hotel reviews
Practically pawfect
Don’t want to leave behind your pampered pooch while you go on holiday?
Look no further than these four pawfect dog-friendly retreats
Cairndale Hotel
by Jo and George Marshall from Hexham
The Cairndale Hotel & Leisure Club is within walking
distance of Dumfries centre. We had a lovely welcome from
staff – they really are dog lovers. Annie our labrador and
Flora our cocker spaniel were treated as VIPs throughout. A
toy each awaited them in our room with doggie treats and
loads of information on dog-friendly activities in the area.
Our room was really comfortable and spacious for the
four of us. We had a four-poster bed, proper coffee making
facilities, and a very stylish bathroom with a superb shower.
We enjoyed the leisure club. The pool is amazing and in the
afternoon we almost had it to ourselves. The spa is great
and for the more energetic there is a well-equipped gym.
There is also a games room including table tennis. After a
swim and time in the spa we took the dogs for a walk along
the river Nith, which was glorious in the autumn sunshine.
For dinner there was a good selection of starters and for
our main course we both had lamb followed by delicious
sticky toffee pudding. The house wine was excellent. Next
morning we had a generous breakfast (full Scottish of
course) including haggis. Nothing was too much trouble for
the staff. We checked out with a good send-off and headed
for the Dumfries & Galloway tourist trail. The dogs were
still clutching their toys as we left!
English Street,
dumfries
DG1 2DF
cairndalehotel.
co.uk
From £120 per
room for bed and
breakfast.
164
Karma Lake of Menteith
By Carol & Malcolm Brown from stirling
A very warm welcome awaits you and your dog at this
beautiful country house hotel in the Trossachs. A fantastic
setting with all the facilities you could want. The hotel was
recently taken over by the Karma Group and the plans for
further development sound amazing.
You and your dog(s) are welcome everywhere in the hotel
and grounds except the restaurant: special tables are set up
in the Port Bar to make sure you do not feel excluded. There
are lovely gardens overlooking the lake and plenty of areas
to walk nearby. Our bedroom was amazing, overlooking the
lake. It was well-furnished and there was a bed, bowls and a
sleeping mat for Islay; she got the best deal.
The staff here are amazing with dogs; everyone seemed
to have treats in their pockets. The general manager, Chris
Diplock, was always on hand, scanning the horizon to
ensure that his guests were looked after – and they are. Our
stay, in great weather, included a BBQ supper which was a
winner, especially the locally-caught rainbow trout.
We noticed that day visitors were made just as welcome
as residential guests (including their dogs). This is a home
away from home and you would be insane to miss the
opportunity to visit. The Malt Vault has an impressive range
of top-notch Scotch, and behind the bar Karma’s own wine
is also available (which is amazing!). If you are travelling in
Scotland or coming from further afield you would be remiss
to not call in at this fantastic location. We’ll definitely return.
Port of
menteith,
stirling
FK8 3RA
karmagroup.com
From £149 per
night per room for
DBB.
www.scottishfield.co.uk
Logierait Lodges
by cicely & john mcculloch from penicuik
As we sped up the A9, the September sun blessed us with a
glorious day. First stop was Scone Palace, where we spent a
very interesting few hours which included lunch. A text from
Logierait Lodges then informed us that the lodge was ready
for us any time after lunch, which we found very welcoming.
Named after the rivers of Scotland, our lodge was ‘Esk’, very
appropriate as we live near the Midlothian North Esk.
‘Esk’ was most spacious, with one double and one
twin room. The kitchen/dining/living room was large and
comfortable and opened onto a balcony with chairs and
tables. A bund divided us from the silvery Tay, but the other
side of this was a path most useful for early and late dog-
walking. Our two spaniels couldn’t resist a dook!
The kitchen corner was better equipped for heating than
cooking: the first evening we had brought a meal from home
and the second evening we enjoyed a delicious carry-out
from the Prince of India in Pitlochry. The commodious and
comfy corner sofa was conducive to telly watching and
reading. Our bed, meanwhile, though a bit nippit for two tall
McCullochs, was very comfortable and we slept well.
The bext morning we explored the glorious surrounding
woodland, taking tiny roads through hills when we spotted
them on the map. We spent a fascinating time at Menzies
Castle, beyond Aberfeldy. But the biggest tick on the bucket
list was an evening at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Logierait
made an ideal stay for a visit to this wonderful theatre.
by pitlochry,
perthshire
PH9 oLH
logieraitlodges.
com
From £60 per night
(for 2-night stay in
a one-bed lodge)
Location
1 Cairndale Hotel
Tel: 01387 254 111
2 Karma Lake of Menteith
Tel: 01877 385 258
3 Logierait Lodges
3
4 Tel: 01796 482 253
2
4 Monzie Estate
1
Tel: 01764 650 095
www.scottishfield.co.uk
Dog-friendly stays
Gardener’s Cottage,
Monzie Estate
by Aileen & Malcolm Norval from alloa
Nestled at the end of a mile-long drive through magnificent
policies lies Gardener’s Cottage tucked behind Monzie
Castle. We were struck by the wonderful privacy, silence
and darkness. A warm welcome awaited us with a bottle of
red and homemade brownies to enjoy beside the log fire.
The cottage, dating to 1874, retains its charm with a
flagstone hallway and dog-friendly tiled floor in the large
kitchen/utility area. Much attention has been given to the
linen and tweed furnishings. Our labradors, Jura and Brèagha,
were perfectly catered for in the tiled boot-room, with
washing facilities and space for two dog beds. This proved
so easy when returning from forest walks with wet (there is a
perfect swimming burn outside the cottage) muddy dogs.
The kitchen was very well equipped and the window
sofa a perfect space to relax with a cup of tea. The upstairs
bedrooms were especially spacious, snuggled beneath the
eaves. We were impressed with the 100% wool duvet with
natural fibres ensuring a comfortable sleep.
Access across the estate was encouraged (though not
through fields with livestock). We were pleased to wander in
the quaint churchyard of Monzie Kirk paying respects to our
own ancestors who had farmed on Ochtertyre and Monzie.
Owners David and Alexandra were on hand throughout. Jura
and Brèagha thoroughly enjoyed exploring the Strathearn
valley, taking a walk in Comrie and onto Loch Earn. A perfect
base for dog lovers yearning peace, beauty and a little luxury.
monzie Estate,
crieff ph7 4HE
monzieestate.com
From £200 a night
(for 2-nights). 15%
discount with the
code ‘ScottishField’
from Jan-Mar 23.
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