Ceol-na-Mara

19 Customer Reviews

• "We have just spent a lovely week at Ceol Na Mara with our two Chihuahuas."

  The cottage was clean and cosy, and the view's from the windows were absolutely beautiful looking out towards the sea. We saw some amazing sunrises. The kitchen is well equipped, including a good set of sharp knives, plenty of cooking utensils, pots and pans. There is plenty of room in the kitchen cupboards for putting stuff in, and a good sized fridge freezer. The bed mattress was soft, but comfortable enough, unlike the sofas in the sitting room. One was so low to the ground, it was difficult to get up, and wasn't comfy at all. The other wasn't much better, and we both ended up with bad backs. The back garden is very large, and enclosed by a dry stone wall. In some places this is very low, and a medium sized dog could easily jump over, especially as there are rabbits running about everywhere. I find it a good idea to do an online shop to be delivered to the cottage for when you get there, it saves time driving around looking for shops for bread and milk etc. All in all, we had a great week, visiting Brora, Dornoch Thurso and beyond. The dogs loved the beaches, and long walks. The only negative us as I mentioned earlier is the extremely uncomfortable sofas.

  Dear Mr Pryde, We’re so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your well deserved holiday at the cottage. It sounds like you have made some wonderful memories. We are upset to hear about your experience with the sofa, they are relatively new but we appreciate they are never going to be to everyone’s liking. However we will take your comments on board and will start saving up for replacements. The comfort of our guests is of the utmost importance to us. The dry stone wall is original to the cottage and is very old. We absolutely love it and it is reflective of the crofting heritage of Caithness. We certainly do not wish to change it. We always recommend that dogs are kept under close supervision at all times due to keeping our neighbours livestock safe and also the abundant local wildlife. So it would be our hope that no dogs will be jumping over the wall. Thank you for all your feedback however, we appreciate you taking the time to make us aware. Abi Property Owner

  Reviewed by David3.4★Nov 2024

• "Lovely property in beautiful location."

  Loved the views, and the peaceful location. While there we got to experience fantastic show from the northern lights and some beautiful sun rises. Despite low temperatures outside, the house was warm and cosy. The hot tub and log burner were great to come back to after days out exploring. The only downside was having to clear up in the garden after previous guests dogs, but that’s not the owners fault. Highly recommend this property, and can’t wait to go back again.

  Dear Mr Halliwell, Thank you so much for your kind words. We’re so pleased to hear how much you enjoyed the cottage and your holiday and we’re delighted to hear that you hope to return! We were absolutely mortified to hear about the dog mess and whole heartedly apologise, that’s not what you want to see on your holiday. Thank you so much for your kindness and understanding. We’re working with our lovely cleaning ladies to see where we can place some appropriate signage to remind guests that they must clean up after their pets. Thank you once again. Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Joshua4.4★Oct 2024

• "This is not suitable for people of a certain age as getting in and out of shower is dangerous as there is no handle for support."

  Also the table and bench are also very uncomfortable and the double bed is also needing new mattress. We also had only 1 bath towel each and no hand towels also 1 hand towel in bathroom between 3 adults this was for a 2 week holiday celebration for my mother-in-laws 90th birthday, also we left a day earlier as vacating for 9am would have been a rush. Also we have been around that area for years and it’s the only one that when you arrive there was nothing in cupboards ie seasoning cleaning products we had to buy it all normally I leave this for guests who are arriving but I took it all home.

  Dear Mrs Welsh, My husband and I are very sorry to hear your comments and please be rest assured that we will certainly take your feedback on board so that we can make improvements. Thank you very much once again for your booking. We hope that your mother-in-law had a very happy birthday. Best Regards, Abigail Property Owner

  Reviewed by Rhona2.5★Sep 2024

• "We had a fabulous stay at Ceol-na-mara."

  The cottage really felt like home from home. Cute, cosy and very comfortable. So peaceful and secluded with horses and lots of wild rabbits everywhere. Loved looking out at the sea every day, stunning views. Was too cloudy and full moon for star gazing but definitely want to return and star gaze from the hot tub like other guests enjoyed. Would definitely recommend here to stay, we loved travelling around as much as NC500 we could each day. We went as far as Tounge. There was so much to see and do. We visited the Castle of Mey and it was great to meet the folk who look after the Royals when they visit. There are too many highlights to mention as there is so much to see. Thanks for having us.

  We’re absolutely over the moon to hear how much you enjoyed your holiday! Thank you so so much for taking the time to write us such a wonderful review, we’re very grateful! We certainly hope to welcome you back again very soon. The winter months are pretty spectacular for star gazing and the February sunrises are stunning! All the best, Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Haidee5.0★Aug 2024

• "It was a nice cottage in a lovely location."

  There was an issue with the plumbing which was dealt very promptly.

  Thank you so much for taking the time to write us a review. We’re so pleased to hear that you loved the location and the cottage and we hope you enjoyed your holiday. We’re very sorry for the issue with the plumbing and we’re pleased to hear that you felt it was dealt with and fixed very quickly. Property Owner

  Reviewed by Margot3.8★Jul 2024

• "We had a great week at Ceòl na Mara."

  The cottage is cosy and comfortable, with gorgeous views. We loved the hottub and the nature garden, and found some amazing local areas to explore. Mòran taing

  We’re so pleased to hear how much you enjoyed your stay! Thank you very much for taking the time to provide us with such lovely feedback Property Owner

  Reviewed by Karen Anne5.0★Jul 2024

• "We really enjoyed our stay at the cottage."

  Pros/cons - warm and cosy feel to the property. Location is good but couldn’t walk the dogs immediately from the property. Mattress is very soft but will did actually sleep well. Garden is walled (low wall though and only suitable for well behaved dogs). The garden was bursting with flowers which was really pretty and enjoyable. The hot tub was excellent and a real pleasure even if the weather was poor it was still worth going in as it was so hot. The kitchen is good but we felt a few things would really help. There was no salt and pepper, or any general bits like oil, sugar, cleaning spray, no collider. Also one toilet roll for the week was a little stingy, no bathroom products like shower gel or shampoo, no matches to light the fire. The fire place flu needs a bit of attention I think? The property was nice but would have felt like a bit of a tight squeeze for 4 people. We were there as a couple. I think in future an outside space to really be able to sit on like a mini patio would be very welcome. The table and chairs for outside wouldn’t really accommodate 4 people. On the whole the property was comfortable, clean and very suitable for a lovely stay in the area. Thank you so much.

  We’re absolutely delighted to hear how much you enjoyed your stay! Thank you so much for the very helpful feedback too, especially about the kitchen items. The ones you listed are usually all there, so we’ll certainly get those sorted and we’re sorry they had gone missing. The woodburner is due it’s yearly check shortly so we will most certainly mention the flue to get double checked. Thank you once again and we certainly hope to welcome you back to the cottage again soon! Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Floris4.7★Jun 2024

• "Promotional Pictures are flattering!"

  Property starting to look a bit tired now. Struggled to get in at front, lucky back was left unlocked? Quite a few minor defects and deficiencies in the inventory, not getting passed back to whoever is managing the property? Inadequate storage if you were a party of 4, 1 small dwarf wardrobe in main bedroom, no hanging space in twin. Garden looks unkempt and gives a bad first impression! (There is a fine line between letting go wild, and neglected???) Part of derelict roof in garden? Random dumpy bag, discarded guttering, plastic bucket etc. Weeds up to the back door. The Hot Tub cover bar is broken, and keeps breaking, broken bits of strap everywhere? Woodburner door seal is hanging off and flue pipe leaks? All this is quite livable of course, but if you are charging a Premium rate, you should maintain it to a Premium Product Standard? Stop banking/spending the profits in Kent and put some back in to the asset at Caithness??? (Out of sight, out of mind???) Stealing the extra hour at check out is a step too far, with 4pm check in that is already a day of your holiday lost? To get up early and rush around to be out for 9am is not a great feel or way to end a relaxing holiday, especially when the "cleaners" have already arrived and are moving in at 5 to 9??? So you have to get packed and tidy the day before another day impacted! (There is no evidence that 7 hours is being spent prepping that property prior to check-in???) Cannot argue with all the Rosey tinted reviews in the guest book, the area, the views, the wildlife, the peace and quiet. Fantastic, second to none. But you did not provide that, nature did? Yes Disappointed, could have been so much better, probably cost less than a weeks rental to put the little things right?

  Thank you very much for your feedback and giving us such extensive detail. It's incredibly important to us that we do all we can to provide our guests with a wonderful experience so that they can have an enjoyable holiday, so it's very disappointing to us to read all the points you have made. We are very sorry that the cottage was not up to your expectations. We are staying for a month soon and will enjoy putting everything right as best as we can. We've owned the cottage since 2022 and have so far completely stripped back the double room to the original stone work, with new plaster-boarding and decorating. I'm sure you can appreciate that this takes time and is also very expensive. We intend to do the same to the kitchen next year and are busy saving up. We do not charge a premium rate as a result and are guided completely by what Sykes feel we should set our rates to. Please bear in mind that not every holiday cottage owner makes a profit, we never do. We love it and intend to look after it as best we can over many years to come. We also donate a week stay (and cover all cleaning costs) to charity every year so disadvantaged families can enjoy a well deserved holiday on us. Should we ever start making a profit one day, the funds will go straight back into our much loved cottage. Until then we are working extremely hard back in Kent to raise the funds we need to restore it. We're so pleased that we have had many guests tell us they have had such a wonderful stay, indeed the 5 separate guests who stayed the weeks before you scored it 100/100. We're hopeful that our guests can see we are working incredibly hard to restore the cottage to the best of our ability. Thank you Property Owner

  Reviewed by Peter2.2★May 2024

• "Fabulous property, clean and warm with all the amenities needed for a relaxing break."

  Plenty to do and see in the area. Lovely restaurant with sea views nearby. Great contact from the owner. Can’t wait to go back

  We’re delighted to hear how much you enjoyed your holiday at Ceol-na-Mara! Thank you so much for taking the time to write us a lovely review. Was so nice to chat to you too! Hope to welcome you back to the cottage again soon Property Owner

  Reviewed by Jane5.0★May 2024

• "What an amazing base for a Highland holiday - the views (from any window) were fantastic - rabbits running around the garden and incredible views of the sea to the front- especially at sunrise."

  The cottage was cosy and the hot tub after a long day of hiking was a godsend. The log burner is great and neighbours are lovely. Breathtaking mountains and beaches are all very close, and driving on the A9 in any direction is beautiful. Brora beach was great for seal spotting, and herds of deer were spotted while hiking in the mountains. The drive north from Helmsdale is a great one and Melvich beach is worth a visit. We loved our stay at Ceol-na-Mara and fell in love with the Highlands, thank you very much for sharing it with us- my only issue was that we didn’t book a two-week stay.

  Thank you so much for leaving us such an amazing review Mr Wilkins, we so appreciate it! We’re absolutely over the moon to hear how much you have enjoyed your holiday and we certainly hope to welcome you back again soon Property Owner

  Reviewed by Samuel5.0★Apr 2024

• "My friend and I had a wonderful time at Ceol na Mara."

  It was clean, comfortable and peaceful. Everything we needed was there. My wee dog also had a fantastic time running around the huge garden. The only thing -which is entirely out of your control - we weren't able to use the hot tub quite as often as we would have liked due to the weather. A permanent covering of some description would be great. I did bring a gazebo but sadly it was a bit too windy for it. We are hoping to come back in the future.... hopefully the weather will be more accommodating! Thank you for having us in your gorgeous wee cottage

  Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such great feedback Elizabeth, we’re so so pleased to hear that you and your friend (and your lovely dog!) had such a nice break. We hope to welcome you back again soon! We’ll certainly look into what we can do in terms of a permanent covering for the hot tub. Thank you once again Property Owner

  Reviewed by Elizabeth5.0★Apr 2024

• "This place is amazing, absolutely loved every part."

  ... It was a surprise for my partners 40th Birthday & she was so made up with every part of the stay.

  Thank you so so much for leaving us such kind comments, we so appreciate it! We’re absolutely delighted to hear you enjoyed your stay so much at Ceol-na-Mara and that you have such special memories now from celebrating your partners birthday. We very much hope to welcome you back again soon. Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Andrew5.0★Dec 2023

• "Lovely secluded location, well equipped cottage although additional large towels for the hot tub would have been appreciated and standard terrestrial TV too but the smart TV and Netflix account, together with our own Amazon prime TV did allow adequate entertainment, necessary in winter season with early dark afternoons."

  Coffee pod machine was an added bonus as was the large enclosed garden enjoyed by out 4 legged friend. We did have to contact Sykes Cottages as both normal and recycling bins were full to overflowing when we arrived and despite putting these out for early collection on the Monday, they were not emptied leaving us an issue with disposing of our own waste, we thought it seemed bins had nor been emptied for the last few lets ? We are still awaiting Sykes to comment

  Thank you very much for taking the time to provide us such kind comments about the cottage, we’re very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay. We certainly apologise about the bin collections and please do be rest assured that this has now been resolved. Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Charles4.1★Nov 2023

• "We had a fantastic time at Ceol Na Mara."

  The cottage is lovely and has everything you need. So isolated and peaceful here with amazing views over the sea and plenty of beautiful harbours and beaches to visit along the coast. The hot tub is an added bonus to relax in at the end of the day. Overall a wonderful time was had by all and the property is a credit to Abi and Mikes hard work. Thank you Andy Rach and Girls Devon

  Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such lovely feedback Andy, we so appreciate it! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay and very much hope to welcome you back again soon! Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Andrew5.0★Aug 2023

• "The property was basic but had a lovely character."

  The views were superb. The garden and hot tub were enjoyable. It is a great place to sit and relax and plenty to do nearby. Loved walking round all the harbours and learning about the area. Lovely spot to enjoy the sun sparkling on the sea.

  Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely review. We’re so pleased you enjoyed your stay! Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Sandra4.4★Jun 2023

• "Me and my partner had a lovely stay in the cottage, we would absolutely stay again."

  Personally I think there should be a big brush and possibly a mop left in the cottage itself. Thank you for letting us stay

  Thank you so much Gabriella to you and your partner for your kind words. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay so much and will return! We will absolutely purchase a mop and large brush for guest use, that’s really helpful feedback. Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Gabriella3.8★May 2023

• "Lovely Clean & Comfy cottage, really relaxing and peaceful, loved staying at Ceol-na-Mara"

  Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a great review; we’re really grateful. It’s lovely to hear you enjoyed your stay so much and we hope to welcome you back again soon. Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Sarah5.0★Jan 2023

• "An absolutely fabulous cottage."

  No surprises. Delightfully presented, it's not perfect as the owners state, but we had the most relaxing holiday we've had as a family for a long time (even though the weather was pretty interesting

  Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely review Dawn, we really appreciate it! As you spotted in our ‘Welcome Folder’ message, we know we don’t have things perfect just yet, but we’re so so pleased you and your family got to have such a relaxing and well deserved holiday at Ceol-na-Mara. We very much hope to welcome you back again soon. Best Regards, Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Dawn3.8★Oct 2022

• "Loved our stay!"

  ! Comfortable and relaxing will definitely be back the silence was bliss.

  We’re so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay and thank you for your kind words. We hope to welcome you back to the cottage soon! Best Regards from Abi & Mike Property Owner

  Reviewed by Ross5.0★Sep 2022

• There are no reviews featuring this term Show all reviews