Old Argyll House
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Overview
Old Argyll House, a substantially equipped holiday home in Scotland for up to 18 guests, sits amid 2.5 acres of private gardens on Holy Loch in Trossachs National Park. The landscapes on the peninsula are stunning, starting with the property’s streams, waterfalls and tall trees planted by the Younger family who founded the nearby Benmore Botanic Gardens. This area is famed for its walks, and you can take several spectacular routes into the Forest Park straight from the house.
Nearby, you’ll find every outdoor activity you’d want, including fishing, riding, shooting, golf, sailing and cycling. We’ve provided fishing rods, bikes and golf club sets to get you started.
There’s also plenty to do on site, with lawn games like croquet, cricket, badminton and a trampoline. A midge machine keeps things pleasant as you play or barbecue. Inside, there’s a sauna, games room, snooker room and downstairs snug with TV, DVD and Sky.
Built in 1693, this classic Scottish holiday home has 8 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, so your large group will feel comfortable. Only 1.5 hours from Glasgow via the M8 and a ferry, the house is 10 minutes from Dunoon and 70 minutes from the Glasgow Airport.
What you should know…
- Mobile signals work only in certain parts of the house.
- Because it’s an older house with character, you’ll hear the creak of floorboards.
Property Features
The house consists of a four star quality standard throughout with 8 bedrooms (5 doubles, two twin or triples, one bunk room) and 3 bathrooms.
With a large sitting room with open fire, wood-panelled dining room with open fire, kitchen-breakfast room with Aga, downstairs snug with big TV, DVD and wood-burner, plus a games room and a separate snooker room, the living accommodation is flexible and comfortable enough to suit most types of parties.
The 2.5 acre garden, like the house, is unique. Originally built by the family of the Duke of Argyll in 1693, the house was owned in Victorian times by the Younger family, who founded the amazing Benmore Gardens a couple of miles away, which still contain the tallest trees in the UK. They also planted a huge variety here. With streams, waterfalls and a huge variety of plants, it’s simply a stunning garden.
There’s a croquet set, football goal, cricket and badminton sets, a 13 foot trampoline, barbecue and the all important “midge machine” in the garden. As well as the ¾ sized billiard table in its own room, there is a small games room downstairs with a dartboard plus a multifunction entertainment table with table football, air hockey, table tennis, mini-snooker etc. There is also the sauna to enjoy. In addition there is a great selection of games and jigsaws as well as a pretty decent library and over 100 CDs. The snug features a 32” widescreen TV with CD surround-sound, Sky Sports & Movies plus a variety of videos and DVDs.
Location
About the surrounding area of Old Argyll HouseThe house is situated on the shores of the Holy Loch, adjacent to the Argyll Forest Park, and is perfectly placed for exploring the Cowal peninsula, the West of Scotland generally, and the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Two minutes from the Benmore Botanic Gardens, it is a 10 minute drive from Dunoon, 35 from Inverary, and 40 from Loch Lomond or the Island of Bute. The "long drive" to Glasgow is less than an hour and a half via the M8 and ferry from MacEnroes Point at Gourock. The property is just 70 minutes from Glasgow Airport.
The walking all around is absolutely fantastic, and from the house itself there are half a dozen spectacular routes that take visitors into some magical places in the Forest Park. Guests can do circular routes that take anything from an hour and a half to eight or nine hours. The owners have left maps and guides in the sitting room, and more details are available from the tourist office in Dunoon.
Cycling is a really great way to see the scenery in the area, and the topography is such that riders don’t need to do much back-breaking hill work. The owners have equipped the house with 6 kid’s bikes of different sizes and a couple for grown ups.
Generally, the property is fantastically positioned to see some of the world’s most spectacular scenery. The views are not bad from the house itself, but a drive up to Loch Fyne and down to Loch Lomond, or into the Kyles of Bute, or down the Maccrahanish/Mull of Kintyre peninsula, reveals vistas that are absolutely breathtaking. If the weather is no good, visitors are only 75 minutes from Glasgow by Ferry and M8, and less than 2 hours from Edinburgh if the traffic is okay. They are both great cities to visit.
Benmore Botanic Gardens is only three miles away towards Loch Eck, and are an absolutely amazing set of gardens planted and cared for originally by the Younger family, who previously owned the house. There are also awesome trees, including the tallest in Britain, and a great tea shop.
Strone’s pretty, 9 hole golf course is well-signposted, just over a mile away. Innellan is another nice 9 hole course about 15 minutes away. Cowal has 18 holes and is a bit closer, just above Dunoon. There is also a 9 hole course 25 minutes away at Tighnabruich with lovely views up the Kyles of Bute. Visitors are welcome any time there is not a match on all three courses. Guests are welcome to use the four sets of clubs in the house.
The River Eck is one of the most expensive trout stretches in the West of Scotland and mostly carved up by timeshare. Fortunately though, there is a mass of very good value options for both loch and river fishing locally, with daily and weekly permits available. The owners have supplied half a dozen rods and some basic kit, spinning and casting.
The property is really well served with good pubs. Whistlefield Inn and Coylet Inn, up the side of Loch Eck at 10 and 5 minutes respectively, are both highly recommended. The owners have included menus in the house information pack. The more easily walkable pubs are both fine as well, providing big portions of good, basic pub food. Dunoon has dozens of cafes, bars, takeaways and restaurants. The Loch Fyne Oyster Bar trades a bit on reputation price-wise but is a landmark destination in these parts and only about 35 minutes away.
Region
Ah, bonnie Scotland! A wild and beautiful part of the world, where you can explore the rugged highlands or enjoy the colour and vibrancy of cultural capitals like Edinburgh and Glasgow.
But how do you know you’re getting the very best out of your trip? That’s where we come in. If you’ve had a browse through our range of luxury cottages and castles in Scotland, you’ll know there’s some great places to stay, but to find all the great things to do, see and eat you’ll need our handy Scotland travel guide – so read on and enjoy!
Extras
At Oliver’s Travels we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests. From private chefs to babysitters we can help you arrange those little extras that make it a truly memorable holiday. Simply fill in the concierge request form or contact the Oliver’s Concierge Team who will be happy to help. We can typically help you arrange any of the following:
- Private chef/cook/catering
- Welcome hamper/pre-stocked fridge
- Local day-trips or tours
- Airport pick-up/drop-off
- Babysitting/childcare services
Please note that all extras are subject to availability and must be requested in advance of the holiday (prices on request). Due to some rural/remote locations, not all services will be available at all properties. However, we will always do our best to fulfill your requests!
Oliver's Travels Chef Service: A Gourmet Dining Experience
Make hosting a memorable dinner party at your villa an absolute breeze with our superb Chef Service. Our chefs will take care of everything for you from start to finish so you can just sit back and enjoy the gastronomic experience. They will bring all the necessary ingredients, cook and serve the food and even clean up afterwards. To find out more visit www.oliverstravels.com/chefs
| Security deposit | £50 per person (£100 per person for Stag do's and Hen do's). This is paid prior to arrival and will be refunded in full after departure subject to damage inspection. |
| Arrival time | After 4.00 pm |
| Departure time | Before 10.00 am |
Terms & Conditions
These terms and conditions may be amended from time to time.
| Security deposit | £50 per person (£100 per person for Stag do's and Hen do's). This is paid prior to arrival and will be refunded in full after departure subject to damage inspection. |
| Arrival time | After 4.00 pm |
| Departure time | Before 10.00 am |
| Energy costs included? | Included in the rental price. |
| Linen & towels included? | All linen and bath towels are included in the rental price. |
| Pets welcome? | Please enquire. |
| End of stay cleaning included? | Included. Please leave the property in the state that you found it. |
| Smoking Allowed? | No smoking in the property. |
| Insurance | It is recommended that all guests take out insurance to cover against potential cancellation and any accidental damage caused during your stay at the property. |
| Other Ts and Cs | The lead booker must be 30+ and a copy of ID for adult guests will be required on arrival |
| Other 2 | Please note that the total maximum number of guests is 16 adults + 2 children |
Rental Rates
Prices based on an occupancy of 18 people:
| Rental period | 2 Nights | 3 Nights | 4 Nights | 5 Nights | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 24th 2019 - May 31st 2019 | £2,101 | £2,230 | £2,359 | £2,487 | £2,628 |
| May 31st 2019 - Jun 28th 2019 | £2,386 | £2,531 | £2,676 | £2,821 | £2,957 |
| Jun 28th 2019 - Sep 6th 2019 | £2,672 | £2,833 | £2,993 | £3,154 | £3,286 |
| Sep 6th 2019 - Oct 4th 2019 | £2,386 | £2,531 | £2,676 | £2,821 | £2,957 |
| Oct 4th 2019 - Nov 1st 2019 | £2,101 | £2,230 | £2,359 | £2,487 | £2,628 |
| Nov 1st 2019 - Dec 20th 2019 | £1,750 | £1,857 | £1,965 | £2,072 | £2,189 |
| * Christmas | - | - | - | - | £4,371 |
| * New Years | - | - | - | - | £4,929 |
| Jan 3rd 2020 - Jan 4th 2020 | - | - | - | - | £2,189 |
| Jan 4th 2020 - Feb 28th 2020 | £1,750 | £1,857 | £1,965 | £2,072 | £2,189 |
| Feb 28th 2020 - May 29th 2020 | £2,101 | £2,230 | £2,359 | £2,487 | £2,628 |
| May 29th 2020 - Jun 26th 2020 | £2,386 | £2,531 | £2,676 | £2,821 | £2,957 |
| Jun 26th 2020 - Sep 4th 2020 | £2,672 | £2,833 | £2,993 | £3,154 | £3,286 |
| Sep 4th 2020 - Oct 2nd 2020 | £2,386 | £2,531 | £2,676 | £2,821 | £2,957 |
| Oct 2nd 2020 - Oct 25th 2020 | £2,101 | £2,230 | £2,359 | £2,487 | £2,628 |
Please note that prices may not be 100% accurate for dates outside of the current calendar year. For an accurate quote, please enquire.
Reviews
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Fantastic!
The weekend was fantastic. I really wasn’t expecting the house to be just as nice as it was and I thought all the facilities were brilliant. 5/5 without a doubt.
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The house is delightful, very cozy and warm with every possible amenity possible and more!
Everything was clean and tidy and our expectations were exceeded in every way.
As we had 16 people in the house we thought we may be falling over each other, but there was plenty of room for everyone. The added bonus was downstairs where the children played and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
It was also a delight at eating times where we could cater for everyone around the huge table and decadent dining room.
I would recommend the house extremely highly and should I be in a position where I have so many people wanting to stay together then I shall definitely be returning here. -
A magical location for New Year celebrations
My wife, myself and our extended family stayed for the first time at this magical location for New Year celebrations just a couple of weeks ago (Dec 2015/Jan 2016). Our family ages ranged from 10 to 60+ years old and we had a safe and wonderful time.
The website states the House is C17th – that’s built 400 years ago in the 1600s! It’s OLD, like the name says. There’ve been Victorian modifications in the 1800s and later modifications in the 1900s and into the 2000s – all of which add to its eccentric charm and value, as an unpretentious and amazing hands-on, self-catering, activity holiday short-stay home. It overlooks Holy Loch, (which is only feet away from the driveway entrance) and the House is just a short walk from the Kilmun Parish Church and the ancestral mausoleum of the Campbell Clan, and it’s tucked into the lee of the Kilmun Arboretum. It is not, and is obviously not marketed as a gold-plated, concrete and plastic Hotel in LA.
We discovered a wellies-welcome, dog-friendly, tartan carpeted, lay your own fires, cook on the AGA, hands-on and muck-in magical environment. When we arrived it was freshly cleaned, hoovered and laid-out for our pleasure with a decorated Christmas tree and the heating on. The dark-oak, fully panelled dining room with its open log-fire, is breathtaking, the lounge with an open coal-burning fire is cosy and welcoming; the basement with its games areas and snug with Sky TV is a warm, cosy retreat. The bedrooms and the kitchen are clean and comfortable, the bathrooms and toilets sparkling and fully functional. The floors may creak and the heating pipes clank a bit as they cool at night – but it is a truly authentic Scottish experience, right down to a wi-fi internet connection and the stream rushing through the ornamental garden (with its hidden climbing rope and safety-netted trampoline and 10 bikes in the Garden shed: all included in the week’s price).
The facilities have idiosyncrasies – as very old buildings do – and the welcome pack fully draws one’s attention to those and the requirements the Landlord notes, to enable the smooth running of the house. The accommodation bears obvious evidence of the Scottish Tourist Board stamp of approval and assurance, with fire alarms, extinguishers and lighted emergency exit signs throughout. And we would thoroughly recommend this super accommodation in Argyllshire for a unique, relaxed and well-appointed, self-catering stay with a difference. -
Fantastic!
Great house, had a whale of a time.
Thanks, Richard
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