Dog Friendly Fife Holiday Cottages

Reviews

What our customers say about their holidays

• Olushola Damilola - Verified booking

  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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• Lauren - Verified booking

  We had a wonderful honeymoon at Dunira!

  It was absolutely spotless when we got there and there was even a little gift waiting for us as newlyweds which was so lovely! My husband is over 6ft tall but was still comfortable walking around upstairs in the eves. The bed was comfortable and bed sheets were lush too (I actually had a snoop at what brand they were so I could purchase some!) We had the log burner on most nights and made use of the beautiful bath tub - it’s a stunning feature! Parking was a dream and there was lots to do in the village! Helen’s Bakery do AMAZING pies and breakfast sandwiches, and Campbells was lovely for lunch! Falkland Palace was a stones throw from Dunira and we spent a lovely couple of hours there wandering about. We drove to Ladybank to catch the train into Edinburgh as we were told it was a pain to park in Edinburgh. The train was only an hour and was £20 return for both of us. We also drove to Glenrothes to have a mooch round the shopping centre and do a bit of food shopping (there’s Aldi, Marks and Spencer, Asda etc). We will absolutely be booking another stay in the summer!

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• Jane - Verified booking

  PERFECT I have just returned from a fortnight at Shore View (although I had booked the property for a fortnight to get some work done I intend to return at some point this year for a holiday).

  The cottage was modern, warm, clean and very comfortable. The wi-fi connection was solid (I worked from here, including zoom meetings, all with no problems). What is brilliant about the cottage (apart from the obvious sea views) is how near EVERYTHING is, my car was hardly used the two weeks I was there. The beach is a short stroll down the street, the train station is across the road (45 minute direct train into centre of Edinburgh if you want to throw in a city break to your beach holiday) there is a restaurant and a pub (with outdoor seating area looking out to the sea) right next door (so no worrying who can't drink and has to do the driving) – have a meal, a drink watch the footie then just cross the path and your home. There is a corner shop at the other side of the cottages and a few yards further down the street a well stocked co-op shop. The cottage sits just behind the Fife Coastal Path, which is a well marked and busy path, that goes for miles along the coast. It really is a perfect little holiday spot!

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• Lorna - Verified booking

  Another wonderful stay at the Hill of Tarvit.

  We were pleased to see lovely new sofas and WiFi this time. The garden was well kept and it was great to go and buy some fruit and veg from the newly installed larder on the estate. The cottage was cosy and relaxing as ever. The only downside was no hand wash in the toilet, which would have been nice as other National Trust cottages do this as standard, along with some welcoming dog treats, poo bags and food. Also, the ironing board cover is the same one as five years ago and it’s very thin, so when any clothes are ironed, the diamond metal pattern transfers onto clothes. These are, however, minor details and we all had a fantastic stay. The staff at Hill of Tarvit are very friendly and are always happy to help. It was great visiting our usual beaches and walks at Tentsmuir and St. Andrew’s as well as Culross Palace, up to see the Selkies and an absolutely delicious meal at the Dory restaurant in Pittenweem. We will hopefully be back again next year.

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• Robert - Verified booking

  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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