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Reviews of A Perfect Base For Exploring Skye And The Cuillin

A Perfect Base For Exploring Skye And The Cuillin
Inverness, SCT

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 58 out of 90 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 23 out of 90 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 7 out of 90 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 90 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 90 reviews" "

9.2/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

9.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kelli and Petr J.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great place to stay
As the headline for the listing says, it was a perfect base for our exploring the Skye. Keith was responsive when we needed him. The house was clean, warm, cozy, provided all we needed for our stay, and offered an amazing view of the loch and surrounding mountains. We really enjoyed the Old Inn just a mile away and the Talisker distillery visit.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Fiona M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Excellent location
Well equipped, comfortable, warm accommodation
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Darren W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Fantastic host and caretaker.
The highlight of my stay, despite unforseen issues, has definitely got to be Diana, the owner, and Keith, the caretaker. Both were extremely attentive and easy to chat to and made what could have been a difficult holiday very memorable. Recommended on the welcome and contact availability alone.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Lorraine J.

Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect location to explore Skye
The property was clean, well equipped and in a great location. A little updating in the furnishings is required but excellent value for money
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Andrew S., Basingstoke

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely place to stay
The bungalow is exactly as listed and is well appointed in a lovely location. We had good communications with the owner and a great chat with the helpful caretaker who lives nearby. Carbost is remote but the village is friendly with a good pub and small community shop. It was warm and draft free despite a very wet and windy week.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

David C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Stunning location!
Spacious cottage located about a mile from Carbost village, sitting above the bank of loch Harport, giving great views of the whole area. The cottage is very well equipped and comfortable. The beds are, perhaps, slightly lumpy, yet all of our party enjoyed a great night's sleep throughout our week's stay. It provided a great base for exploring the island (cautionary note, if you haven't been to Skye before, allow plenty travelling time, due to single track roads and slow motor homes... e.g. from the cottage to the Fairy Pools' car park is a distance of 7.5 miles, which at worst, took 50 minutes in the car!). We thoroughly enjoyed our week on Skye based at the cottage. It offered a comfortable stay and fantastic value. We would not hesitate to return and highly recommend it to others.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer S., Courtland

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing Budget Friendly House
Value for money with this house is awesome! Those negative reviews have to be from people with a champagne taste on a beer budget. Yes it’s an older home, but for the price it is sooo worth it. Great views and the sunroom is a great way to relax and spend windy stormy days. We had a week here and for the price I was AMAZED! The Old Inn in Carbost is a cute little pub close by to see and listen to live music. Fasts in The Isle of Skye Candle Co Welcome center (Portree) is a must. The pizza and scones are superb! If you don’t get check-in instructions, just go to the house. Trust me, the caretaker Keith is either there or close by to help. Skye is small, so just go. I can’t wait to return and I’ll definitely be booking again, maybe 2 weeks next trip if I’m lucky. Thanks for sharing a lovely little cottage!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Laura G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely house in good location
Fantastic space and great base for exploring the island.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bernard B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely stay
We enjoyed our stay very much. The accommodation has a lot of space and is equipped with everything you need. The Isle of Skye has breathtakingly beautiful scenery, cliffs, waterfalls and we were lucky enough to see whales, orcas, dolphins and sharks all in one day. We would have liked to stay longer than the week we booked. We definitely recommend this cottage.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joseph D V.

Liked: Cleanliness
Six day stay
Fernilea home is an older home, but had everything one needs. Being older, not everything is brand-new perfect, but GREAT value for the price. If you need a 4 star hotel, this is not the place for you. If you want a spacious place for great price, quiet and great views, this is it. Tricky to find, and single-track potholed roads can be challenging...but THIS IS RURAL SCOTLAND. It's part of the charm. Others have mentioned steep steps up from parking space and difficult deep bathtub/shower to step into. If you have mobility issues, this is not for you, but the listing clearly indicates same. Read the listing and reviews before you rent! Large graveled parking space at bottom of steps. When finding home do not (as we did) confuse signage for "Tallisker" with signage to "Tallisker Distillery". Travel past the Tallisker Distillery, turn left up the steep hill, then turn at next right. Home is then perhaps 1/2 mile on left, overlooking the loch. Only real negative was tiny refrigerator and no ice-making ability. Central location on island makes sightseeing easy.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

alison s.

Liked: Cleanliness
Suited our needs
Beautiful area perfect for us and our dog. The house is spacious and warm with conservatory that heats up in any spells of sunshine. Parts of the property are a bit tired and the bath was out of action but we are told an overhaul is planned this winter, which I am sure will be a great addition. We had a warm welcome and would happily stay again.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Laura T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Family trip to Carbost
My partner, my mum and my two kids and one of their friends all stayed here for a long weekend. The house was very clean and had everything you needed. I really couldn’t fault it for the price we paid. My only feedback would be to ensure you take an eye mask in the summer as it’s very bright. Thanks for a lovely stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

6/10 Okay

Robert W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Skye getaway
Clean and functional. In need of some TLC and grounds are not maintained.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mrs A.

Liked: Cleanliness
All you need
This is a big cottage, everything you need is there. Could do with some tlc,but if you over look that ....which is easy, then its great! Keith your point of contact is a great guy, with lots of knowledge. Prepare yourself for the hill, but worth it.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

4/10 Poor

Marjorie C.

Disliked: Cleanliness
Disappointed
Very disappointed, didn't live up to images online. All furniture old and tired, needs replacing. Beds extremely hard and uncomfortable, resorted to using spare duvets on top of mattress to try and make more comfortable, with little success. For some reason, all beds were pulled away from walls which showed a huge cleaning failure as large amounts of dust and debris behind every bed. TV appeared not to work properly and no instructions to help. Garden was so overgrown, could not access outside seating or washing line. No information about steep steps to access property. Property not clearly marked making it difficult to find, had to ring for directions. Very little information received prior to visit, had to contact owner a few days before holiday. Pictures of property very deceiving. Surprised to see artwork on bathroom wall, it was a very unclean plastic bathmat, stuck on the wall which was the first thing you saw gong into the bathroom. Also bath did not work and access to shower difficult as over bath, not a separate cubicle. Not an ideal property for anyone with limited mobility.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jason H., Wetumpka, Alabama. USA.

Liked: Cleanliness
Isle of Skye
Clean and comfortable. Location was great. Amazing views. Perfect base camp for exploring the Isle of Skye.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Janet W.

Liked: Cleanliness
Spacious cottage
Very large cottage everything you needed . Nice location
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Alison M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Comfort in a beautiful location
The cottage and gardens may need a little bit of external TLC, but both were an absolute pleasure to spend time in. The cottage had everything we needed and more. It was welcoming and very comfortable. Loved our stay, thank you.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Edna J.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely house in beautiful location
We enjoyed a very wet week in this lovely warm, clean and spacious house with gorgeous views overlooking Loch Harport. Carbost is within easy walking distance. Although the house does need a little TLC it is excellent value for money and is very well equipped. We felt very comfortable during our stay! Would definately recommend and hope to return soon!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Alexander M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Little Cosy White cottage
Cosy cottage that provided us with everything we needed, loved the location with its spectacular views. Nice cosy pub and and handy community shop within walking distance
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Magdalena S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful house
The house is located in a beautiful place, the house had everything we needed to have good time.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jake M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Magical
My family and I had a fabulous time, the location was perfect, we arrived after 18:00 and you instantly notice the big sky, if you’re a star gazer you have the cosmos there with no light pollution to wonder at, when we got up the following morning we were greeted by the superb views mountains all around and the sea loch vistas were quite spectacular, the accommodation was great a very well maintained character property and spacious enough for a family, looking forward returning next year, and if you need any help Keith is the information department and can point you towards any surrounding attractions, like any holiday destination in Scotland you have to make your own preparations, we knew where we going and we were not disappointed with anything.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2022

8/10 Good

Pete B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Isle of Skye cottage
My spouse and I had an excellent stay at this cottage on Isle of Skye. It takes a bit of a drive to get to it, but it's very well-positioned if you'd like a little bit of isolation and privacy during your holiday. There's a good restaurant (Munros Bar) up the road, and you're a short drive from the Oyster Shed, Talisker Distillery, and a handful of amenities in Carbost. The cottage was clean and cozy, with plenty of hot water, and the host (Diana) and her caretaker (Keith) took good care of us. I would definitely recommend.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Cynthia, Hilton

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This house is really spacious and kitchen is equipped with everything you would ever need. The washer and dryer was a real plus as was the fireplace! The heater on a timer was a bit strange but we worked around it. Bed mattresses and pillows not the greatest but sufficient. The view is wonderful but if you are looking for a place with stuff close by, this is not for you. Quiet., peaceful perfect for us! There is a tiny convenient store / post office about 1.5 miles down the hill also a couple of places to eat. The road in really tests your driving skills but grows on you after a few times. Plan on driving a bit to see any of the sights but all are well worth the drive. The fairy pools are quite close, everything else is a bit of a poke. Overall, quite comfortable and I would highly recommend. Keith, the caretaker, was great and the house was impeccably clean!
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Carolee K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful Sunrises over the Loch
We spent a week on Skye, using this lovely home as our base. The location was well suited for our adventures into the Cuillins, up to Dunvegan, and around Portree. Unfortunately, the Talkisker Distillery had experienced a drainage issue, and was closed to visitors the entire week were there. That was really the only down point of our stay, and, of course, had nothing to do with the home. The internet was stable, allowing me to telework as needed, and we LOVED relaxing in the conservatory, listening to the rain fall and and the sheep bleat. True Scotland! Previous reviews have mentioned that the home is a bit "tired", and while that may be the case, we found it very comfortable. Thank you, Diana, for sharing your home with us!
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2022

6/10 Okay

Karen P.

Our week on Skye
The property overall was ok, and had everything you would need during your stay, with lovely views across to the loch. There are some points for improvement, oven didnt work properly, and took ages to heat up. Beds Bedding & towels could do with a refresh. Both sofa's were ripped, and in my opinion the cottage as a whole needs some TLC! Inside & out.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Dave R.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing.
Most beautiful spot in the world.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

8/10 Good

Helen S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Too many motorhomes
The property was great. Carbost was great, nice and peaceful. The weather was rubbish😅. Great place to use for a base, but, to go anywhere in the Island you had to fight with hundreds of motor homes. Whereas we appreciate we all need a holiday, it was just too busy for us.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Karen B., Edinburgh

Liked: Cleanliness
Homely cottage in a beautiful location.
Deceivingly large cottage, with beautiful views onto Loch Harport and Black Cuillins. The directions were easy to follow and we found the cottage easily. The house itself is a little tired, inside and out, but certainly retains its charm and character and suited us perfectly. Beds are very comfortable and the house is supplied with everything you need. We enjoyed three local places to eat pretty much on our doors step. The Old Inn (opposite the distillery) provided tasty pub food, and we visited the Oyster Shed twice. It’s only a mile down the road and you can’t get any fresher seafood, well worth a visit. Our favourite was Munros Bar, inside the Taigh Aileen Hotel, Portnalong approx 2.5miles away. Friendly staff and delicious food. You can even takeaway the entire restaurant menu food up to 9pm. If you like to fish, the carbost pier is an excellent spot, with Mackrell, Pollock and Sea Trout in its waters. I would also highly recommend the Wild Skye Boat Trip too, we had an amazing time. Stephen is a great skipper full of interesting facts and we were lucky enough to feed the white tailed eagles and have a pod of common dolphins swim alongside the boat. Also had a super fishing time. Portnalong pier is beautiful too especially at sunset. Overall, the cottage is situated in a great spot on the Island, maintaining your solitude whilst being part of a small community, with a coffee shop, village shop, and local pub. We all would happily return. The cottage provided perfect and very welcome comfort after long days exploring the rugged and beautiful Island.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

8/10 Good

David T., Wales

Liked: Cleanliness
Excellent accommodation ideal for exploring Skye.
could not fault it. Keith who let us in was very helpful, explained all we want. Only one criticism we were not aware there were 14 steps up to the bungalow, and my wife who has mobility issues did struggle. Other than that a great place to stay.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

David S.

Liked: Cleanliness
This is a perfect place to stay in Scotland, a very nice traditional home!
If you've ever dreamed of living in one of those attractive white Scottish homes, this is your chance. It sits high on a hill overlooking a beautiful loch. It is clean and has many modern upgrades. The sun room is the perfect place to hang out on a blustery day. We would gladly come back!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

6/10 Okay

HAZEL K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Stay in property Carbost Skye
Very well situated property with good amenities in Carbost, including community shop, lovely Inn and coffee shop. Also Oyster bar which is quite unique. Portree only 20 minutes drive for stocking up and petrol. Lovely view of the Cullins and nice seating area outside the bungalow. Property very spacious and well equipped. Lovely kitchen and conservatory. Few considerations. No information or daily guide on TV and limited selection of DVD'S when weather not good. Informed when we arrived the cooker temperature gauge was not working so a bit of a guess when cooking in the oven. Despite all this we really enjoyed the property and would return again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mrs H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Enrichment for the soul
Great property location if you want to get away from city life. Saw Ospreys and White tail Eagles flying overhead in the garden. Beautiful views if lucky enough to get good weather. Local pub brilliant with impromptu Live music yukele, tin whistle etc. A great taste of Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kathy T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Nice place
Property suited our needs very well. Lots of room and comfortable. Would recommend this place to others.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Caroline M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Lovely Springtime Break
We had a lovely time staying in Fernilea. The property was well equipped and situated in a good location. Would happily return.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

darren h.

Liked: Cleanliness
Family holiday to Skye
We had the most amazing holiday. The location was ideal for touring all the usual tourist hotspots in February. The house itself was fabulous, very comfortable and had every thing needed to make a wonderful holiday perfect. Would highly recommend and wouldn't hesitate to return. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Stayed 8 nights in Feb 2022

10/10 Excellent

Daniele G.

Liked: Cleanliness
very spacious house
lovely place ! all very organized! thank you very much for the reception, everything works perfectly🥰
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

April C.

Liked: Cleanliness
Home from home
Everything you could need while self catering. Lots of space while still being cosy. Great shower and plenty hot water. Perfectly placed to tour the Island.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2021

8/10 Good

Clare N.

Liked: Cleanliness
Good value house in amazing location
Wonderful family week in this house. Everything working well - house tired but priced accordingly so very good value, with loads of hot water and all clean. Garden not secure for dogs but parking is great. The location is outstanding with quick access to the Cuillin for walkers and centrally placed for all the main attractions in Carbost and further afield across Skye. Many thanks.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

lucy T.

Liked: Cleanliness
Ideal
An ideal base for our Skye adventures. The owner was very helpful. Plenty of space for the five of us, with the added bonus of a lovely big utility room so we could keep on top of our washing (sad, I know - but really helpful with 3 children!) Thanks! See you next summer 😁
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Sept 2021
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a positive review. I am glad you all enjoyed your stay and we look forward to welcoming you back.

8/10 Good

Lesley B.

Liked: Cleanliness
House has everything you need for your stay x
The property is great. Slightly dated but is large, clean and has everything you need for a good holiday. Manual is good and easy to understand. Plenty of information. Communication with owner could be better but we managed. Skye is great and this accommodation is in a nice area.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Akos P.

Liked: Cleanliness
Excellent stay
The house is on a good location to discover the Island. Everything available nearby yet proper rural area. Got tips where to go which helped a lot. Amazing conservatory.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2020

6/10 Okay

Alison F.

Disappointing accommodations, fantastic island
We booked this property due to its location, enclosed garden, and washer and dryer. (along with the fact that it allows pets and was large enough for our party.) Location was accurate and awesome. Beautiful views and sunsets, easy access to Talisker and quieter parts of the island. The garden is NOT enclosed - the front fence is a low wall our dog could easily walk over and there is no gate. We arrived to find the caretaker mowing the lawn, which was badly needed. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to finish and the garden is badly overgrown. Additionally, there are remains of projects around, such as gutters and broken glass doors. Even if the garden was enclosed, I would not leave the dog out there without very close supervision. We discovered that the washer and dryer were broken - after we had started a load of wash and found the note on the floor. Owner and caretaker were quick to respond to that issue when we contacted them and offered to picked up, wash our laundry, and return it for us. There is a new dryer waiting to be installed, so they are working on the issue, but advanced notice would have made packing a bit simpler. Interior of the house was OK, but could use some spring cleaning and maintance. Some of the kitchen cabinets were sticky to the touch, for example. We noticed that reviews from 2018 mention items in the garden, so it makes me wonder what else has been ignored. We agree with the other more recent reviewer that a new frying pan and knife set would be very helpful. Overall, the house is perfectly adequate. If the weather is nice and you are out all day, it is still welcoming for a quick dinner, shower, and bed. Two seating areas is great for large groups, and there were a range of books, dvds, and games available as well. The fireplace was a very welcome addition in the evenings. Water pressure in the shower got shampoo out of my long hair without issue. We also noticed that the towels smelled like cigarette smoke. We would have just washed and dried them ourselves, but see above re: washer. (and that fact makes me glad we turned down the laundry offer before we realized the towel smell.) In the owner's defense, we did not bring up the towel issue with her as we were there only long enough to need one shower. If you are looking for place for a large group and just want a bed to sleep on without any extra frills, this place is fine.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Margaret D.

Liked: Cleanliness
Comfortable and warm
We enjoyed our stay, the house was very clean and comfortable, location beautiful, thank you.

10/10 Excellent

Jane G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Isle of skye
The house and location were fantastic for everything we wanted to do 😃

10/10 Excellent

John b., Lincoln, UK

Liked: Cleanliness
A wonderful week despite everything that was thrown at us!
We had a great week, despite the attentions of storm Dennis. We arrived at 3am after an 18 hour journey from Hell, but the property was warm and welcoming. The weather was appalling all week, resulting in one 6 hour power cut, and breaks in the otherwise excellent internet connection. Nevertheless, the cottage was in a stunning location and we did so much stuff and had a great week. Two very minor gripes, maybe invest in a new set of knives and a non-stick frying pan, but honestly those are nothing compared to the general wonderfulness of the cottage. The new car park area is great, a real added bonus since we made the booking. We'd go back in a heartbeat!
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Andrew S.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great spot for a family holiday
Plenty of room for a family of 5. Little away from the bigger towns but we like it that way. Stunning view. Fireplace a Wonderful bonus in winter.

10/10 Excellent

Gerrit B.

Liked: Cleanliness
Comfortable and spacious
The property has plenty space for 6 people. The views are stunning. The beds are of good quality. It was very good to have two seating areas. Location was nice and quiet. Carbost itself was very, very busy. Still managed a seat in the Old Inn a few times though
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Kristin H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Stay on Skye
Our family of 5 throughly enjoyed our stay on Skye. The place was spacious and cozy. The kitchen had everything we needed for meals. Having a separate dryer for clothes allowed us to do more laundry. The village of Carbost was a great central base to explore Skye. We would definitely stay here again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Molly M.

Liked: Cleanliness
Wonderful accommodations and great location at an affordable price!
We fully enjoyed our all too brief stay (3 nights). Beautiful location, comfortable home and very affordable. Loved the view of the loch in the front, the sunsets from the side windows, and the hillside and sheep from the solarium in the back. Highly recommend this 3 bedroom home!