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5 Guests
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3 Bedrooms
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1 Bathroom
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Pets Yes
Features
- Ground floor accommodation
- Ground floor bedroom
- Open fire
- Garden / Patio
- Cot available
- Highchair available
- Washing machine
- Broadband / WiFi
Reviews & Ratings
35 Customer Reviews
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"Loved the cottage, great location near Cupar."
In the middle of Fife made it easy to reach everywhere we wanted to go. We have stayed in Glenrothes, Anstruther and largo before, but this was the easiest base to get where we wanted to go. Loved the cottage, ideal for dog owners. Nice walks on your doorstep, literally, to get dogs tired out before going out. Good size for three people will take 5. Now there is a train station near Leven, can get in for the day and it's only 20 mins to the train station So nice we are going to book again
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"Lovely setting and good walking country."
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"The cottage and location is excellent and the peace and quietness and walks are beautiful."
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"We have stayed here several times before and thorough enjoyed the cottage and the area hence returning several times a year."
Our heating stopped working on the one of the independent radiators and its was promptly replaced so we couldn't fault the care.
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"A Cozy Retreat at West Cottage, Hill of Tarvit - A Mixed Bag of Experiences I recently spent seven days at the West Cottage, Hill of Tarvit, booked through Sykes Cottages."
Overall, it was a charming getaway with a few standout moments, but there were also areas where the experience could have been better. The Good: Location: The cottage is nestled in the beautiful grounds of Hill of Tarvit, offering a serene and picturesque environment. It’s perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse themselves in nature. Historical Charm: Staying within the estate of the Hill of Tarvit Mansion was an enriching experience. The opportunity to explore the mansion’s interiors and the surrounding grounds added a unique historical element to our stay. Private Garden: The enclosed garden at West Cottage was a lovely feature. We enjoyed setting up an outdoor tent and hot tub, which provided a nice way to relax and enjoy the outdoors, even when the weather wasn't ideal. Family-Friendly: The cottage worked well for a family holiday. The kids enjoyed exploring the grounds, engaging in various activities like a woodland walk, and even a pillow fight in the cottage. The spacious layout accommodated us comfortably. The Not-So-Good: Check-In Timing: The check-in time of 5 PM felt quite late, especially after a long journey. It would have been more convenient to have access to the cottage earlier in the day. Kitchen Facilities: While the kitchen was functional, it could have been better equipped. We ended up preparing a mix of home-cooked meals and takeout, but a few more utensils and appliances would have made cooking more convenient. Weather Considerations: As expected in Scotland, the weather was unpredictable, which slightly limited our outdoor activities. While the hot tub helped mitigate this, it’s worth noting that outdoor plans might need to be flexible depending on the weather. Communication: There was a minor hiccup in communication among our group, which led to some tension. It wasn’t related to the cottage or Sykes Cottages, but it’s a reminder to ensure clear communication when traveling in a group. Final Thoughts: West Cottage offers a lovely escape with plenty of historical charm and a peaceful setting. It's a great choice for families or small groups looking to unwind. However, be prepared for the Scottish weather and ensure you have everything you need for cooking if you plan to self-cater. The late check-in was a bit inconvenient, but overall, the stay was enjoyable, and we left with many fond memories of our time at Hill of Tarvit.
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"When we arrived the television was not working."
We contacted the OOH team and the following day they provided a replacement. The only iassue we had with the holiday was that a Contractor (Scottish Water) wanted acceass to the property for a survey at 08.00 on the Thursday morning. I refused entry as the timing weas not convenient and we had no notice of the visit. Other than that the property was excellent and ideal for our purposes.
Many thanks for your feedback and we are glad that the team managed to exchange the TV for you. We have asked the relevant depts and we were not aware that Scottish Water needed access to the cottage. Property Owner
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"Where we stayed was not the same as the photo."
But it had everything that was described. It’s a gorgeous house, on the grounds of an estate with a golf course. It’s got a few wee bits of forest for dogs to run about in. The house itself was imaculate. Gorgeous secluded garden, no noise, friendly helpful staff that we initially met. We didn’t need them after that but were aware that they were available at all times. I would highly recommend especially if you want peace and quiet
West Cottage has been refurbished since you probably made your booking. We hope that you managed to visit the Mansion during your stay. Property Owner
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"Loved our stay, the grounds were well maintained, the cottage comfortable, clean and well kept."
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"Excellent cottage."
Furnished to a high standard. Access to very pretty grounds for local walks worked very well with 2 dogs .
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"Lovely cottage , staff very helpful , delightful setting , great holiday."
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"We really enjoyed West Cottage thank you for a wonderful holiday."
Everything lovely at Hill of Tarvit very peaceful and friendly perfect. Also a really nice area to visit Thank you.
Many thanks for your kind words and we hope to welcome you back to Hill of Tarvit or indeed any other of the 55 cottages and apartments NTS have through Scotland. Property Owner
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"Very warm and comfortable cottage."
Well stocked and it had everything we needed for our week long stay. Enjoyed the location and the dog walks to the top of Hill of Tarvit and around the perimeter of the golf course. The tour of the Tarvit house was interesting and we had a great week despite some wet weather.
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"The listing was accurate and honest."
We had a small problem with one of the appliances- and this was sorted straightaway. Claudia up at the house gave us a lovely introduction to the history of the building, and the guides in each room were friendly and informative. Everyone me met on site was lovely. I noted from a previous review that there was no cafetière- so we brought one with us. My only constructive criticism would be that some of the knives seem quite worn and missing fastenings- perhaps check these and replace as necessary. There was plenty to do in the area- including four visits to Janetta’s ice cream in St. Andrews and two to the Scottish best chip shop (2023) winner, The Wee Chippy in Anstruther. Lovely scenic walks, close to Edinburgh and Dundee and all mod cons, save for Wi-Fi, in the cottage. We did find decent mobile signal (Vodafone) in cottage and around the estate. All the sights and conveniences of Cornwall without so many people.
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"Exactly what was expected , peaceful break ,quite isolated ,glad we had transport ,dog loved it ."
No complaints . Cottage had everything we needed .
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"We all loved West Cottage including the dogs!"
All of the staff at the main house, Hill of Tarvit were helpful and we had a really enjoyable holiday.
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"The only thing missing in the cottage was a cafetiere to be able to make a ..."
The only thing missing in the cottage was a cafetiere to be able to make a decent cup of coffee otherwise we had everything we needed for a great stay
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"Love this cottage and the setting."
Have stayed in this and the East Cottage a few times.
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"Really enjoyable break in lovely cottage and grounds, Nice personal touch with our New Year card from Claudia."
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"A gem of a cottage."
Comfortable and set in the most beautiful countryside. Perfect for an autumn holiday nestled among trees and woodland. Can’t recommend highly enough and a fantastic location to visit Falkland, East of Neuk and the wonderful Kellie Castle.
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"Very nice and clean cottage in a lovely area, well maintained and well equipped."
Staff most welcoming and helpful. Would highly recommend.
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"Lovely property everything you need is provided comfortable beds everything clean and fresh"
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"A fantastic place to stay in tremendous surroundings."
Definitely recommended for a quiet, peaceful, and comfortable break.
Thank you very much and we hope to see you again at NTS Hill of Tarvit. Property Owner
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"Great location, lovely cottage and central to a lot of places"
Many thanks for your kind words and we hope to welcome you back to the National Trust for Scotland. Property Owner
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"We visit west cottage every year and always enjoy our stay, this year we appreciated the new mattresses on the beds which were very comfy and the new washing machine was great too."
The house would benefit from some new patio furniture as the old stuff is falling apart! We have to say that Claudia who worked in the mansion house was very helpful, she made sure we we’re having a pleasant stay. She’s a credit to the nts and in all the years we’ve been staying here she’s been the most helpful. Very kind, friendly and funny, what a lovely lady.
Thank you so much for the very positive comments about West Cottage and Claudia. We will certainly pass them onto her. We have noted your comment about the garden furniture. Property Owner
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"Lovely cottage in lovely surroundings."
Perfect holiday for us as family were nearby. Cottage was a home from home. We will definitely be booking again.
Many thanks for your kind comments and we look forward to welcoming you back Hill of Tarvit. Property Owner
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"Accommodation was lovely and set in beautiful surroundings."
The only issue I have is that the accommodation does not have any internet. I think the property owners should be providing this.
Sorry we are not able to provide internet in the cottage at this point. We do make sure all our info states there is no wifi. We are hoping to rectify this in the future, as Openreach are planning to build Full Fibre Broadband between April 2021 and December 2026 (according to their website). Property Owner
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"Great location and quiet"
Thank you Property Owner
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"We loved our short break here."
The cottage is well equipped and cosy. Instructions to find it and for the facilities we're brilliant. As listed there is no WiFi, but we got by with data from O2 (it was patchy, but that was what they described). Lovely walks for the dog too.
Thank you very much for your comments. Glad you enjoyed your stay at West Cottage Hill of Tarvit and we hope that you will return. Property Owner
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"Had a lovely holiday at West cottage."
Everything was as described, comfortable, clean and beautiful grounds to wander in. Only downside for us , there was no light outside the kitchen door. (sensor broken). Made it difficult exercising the dogs in the garden in the evening.
Many thanks for your feedback. We have reported the broken sensor to the property team at Hill of Tarvit. Property Owner
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"The cottage setting is outstanding."
The facilities are sufficient for a comfortable stay. The accommodation needs a deep clean and essential maintenance carried out. The heating is poor and the broken bathroom fan is causing substantial staining of the walls.
Thank you very much for your suggestions on how to improve West Cottage. We will of course put these into action as soon as we can. The property was painted throughout and earlier this year the kitchen and the kitchen window were completely rebuilt, tiled and painted. Following this a through and a complete deep clean of the whole cottage was carried out in April. We understand that as the property has had full occupancy this year since the start of May, this has resulted in some wear and tear which we will address as soon as we are able. The fan for the bathroom is on order and has been for a while. But with the ongoing supply problems it may just take a while longer for it to arrive. We do apologise for this delay. We are concerned about your comments re cleanliness. The cleaning company is generally excellent and our team undertake vigorous checks every weekend to ensure that everything is as it should be, so we will be discussing the points you made with them. The mattresses will be replaced at the end of this season. Property Owner
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"Overall we had a lovely holiday helped because of the good weather."
The cottage didn’t have a working bathroom fan so with 4 people using it became very damp. Lounge had long white dog hairs stuck in the carpet. Twin bedroom had black mould around the window frame and pink sticky sweets stuck in the 2nd drawer of the chest of drawers. The garden had 2 areas where our small dog could escape so we had to use the deckchairs to block these gaps.
Thank you for your comments and to assure you that the faulty bathroom fan is being dealt with. We have also discussed the issues with our cleaning company. Property Owner
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"Sykes sent 'end of holiday' reminders which were unnecesary and an irritant."
Sykes should stop assuming their holidaymakers are too thick to realise that their break is coming to an end and not tell people what they should do prior to leaving.
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"The extractor fan in bathroom was not working when we arrived."
There is a lot of black mould round windows in single bedroom. We found it noisy in mornings due to work vehicles moving around close to cottage.
Thank you for your feedback and we have dealt with the faulty bathroom fan. Property Owner
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"Lovely walks right outside cottage."
Nice garden to sit in. Double bedroom had electric meter in it which ticked loudly very irritating first few nights but wouldn’t stop us going back. Lots to do in surrounding area. Highly recommend
Thank you for your feedback. The electric meter ticking hasn't been mentioned before and we will explore if it can be moved at all. Property Owner
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"Excellent Cottage, clean, well eqipped and warm."
Nearbye NTS staff very helpful. Dog friendly and in pretty location.
Thank you very much, it is always lovely to read that our guests had a good holiday. Property Owner
Summary
- All ground floor
- Three bedrooms: 1 x double, 1 x twin, 1 x single
- Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin and WC
- Kitchen/diner
- Utility
- Sitting room with open fire
- Electric heating
- Electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge, freezer, washing machine
- TV, radio, DVD player
- WiFi
- Power inc. in rent
- Starter pack for fire provided from October to March
- Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
- Travel cot and highchair available
- There is parking available on the grass in front of the cottage, alternatively there is free parking for Sykes guests in the Pay and Display car park for the Mansion House
- Enclosed private garden
- Two well-behaved dogs welcome
- Sorry, no smoking
- Shop and pub 1.6 miles
- Holiday guests have access to the estate grounds outside of the regular opening hours
- The opening times, visitor facilities and entry prices of all National Trust for Scotland properties and attractions can be viewed on their website here
The property
Settled within the grounds of the National Trust for Scotland’s Edwardian mansion Hill of Tarvit, is this delightful dwelling, West Cottage.
Originally built as a home for the estate workers who maintained the mansion, West Cottage today provides a welcoming retreat for five guests in Cupar, Fife.
Nestled within its own private enclosed garden on the estate grounds, you can park up adjacent to the property before exploring the interior.
Venture into the kitchen/diner to find a homely spot to gather and begin cooking, with a farmhouse dining table as well as a country-style fitted kitchen, this room and the utility hold all you need for a self-catered stay.
Wind down in the lovely sitting room, with armchairs and a sofa to relax on after a day of rambling, plus an open fire to keep you toasty on a winter's eve.
Enjoy the benefit of an all-ground-floor layout, with three charming sleeping spots to choose from consisting of a double, a twin and a single room, all served by the spacious family bathroom where you can enjoy a relaxing soak.
Relish the lovely scenery of these well-kept grounds, as well as having your own private garden space.
For a relaxing retreat in Scotland, choose West Cottage.
This property can be booked with Refs. 1060390, 1060389, 1060391, together sleeping up to 18 guests.
EPC Rating: Band G
Short-term Holiday Let Licence No: FI-00070-F
Hill Of Tarvit Mansion Cottages
Resting just outside of Cupar in the region of Fife is Hill of Tarvit Mansion. Owned by the National Trust for Scotland and one of Scotland's finest Edwardian mansion houses, it offers an exceptional stay like no other. Originally built in the 17th century and later remodelled in 1906, it is now home to four beautiful properties awaiting your arrival for your Scottish adventure. The main mansion house boasts lavish furnishings, a Chinese porcelain collection and paintings by acclaimed artists, making this a truly unique choice for your Scottish escape. Staying within these stunning grounds offers guests access to explore all of the beautiful gardens, woodland, open heath and parkland, perfect for morning walks and picturesque afternoon strolls. Delve into the history of Hill of Tarvit with a traditional game of croquet on the lawn, or delight in one of the property's popular attractions, the original 9-hole hickory club golf course (charges apply), restored so you and your loved ones can enjoy the game as it was played in Edwardian times! Just ten miles from St Andrews, you can soak up the esteemed heritage of Scotland's oldest university and visit the world's most famous golf course, while the St Andrews Aquarium is a must-visit to see the black tip reef shark, seals and penguins, not forgetting to take a scenic stroll along West Sands Beach, before you find one of the many wonderful restaurants or cafés. More wondrous coastline awaits at East Neuk of Fife, with quaint harbours, pristine beaches and plenty of eateries offering freshly caught seafood on the menu, while another National Trust for Scotland property, Falkland Palace & Garden, rests within easy reach and is home to an impressive formal garden, awe-inspiring Renaissance architecture, and one of Britain’s oldest tennis courts, wonderfully placed next door to the Lomond Hills Regional Park. Kellie Castle & Gardens (NTS) is also just a scenic car journey away, here you can roam amidst the Arts & Crafts garden, observe one of the oldest ornamental plaster ceilings in Scotland in the library, and visit the sculpture studio of Hew Lorimer in the stables! Embark on your next adventure around Scotland from the enchanting Hill of Tarvit Mansion Cottages.
About the location
CUPAR, FIFE
St Andrews 9.7 miles; Kirkcaldy 17.8 miles
Enveloped by rolling hills, positioned alongside the babbling River Eden, in the historic county of Fife, is the picturesque town of Cupar. It retains much of its medieval character including a number of historic buildings; the Hill of Tarvit, an Edwardian mansion being well worth the visit. Owned by the National Trust for Scotland since 1949, the house contains an impressive collection of 18th-century Chippendale and French furniture, as well as Chinese porcelain and lovely Dutch paintings. The Scottish Deer Centre nearby covers over 55 acres of greenery, with 13 species of deer from around the world, Fife's only wolf pack, otters and other rare Scottish breeds. The park is simply beautiful and makes a superb day out with guided tours, woodland walks, nose-to-nose sessions and birds of prey demonstrations, along with so much more! The town offers a bustling hub of shops, pubs and eateries as well as an interesting mix of old and modern buildings. There is an excellent Golf Museum, aquarium, cathedral and a beautiful botanical garden. The Fife Coastal Path also beckons with so much to discover along its 117 miles of dramatic scenery. You can start at the Forth of Tay and journey on a wonderful walking experience to the Forth of Firth in the south. Pass through small fishing villages, across award-winning beaches and rugged cliffs on an adventure you won't forget in a hurry. Further afield you also have the town of Kirkcaldy and the riverside city of Perth. Choose Cupar as a base for your next holiday in Scotland, for a much-deserved break.
This property offers the following short breaks:
- Winter
- Off-season
- Last minute
- Christmas