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"We loved the comfortable and spacious apartment, especially the sociable kitchen."
The grounds were wonderful for the children and adults alike, particularly the Playful garden...so beautifully designed. The car rally was amazing....an unexpected bonus, as was the sunny weather. We would love to return and would highly recommend!
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. We are very lucky to have such wonderful castles and estates in our care and staff that are passionate about looking after them.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Linda4.7★Aug 2024
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"A fantastic holiday, such a beautiful and historic building in a perfect location."
Reviewed by Kirstin4.1★Jul 2024
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"Staying at Laird’s wing was a very unique and special experience."
The property was full of character and the accommodation had been carefully thought out. The facilities, cleanliness and level of maintenance were in line with the age and type of property - it won’t compare to a modern property, but was entirely in line with what we expected given the age. There were some lovely touches in the accommodation and lots of little extras. All staff made us feel very welcome and the free tour of the main castle was a perfect addition and knowing the stories of where you are staying made it extra special. The castle grounds were beautiful and the location was perfect for us given the proximity to the main road and nearby towns with shops and restaurants, but there were also lovely and peaceful walks nearby. Overall we would not hesitate to recommend this property!
Lovely to read your feedback and we hope to welcome you back to Brodie or one of the other NTS cottages and apartments.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Marina4.1★Jul 2024
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"Great location with lots of living space for our family of 13."
Enjoyed play areas and walking in the grounds. Another shower would have been useful especially with 5 children in our party.
The kitchen was particularly kitted out with quality appliances and utensils.
Thank you very much for the feedback, glad to read that you enjoyed your stay. We are very limited in what we can do with the bathrooms in the apartment as it is a listed building and has quite old plumbing.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Joan4.4★Apr 2024
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"The property was an ideal venue where a welcome pack was waiting for us and well equipped and warm for our family get- together."
On arrival Jamie and Alison walked and talked us through all the facilities. The children had such fun playing hide and seek in the vast apartment, enjoying the play park and the Playful garden, taking part in the Easter egg hunt around the estate, and we appreciated the fact that the egg reward at the finish was Moo Free for everyone which meant all in our group were catered for. Perhaps a downside to our week was the plumbing which meant that not every basin, bath or WC was in full working order and some windows rattled annoyingly overnight but otherwise a great venue with so many opportunities for places to visit in the area.
Reviewed by Colin4.7★Mar 2024
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"We were very happy with the overall layout of the property."
The number of public rooms was sufficient for a group of our size, although the reinstatement of the study would be appreciated. Our first point of contact, Jamie, was a pleasure to deal with - he was very welcoming and gave us an informative bespoke tour of the castle which we all very much enjoyed. The only minor criticism is that the kitchen would benefit from an extractor fan as the kitchen with open windows in the winter is very chilly.
Thank you very much for your kind words, glad you enjoyed the tour of the castle. We are limited as to what we can do in the apartment because of the age and the problem of running a new electric cable for an extractor.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Esther4.7★Dec 2023
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"This was a trip prompted by our grandkids after another visit to Brodie Castle in the summer."
We have family in the area, so combining a family get-together with the kids getting to live in a real castle for the week was an ideal opportunity. The Laird's wing is, as you would expect, steeped in history. It is a product of the many generations of Brodies (and now visitors) who have lived there. It may show signs of age, but it was spotlessly clean. The main kitchen on the ground is modern and ideally equipped to cater for large parties. It has modern fixtures and fittings, and fitted out to a professional standard. It has a large farmhouse style table with chairs and benches, perfect for early morning coffee, informal breakfasts and chats. The main dining room is accessed from the kitchen and is a wonderful entertaining space. The smaller kitchen/pantry on the first floor adjoining the drawing room is a convenient and warm space to do snacks and drinks. It also has a table and chairs with views across the gardens. We weren't able to use the study due to last minute changes, but the drawing room was spacious, comfortable, and big enough to accommodate everyone at the same time. The bedrooms are from a bygone age, but are spacious, comfortable and clean. They are individual, and full of character. Some of the beds (Blinkbonny in particular) were to die for! The four bathrooms were enough for a party of 14, but sharing was obviously essential. Castles weren't built with en suites in mind, but that's part of the charm and and the fun. Most importantly, especially for a winter trip like ours, the heating is modern and efficient and Brodie was warm and welcoming, as were the Trust staff. The invitation for the kids to meet Santa as part of the festivities was really appreciated, and both kids and adults enjoyed the experience. Santa was a marvel-who knew he was so well-bred! Lastly but not least, the grounds of Brodie are spacious and a perfect opportunity to walk off the essential over-indulgence of castle living. The play areas for kids are modern and well maintained, while in summer months, the Playful Garden plays home to Brodie's giant rabbit and so much more. Brodie is a marvel of Moray's rich history: a castle built over centuries, but still a family home. It was a pleasure to be part of it, if only for a week. If you've ever thought of seeing a different side of life-and history-then look no further than Brodie Castle. You won't regret it.
Reviewed by Gordon4.7★Dec 2023
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"Unique once in a lifetime stay at our family clan castle."
Really enjoyed our stay
Reviewed by David4.1★Oct 2023
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"This is a wonderful property full of history."
Very enjoyable stay.
Reviewed by Malcolm5.0★Sep 2023
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"Firstly, I should say that both Kirsty and Jamie were most helpful during our stay."
Also, that the accommodation has much in its favour in terms of location, character, artworks, grounds etc.
It was unfortunate that the hot water system on the second floor stopped working on 29th August. We tried to get it working by using the control panel on that floor, which we found to be in the ‘Off’ mode - we switched it to the ‘All Day’ mode. However, by the morning of 30th August when the water was still cold, we reported the issue to Jamie. He said that a member of the team would take a look that morning. Later that day we were told that the aim was to have a plumber look at it that evening or the following morning. At 2pm on 31st August, as we had not heard from anyone, we messaged Jamie asking if the water had been fixed. He replied to say that the plumber had not been to see it as yet, but was being chased to visit that afternoon. Later that afternoon the plumber did attend and he got the hot water working.
Whilst we appreciate that a boiler/heating system breakdown is unfortunate and cannot be foreseen, the issue was compounded by the poor bathroom provision in the apartment. Although the apartment seemingly has one shower room and three bathrooms, the top floor breakdown left us with one shower room and a bathroom for 11 people, which was awkward.
We have to say that the bathroom/shower provision was an embarrassment to us as we had invited family and friends to stay with us.
The one shower room has seen better days – the sealant was mouldy. One shower between 11, and potentially 14 guests, is too few. Really, given the number of people the apartment is intended to host, a second shower cubicle on the top floor is a must.
Of the three bathrooms, one bath did not have a plug, so could not be filled. It had mouldy sealant along the top of wood wainscotting where water from a handheld shower has been running down.
One toilet on the top floor cannot be used fully.
The entrance lobby toilet was grimy below the water line.
A small thing, but the plug in the washbasin in the ‘exotic birds’ bathroom on the top floor was crumbling with decay and dirty looking. It would be a very low cost and easy thing to replace.
Generally, the apartment is a little grubby and in need of a deep clean.
Here are a few examples of what we mean:
- The banister rails were sticky – one member of the party had a bad knee and had to grip onto them took the initiative and cleaned them!
- The stair carpet is grubby and has dust where one tread meets the next.
- The kitchen chair backs are sticky.
- We had to wash most items in the kitchen before we could use them – pans, food mixer etc.
- The radiators were dusty and the paint on the radiators in the four-poster room was flaking and sprinkled over the floor beneath.
- The sofa covers in the drawing room were stained/dirty.
Apart from the general feeling of lack of cleanliness:
- The pillows/continental quilts were of poor quality artificial fibre
- A number of mattresses were past their best and uncomfortable
- It was not possible to open a window in one of the top floor bedrooms (Muir something?) – they appeared to be sealed shut. So, no fresh air.
- The kitchen scales were not working – though Jamie kindly replaced them
- All the clocks had stopped due to batteries having run out
- The kitchen did not have scissors or a bread board – really pretty basic requirements
- Though the Brodie gardens were colourful with flowers, we were greeted with drab artificial flower arrangements
- Internal doors were grubby and the paint was chipped
Taken alone, these are all minor things, but, as they mounted up, they left us with a general sense of disappointment with the apartment and a feeling that it did not live up to its £4,500 price tag for the week.
Could we recommend it to others? To be frank, no.
Thank you very much for taking the time to provide us with such constructive feedback.
We also appreciate your kind words regarding our onsite team, and the location, grounds, artwork and the character of the property.
We are truly sorry that your accommodation did not meet your expectations and our usual high standards. As you indicated there was a fault with the boiler breaking down, which has now been resolved. We have also taken steps to address many of the other issues you have mentioned. Finally we have scheduled the property for refurbishment in the near future and hope that we may welcome you back and this time exceed your expectations.
Property Owner
Reviewed by John1.6★Aug 2023
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"We absolutely loved our stay and would come back again if possible."
The rooms are amazing, there was one bed in I believe the Flockeys room that my dad said was the worst mattress he ever tried to sleep on... Lol. He just moved rooms. Hoping we left the castle in good condition. In the letter left for us, it stated to strip beds and etc in bags provided but we weren't provided any. The gentleman locking up for the night on our last night told us that the cleaning crew does that and not to worry about the linens, towels, and refrigerator contents. Which was very nice but we did take out all the trash and washed and put away all the dishes. Hoping we did ok. I would 100% recommend staying there to anyone. Thank you for the experience of a lifetime!
Thank you very much for the feedback, glad that your Dad found the other bed more comfortable for him. It is difficult to know what type of mattresses suits a wide range of guests. Thank you so much for taking the rubbish out and for washing up your final dishes. That helps our team so much in getting a large apartment ready for the next guests.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Heather4.1★Jul 2023
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"Wonderful, delightful stay."
Jamie was brilliant and accommodating. I highly recommend staying at Brodie Castle. The kitchen is great for groups we cooked almost every night and morning. Truly Enchanting!
Many thanks for your comments and we hope to welcome you back to Brodie Castle.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Gena4.4★Jun 2023
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"It would be great to be able to open the skylight for fresh air in the kitchen when cooking."
There is no ventilation in the kitchen at the moment. Paragraph
Otherwise we were really pleased with The Laird’s Wing.
Reviewed by Robert5.0★May 2023
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"We as a family had a fantastic stay over New Year, perfect accommodation with lots of room and very cosy."
The grounds are amazing and we welcomed the different walks availability around the castle.
I would highly recommend and we will definitely book again.
Reviewed by Lynne5.0★Dec 2022
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"Really enjoyed our weeks holiday, plenty of space for everyone and good big drawing room for everyone to be together."
Lovely grounds to enjoy walking around.
Many thanks for your feedback, glad to read that you enjoyed your holiday at Brodie Castle. We hope to welcome you back.
Property Owner
Reviewed by William3.8★Jul 2022
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"Can't wait to come again!"
!
You are very welcome to come back and thank you for the excellent review
Property Owner
Reviewed by Dawn4.4★May 2022
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"Fabulous stay."
Great location and venue. Well worth a trip.
Would be ideal if you could dust the vent in the bathroom with the shower cabinet and also pop a curtain over the glass of the door into that room for privacy from people in the corridor.
Many thanks for your feedback. We have noted your suggestions about the vent and door.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Helen5.0★Mar 2022
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"The Lairds wing was a period apartment."
Great experience! Comfortable facilities were great and cleanliness good. WiFi free but very difficult to link up as reception poor.
Staff brilliant.
Thank you very much for your kind comments. Unfortunately in such an old stone building getting a strong wifi signal will always be a problem.
Property Owner
Reviewed by Margaret4.4★Feb 2022
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