MACKAYS The House

Aug 31st, 2022

My family & I would stay here again in a heartbeat. The House - There were three of us and our Dog staying for a week. The House is absolute luxury and we felt as though we were in a boutique hotel, the attention to detail is excellent and furniture, home accent accessories, fixtures and fittings of the highest quality and comfort. I particularly loved the master bathroom tub but really, everything about the house was so special. Total comfort, easy parking on the drive, amazing views of the sea from the garden and upstairs picture window. It was actually quite hard to go out and always a joy to return. There were many thoughtful touches around the House; stylish magazines, a wood burner set to go with plenty of additional wood, a lovely bottle of wine, locally artisan chocolate (amazing!) on arrival and flowers picked from the garden as well as binoculars to encourage viewing. The way the House was presented encouraged us to take advantage of the views and there was even a beautiful desk with a view out to sea which encouraged some letter/postcard writing & reflection time. There were a variety of local maps available and Fiona made some fantastic recommendations of local restaurants to try out, many of which we did and thoroughly enjoyed. The kitchen is also a sheer delight with top notch appliances (I loved the cooker and the fridge freezer which were huge! ) and well stocked with good quality crockery, cutlery, glasses etc all of which you would happily want in your own home. The House was immaculately clean and, although we were only three, The House would be perfect for a bigger group without any compromise on comfort. Thank you Fiona & Robbie for sharing your wonderful home. The Host: Fiona could not have been more wonderful throughout the booking stage, check-in and arrival. She called me personally a couple of times to make sure I had everything I needed before we arrived, gave very clear check-in instructions and called me on check-in day to make sure our journey was going ok and to let me know that an earlier check-in time was possible. She very kindly offered and arranged for us to have local fish and meat on arrival at the House. I was really impressed with Fiona's commitment to her local area and to support the local businesses (The Spar, restaurants, local artisans etc).I didn't have the opportunity to meet Fiona and would have loved to be able to personally thank her - so Thank You! Durness and surrounding area - The House is so well situated for amazing local coastal walks and there are so many wonderful, peaceful beaches nearby, if you don't have a car to explore, you won't be lost for things to do. Smoo Cave, Balkeniel, Sandwood, Kylesku (especially the highlight of our week at The Kylesku Hotel for dinner 5 *+!) The Whale Tail was a wonderful surprise too. We didn't have time to do as much as we would have liked to as there were so many possibilities. The Spar was our local shop and, honestly, there were so many amazing quality food, drink and other supplies available (also a Post Office) that you couldn't want for more. Basics, local produce and high quality treats and Brands - a delight to shop and we especially liked picking up a fresh baked croissant and some coffee from the machine in the morning and sitting on a bench overlooking the beach (less than four minutes walk away). The Team at The Spar have to be commended for being out and our Stars, very welcoming, friendly and helpful, they go above and beyond and I'd like to thank them also in this review for making that part of our stay so easy - you work very hard that's obvious and always have a smile for Travellers! Thank You! Durness seems full of local folk who cherish their place but who are keen to share its' wonders with the likes of us, kind, friendly and helpful.
Jul 12th, 2022

A very well thought out and executed facility. Good equipment, solid windows, wonderful hearth etc. The interior is very stylish, high quality, fitting the building and region and displays a deep appreciation for Scottish craftsmanship. Great view from the upstairs living room window, great scenery all around. Just a pity that pubs and facilities were closed. The Spar was open and only 100 meters walk away. All the rest takes hours. But, all in all, more than worthwhile
Mar 3rd, 2022

Jun 1st, 2019