our dog just a few minutes from the cottage. Overall, we had a very relaxing time away and would definitely book again.

  Thank you so much! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Gilbert5.0★May 2023

• "Lovely quiet location and well situated for visits to the surrounding locations of interest."

  Easy access to a number of good restaurants. There were two of us and we found the property very comfortable and well equipped. The weather was kind to us and we really enjoyed our stay. Thanks

  Thank you so much! Property Owner

  Reviewed by James3.8★May 2023

• "A smart tv would just make this property perfect."

  Reviewed by Kevin4.7★Nov 2022

• "We had a wonderful week in a beautiful location."

  The house is very well equipped and made a wonderful base. Mountain biking, Dolphin watching and a brewery tour all within a short drive. For a slightly longer trip, We’d recommend Loch Ness with a visit to Plodda Falls. Stunning scenery in October, the colour of the trees was magical. We’ll be back.

  Reviewed by Richard5.0★Oct 2022

• "What a great location and beautiful place to stay we were sorry to come home and could have stayed longer."

  The little cottage itself was very clean and comfortable and a walk round the block every morning before breakfast with the views across the firth was just breathtaking. We found lovely places to eat close by which were not very expensive and would whole heartedly recommend a stay at this cottage Thank you so very much for making our holiday

  Delighted to hear this. Thank you so much for being our guest! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Nick5.0★Aug 2022

• "A well maintained property, with beautiful views."

  We would happily come back again and again. It was perfect. The cottage was so spacious, clean and well equipped. Thank you. You could sit on the decking and watch the red kites over head, the abundance of birds on the Cromarty Firth or just sit and read in the peace and quiet.

  Delighted to hear you enjoyed yourself so much! Thank you for being our guest Property Owner

  Reviewed by Andrew5.0★Aug 2022

• "Our third stay at Skylarks, and wonderful as ever."

  The house is great, the red kites hovered over it every day (how do you train them to do that?) and the weather was kind to us.

  Wonderful to have you back and delighted you had a good time again! Property Owner

  Reviewed by Stuart5.0★Jul 2022

• "We had a really enjoyable Spring holiday at Skylarks."

  Everything was first class - spotless, warm, very comfortable, quiet and extremely well equipped. Loved the log burner and the view. Great central base for exploring and lots of super dog walks. There's so much to see and do in the area and we look forward to returning for another holiday. Such a pleasure to go on holiday to a house that is exactly as shown online/in the brochure. Thank you to the owners for the love and care they put into Skylarks and the Housekeeper for making sure everything is exactly as you hope it will be. Thanks also to the staff at LHH for their very efficient handling of our booking.

  Sheila ElliotApr 2022

• "Booked with LHH Scotland for a holiday in the Black Isle in June/July 2021 and had a wonderful time - the weather this summer was a BIG bonus."

  The property we used, Drummond Reach, was excellent and matched the property description on the LHH website. The property was clean, spacious and had everything we needed, even with Covid-19 restrictions in place. The location is quiet, but never too far from anywhere. Inverness, for example, was just 20 minutes from the door of the house to parking in the city centre. There was a fab wood just along the road to walk the dog, and the view over the Cromarty Firth was wonderful - day or night. Well, it was better at night as we watched the sun slowly sinking over the distant hills. The rooms within the property are all of a good size, and it was never crowded. The outside decking was wonderful to sit on, whether eating breakfast or an evening dinner. We would not hesitate to use this particular property or LHH Scotland again. Communication with LHH was excellent, and we had no problems with any descriptions or instructions provided in their emails.

  Andrew WallaceJul 2021

• "We had a wonderful stay in this beautiful part of Scotland."

  There are so many places to visit including woodland and coastal walks. The hosts local information was most welcome. Thank you. The house is perfect for a staycation with all mod cons. The most comfy beds and luxury linen and a well stocked kitchen and appliances. We loved the wood burning stove and our only could do better was only having 3 logs for the fire. Let people know that in advance or supply enough logs for one night. We would definitely recommend Skylarks.

  DotOct 2020

• "We recently spent 6 days at Skylarks."

  The accommodation was immaculate. The furnishings and fittings were perfect for the style of property and were very comfortable. Property has underfloor heating which worked very well and maintains a constant temperature. We did use the log burner at night which added to the cosy feel of the cottage. The master bedroom has a very comfortable Hypnos mattress and the bedding was a good quality. Both the en-suite and the main bathroom are fitted to a high standard. We decided to take our Amazon Fire stick and it worked perfectly with the available WiFi. The Black Isle is a very picturesque area and the cottage is well placed to take advantage of the views of the Cromarty Firth. We would definitely recommend this property for both comfort and quiet location.

  Aileen & Andy CurrieOct 2020

• "Was a lovely well kept and clean property with the added bonus of the sauna."

  Lots of hot water and well equipped kitchen. We enjoyed the 40 minute walk most nights round the "block". Lots of places to visit within an hour's drive. Particularly liked Ingrid's House (scandi craft shop) at Cromarty.

  Anne TelferAug 2020

• "You know when you are unpacking the car and the wife has already opened the door and gone inside and all you hear is “Oh Wow” over and over that your expectations of the place that you have booked have been confirmed."

  What a well appointed Steading conversation this is. I love the vaulted ceiling in the kitchen/living room, there is everything here that you need to make your stay very comfortable. There were only two of us so we never needed to us the twin and single bedrooms. But the double bedroom with en-suite is perfect, with a firm mattress, which we both like. The views are fantastic especially from the sauna which we made good use of. We will certainly be back if our holidays tie in with availability. There were 3 little things, there is no cupboard space for putting away groceries, we couldn’t get the plugs in the bathroom sinks to stay down, but this may be operator error and lastly there were only 8 pegs for hanging out washing, so we bought a pack and left them there for others to use. Over all a fantastic place to stay.

  Kevin DingwallOct 2019

• "Back from our trip to Scotland, we would like to give you some feedback about our stay at Drummondreach Steading."

  The house is very well furnished, everything has been thought of. The location of the house is great for a stay on Black Isle. You are in the middle of nature, but only a few minutes by car to shops, sights or restaurants. The cleanliness of the house is definitely worth mentioning! The surroundings of the house also offer children the opportunity to spend time outside. Of course, we could also enjoy the wildlife in the immediate vicinity (birds, rabbits, etc.). Many thanks for the nice stay. We can recommend this house without reservation.

  Family HalbeisenJul 2019

• "We had a great week in this beautifully converted steading in a peaceful setting."

  Lots of light and lovely views inside with great outside space. All the fixtures and fittings are tasteful, high quality and very comfortable. We enjoyed the area more than expected with easy driving to the northern flow country and west to the big hills. We are planning our return soon

  MarisNov 2018

• "We want to let you know how much we enjoyed our stay at Skylarks."

  We realise that it is new to your portfolio; in fact we think we were only the fourth or fifth clients in the property. We simply want to say that the property is superb in every way. Emilia and Roger really have thought of everything. We usually book self-catering accommodation because we enjoy the flexibility and the chance to cater as we wish. The kitchen is superb and had everything we could wish for; it is a real cook's kitchen! The views across the Cromarty Firth toward Ben Wyvis and the other hills to the north and west are really lovely. The quality of finish and other equipment is also superb. Furthermore, its position is ideal for accessing a massive area of the Far North. As you know we are regulars with LHH and have loved all our visits to your portfolio of "cottages" but suffice to say we very much hope to return to Drummondreach soon.

  K&LNov 2018

• "Just back from a wonderful week at Skylarks, Drummondreach!"

  There were 6 of us plus our wee dog. This property was to a very high standard, everything was top notch. Very comfortable beds with clean fresh white linen. Bathrooms with top quality fittings, as was the kitchen. We have stayed in many many self catering lodges/cottages but I have never been in one so well equipped, it even had a huge array of spices & cooking, baking equipment. Games, books & dvds. One thing that made it special was the range of Ordnance Survey Maps!! From the moment we walked in, it felt like a home from home. The view from the property was spectacular, no matter the weather. I must also mention the outdoor sauna, a perfect place to de-stress & unwind! I would say if you are looking for somewhere to relax, this is it! If you are looking for somewhere to explore this magnificent part of the country, this is it! I cannot speak highly enough of this property, you really just need to bring your clothes & yourself!

  The Ritchie FamilyNov 2018

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