
29 Oct Our first year at Cuil-an-Duin
…and some feedback from our guests
Sally and I moved into Cuil-an-Duin in 2014 and spent six months renovating and decorating the house, and planning our new venture!
We had a clear idea of what we wanted. First and foremost, Cuil-an-Duin is our home – a peaceful retreat and a new lifestyle. We wanted to create a relaxed Country House feel set in wonderful woodland surroundings, with our two horses, our dog, cat and six hens. Sadly, Teddy our Jack Russell is no longer with us having reached a grand old age of 17. Our new arrival Flora is enjoying her new role welcoming our guests.
We set out to create a relaxed and extremely comfortable home based on our own experience of staying in nice places and knowing what we like. Sally has a keen eye for design and detail and had a clear vision of how she wanted each room to look and feel. After much research of classic country house style (as a result of which she could now enter Mastermind as a Farrow and Ball colour expert!) the house took a few months to finish but was worth the wait.
We were thrilled to be inspected by, and quickly accepted for listing with, Alastair Sawday and Wolsey Lodges – two of the most prestigious luxury accommodation guides on the market. A particular highlight of the year was to be recently featured in the Daily Telegraph Travel section, complete with a photograph of our beautiful Drawing Room. 10 Great Secret British B&B’s
I enjoy cooking breakfast, sourcing as much local produce as possible. Our eggs, produced by our six hens, receive regular praise from our guests. You just can’t beat the bright colour and freshness of home produced food and it always brings a smile to my face to see a good clean plate!
As we near the end of our first full year, we wanted to share some of the comments and feedback we have received from our guests in the main house and in our adjoining self-catering cottages. Many of these are available on Trip Advisor and some extracts are shown below. Also below, are extracts from the pages of our Guest Book which many people complete on their departure.
We have thoroughly enjoyed our first “season”. We love Highland Perthshire. The area is perfect as a home and business. The people we have met have all been friendly and interesting. We are very happy with the comments we have received as they reflect the style and feel we wanted to create. We hope that the comments help you to get a feeling for what it is like to stay at Cuil-an-Duin.
We hope to see you soon,
David and Sally
Extracts from our Guest Book
- a haven of peace and tranquility…
- THE most comfy bed ever!…
- a beautiful place in a beautiful setting…
- thank you for being the perfect hosts and welcoming us into your lovely home…
- delicious tea and homemade cake and shortbread…
- a fantastic start to our honeymoon…
- a beautiful oasis of hospitality, natural beauty and sparkling hosts!…
- thanks for the fire and TV on a wet Saturday afternoon…
- one of the most beautiful paradise!…
- a beautiful location and the red squirrels and other wildlife an added bonus…
- delicious breakfasts…
Full comments from our Guest Book are attached below:
Trip Advisor review extracts
The following extracts are taken from recent Trip Advisor reviews. Links to the full review are provided.
“Idyllic Country Home in beautiful Perthshire”
….Cuil an Duin was one of our favorite stops during our holiday. There are not enough good things to say about the home, the hosts, the grounds and the area….
….The home and grounds are beautiful. Sally and David obviously have keen eyes for design, as all rooms are so tastefully appointed while keeping with the charming, country aesthetic..…From the local soaps, to Sally’s farm fresh eggs, and THE BEDS my god the beds. By far our best sleep in all of Scotland…
…Cuil and Duin is a wonderful base for your explorations of Perthshire – there is so much to see and do in just a short distance, best enjoyed after a delicious and filling breakfast. We loved getting to know our hosts, Sally and David, and VP of Guest Relations, Flora, during our short stay. They are fantastic package of welcoming, helpful, attentive, unobtrusive, furry, friendly and down to earth.
Well worth all the praise, and highly recommended
Stayed here for a week in the self catering accommodation … Cannot fault it. …. The grounds are stunning and with a canopy of mature pines it really sets a nice atmosphere. One thing that is guaranteed is the fact you will see many red squirrels. They are in abundance here and very playful too!
… the beds are extremely comfortable. You often find that this is the one area thats completely overlooked but not here. The owners went big on the sleep quality and for that reason this is one of the best places ive ever stayed….….Highly recommend.
This property is a delightful find and a must stay location. …. Sally and David – not to mention Flora the puppy welcome you with tea and cakes and could not have been more helpful. The rooms are charming, breakfast is wonderful, the grounds are lovely – I was sorry to leave.
Definitely recommended.
“Feels like home, with lovely squirrel neighbours!”
Cuil an Duin is a lovely place to stay. Sally and David know how to welcome a guest. … Breakfast was great and I’ve never seen more squirrels in one day as I’ve seen here. The house has been beautifully restored and is in an idyllic setting in the woods.
Cuil an Duin is a real gem. Excellent hosts very comfortable room and wonderful breakfasts. The house, which has been beautifully restored, is in an idyllic setting in the woods with red squirrels as near neighbours…..