Guests say
The Old Schoolhouse offers a spacious, peaceful retreat with beautiful gardens and abundant wildlife, making it ideal for families, dog owners, and those seeking tranquillity. Guests praise its large rooms, cosy log fires, and excellent location for exploring Portpatrick and Stranraer. While some mention the property is a little dated and could benefit from deeper cleaning and maintenance, most found it comfortable and well-equipped, with responsive management. The setting and value for money are frequently highlighted as standout features, ensuring a memorable stay for those who appreciate character and space.
Several guests noted issues with cleanliness, such as unwashed dishes, cobwebs, dog hair, and kitchen cupboards needing attention. However, bathrooms and bedding were generally found clean, and management responded quickly to concerns. Overall, cleanliness is adequate but could be improved with more thorough cleaning.
The location is highly praised for its peacefulness, proximity to Portpatrick and Stranraer, and beautiful natural surroundings. Guests enjoyed the gardens, wildlife, and easy access to local attractions, making it a standout feature of the property.
Guests found the cottage spacious, warm, and comfortable, with large bedrooms, plenty of seating, and cosy log fires. Some minor issues with beds and furnishings were mentioned, but overall comfort levels were high and contributed positively to guests' stays.
The property offers extensive indoor and outdoor space, multiple lounges, and good heating. However, some facilities require maintenance, such as broken cooker rings, toilet seats, and garden furniture. The house is well-equipped but would benefit from updates and more attention to detail.
Guests noted the absence of welcome packs or starter packs for the fire, and some expected items were missing on arrival. While management was responsive to issues, there were no consistent mentions of thoughtful extras or gifts. Please note that any such gestures, if provided, are not guaranteed.
About this property
With three double bedrooms, open fireplaces and 3 acres of lawned garden, this delightful detached cottage is a real Scottish haven, ideal for families..
Ground Floor:
Living room: 43" Freeview Smart TV, Open Fire
Dining room.
Kitchen: Electric Oven, Electric Hob, Microwave, Fridge/Freezer, Dishwasher, Washing Machine, Washer Dryer
Living room 2: Open Fire
Conservatory.
First Floor:
Bedroom 1: Zip And Link Super Kingsize Bed (2 x Singles On Request)
Bedroom 2: Double (4ft 6in) Bed
Ensuite: Cubicle Shower, Toilet
Bedroom 3: Double (4ft 6in) Bed
Bathroom: Bath With Shower Over, Toilet.
Oil central heating, electricity, bed linen, towels and Wi-Fi included. Initial logs for open fires included. Cot and highchair.. 3-acre lawned garden with sitting-out area, garden furniture and barbecue. Bike store. Private parking for 5 cars. No smoking. Please note: There is an unfenced stream in the grounds, 50 yards away.. This spacious, detached cottage sits within 3 acres of gardens and is located 3 miles from the village of Portpatrick, with restaurants, shops and picturesque fishing harbour. Stranraer is also just a short drive away and is a bustling town with fantastic amenities. The Old Schoolhouse is an old, rural family home and has some quirks that add to the charm, and is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts.
This beautiful location offers a stunning coastline, sandy beaches, rocky coves and windswept cliffs. The area is a walker’s paradise with everything from gentle walks to challenging hikes on offer, amidst picturesque landscapes.
Wildlife is abundant here, with many unusual species including pine martens, golden eagles, ospreys, red deer, red squirrels and the natterjack toad all to be spotted. The rspb Mull of Galloway Visitor Centre is home to thousands of nesting birds dotted along the cliffs and is well worth a visit.
Sea fishing from Portpatrick and both trout and salmon fishing can be enjoyed close by. Other country pursuits are available including shooting and horse riding, and golf is available with the Dunskey and Lagganmore courses both close by. Beach 4½ miles. Shop, pub and restaurant 3 miles.
Please note: There are open, steep, spiral or narrow stairs at the property.
Free WiFi
There are open, steep, spiral or narrow stairs at the property.
The grounds are extensive but are not 100% fenced in, so guests are responsible for keeping their pets supervised.
There is open water in the property grounds.
Scottish letting Licence No.: DG01235P
Suitable for up to 3 pets
Reviews (14)
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Joanne Carslaw
Cottage was unclean, oven and airfryer was really dirty. Property really needs updating.Sewage coming up out of drains for 3 days, the building manager did her best to get this sorted but took a few days, Gardens are un kept, Location was nice and quiet but the local town Stranraer is really run down, driving past alot of local farms are sadly looking really run down and unkept, port patrick is a nice little port to visit but is very small and not much there, we did visit kennedy gardens which was beautiful Would not recommend this cottage
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Mandy Turner
What a beautiful family home, location and garden. Yes it’s quirky and feels like you have stepped into someone’s home. We honestly did not want to leave. The views and wildlife in the garden is captivating and the sunset over the hills is breathtaking. If you love the peace and tranquility this is the place for you. I would move there in an instance and if the owner ever decides to sell their beloved family home let me know. The gardens need some tlc and I was itching to work in them. The home itself does need some modernisations but the price for the stay was reasonable and the lovely location overcomes this. I have nothing negative to say about it but then I am not fussed by minor imperfections. The area is so peaceful and we had some great days out. Logan botanical gardens is worth a visit and Highland coos and ewes was a lovely hands on experience with highland cattle, but you have to book in advance.
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Eileen Attenborough
We have no satnave on our car, the directions we received were of no help to us. We phoned the contact no. and the buildings Manager met us at Lidl Car park and took us to the school house. We would never have found this on our own.On entering the property by the back door the front door was blocked and was a fire risk. The fridge was not switched on now wi-fi on No welcome pack no instruction for the TVs 5 remotes in one room and 3 in the other lounge with no instruction.The lounge was covered in dog hair, we had to move the settee which was like tumble weed under the furniture. My husband cleaned the floors 3 times with a microfibre mop, and cleaned the hoover as it was blocked with hair and cleaned the filter. the bedrooms upstairs were clean.The pillow cases for the pillpws were to small for the pillows which made them hard to use. The bachroom sick up stairs was craked and leaking and we only found out when Chris the plumber turn up to fix the guttering. The gutters were all blocked and water was coming into the lounge the patio doors the glazing was blown, and the green angee outside was smelly and not suitable for childred and dogs. Patio area was not clean and the wicker patio set 2 seats were covered in greenmould. on friday we went for luch and came back to a serious flood over the bridge on the access road, the water was 2-3 deep cascading over it, so we inched over it because of the fear of water getting into our Hybrid Car and damaging the electrics. We left friday night at 7pm getting back at 11.30pm We feel that compensation should be paid for this neglected property and the danger it put us in