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Drumalban

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Overview
4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
12 guests
7 nights minimum 
Holiday Rental House
Drumalban is ideal for both relaxing and active land- or water-based holidays. The house sleeps up to 8 adults and 4 children in 4 bedrooms. Built in 1999 and constantly upgraded, Drumalban is a unique, architect-designed Scottish home with a modern Scandinavian twist. The white walls, wood and local stone of the open plan living room, dining room (seats 12) and well equipped kitchen provide a convivial setting for a great holiday whether - breakfasting outside on the south-facing terrace or snuggling up to the impressive log fire. There are 2 bedrooms downstairs (a double en suite and a twin), which, together with the living area, have large windows facing south and the view. There is a further bathroom with shower downstairs. The upstairs is entirely oak-floored. There is a double r...Drumalban is ideal for both relaxing and active land- or water-based holidays. The house sleeps up to 8 adults and 4 children in 4 bedrooms. Built in 1999 and constantly upgraded, Drumalban is a unique, architect-designed Scottish home with a modern Scandinavian twist. The white walls, wood and local stone of the open plan living room, dining room (seats 12) and well equipped kitchen provide a convivial setting for a great holiday whether - breakfasting outside on the south-facing terrace or snuggling up to the impressive log fire. There are 2 bedrooms downstairs (a double en suite and a twin), which, together with the living area, have large windows facing south and the view. There is a further bathroom with shower downstairs. The upstairs is entirely oak-floored. There is a double room with a super king sized bed and 1 single (just in case a child needs it) and a large family/group bedroom (with 5 single beds) separated by a gallery with a large south-facing picture window looking over Loch Craignish. There is a bathroom with shower, upstairs. We have a cot, child seat and children's toys. Inside, the house is fully equipped both for cooking and in terms of entertainment. We have a 44" plasma TV and DVD, a good stereo system (with turntable), free WiFi , a large selection of books (including cookery), CDs, DVDs and board games. There is also a Blütner piano. Outside the views over the loch are outstanding and unspoilt. There is a large terrace with picnic benches and a BBQ. There is also a selection of sports equipment. We love the complete seclusion of the fenced 5-acre (2Ha) grounds which children can explore on their own. These comprise rough Highland lawns with deciduous and evergreen woods. Between Easter and June, the rhodenedrons and camilias are at their best. The land is carpeted with hazy purple drifts of bluebells in May. Close by there is riding, sailing, canoeing, fresh water and sea fishing as well as walks and boat excursions. Ardfern is 2.5 hrs drive from Glasgow, and lies between the busy port/rail head of Oban (24 miles) and Lochgilphead (16 miles). We are currently only offering both weekly rents and our rates recognise different party sizes. We accept well behaved dogs at £25 per dog (maximum 2 dogs). We would consider long weekend rents out of season. . Tourist License / Licencia de turismo N °: X
House Rules
Pet-friendlyKid friendlyNo smoking
Bedrooms
1 Super King1 King8 Singles
Bathrooms
1 Attached (ensuite)2 Showers

Meet the host
Chris G
Hosting since August 2007
Languages spoken: English
Response Time: Within a few hours
Interaction with guestsDrumalban is back on the Trip Advisor / Holiday Lettings site after 3 years on another site. We will send you arrival instructions and entry details, 1 week prior to your holiday. Arrival time is 5pm and departure time is 9 am. If there is no one before / after you, then we will relax these times. Please get in touch if you have any questions or want any advice.

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Reviews (29)
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Helen M
Helen M
2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Stunning setting
What a fabulous setting. We would return just for that as would anyone. We arrived at 5pm after a long journey. It was cold damp and raining. The owner/caretaker was just leaving. On entering the house we were disappointed at how cold it was. If a fire was lit and it was made to feel warm, welcoming with a hospitable welcome we would have been much happier. Unfortunately we were further disappointed at how dirty things were. The downstairs bathroom and upstairs sink hadn’t been cleaned. The kitchen utensils were dirty. We spent 3 hours cleaning before unpacking. The kitchen is full of clutter. There is out of date food. Rusty utensils. The baking trays and frying pans are not fit to use. The toaster only worked on one side. One of the hob rings didn’t work correctly and the oven didn’t get to temperature unless it was on full. Once we had cleaned and made space for our things we felt much happier. We then thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Drumalban. The house is beautiful. The peace and quite and listening to the bird song is soothing. We couldn’t get enough of the views. The gardens are beautiful and great to explore. It is safe and fun for children and our 2 large dogs. The bedding is beautiful. There are games to play. Loads of information on the area. We walked across the peninsula to the other side. Through the forest to the beautiful views over the islands. 8 miles around. We would definitely return. If, after pointing out some faults, the owners would let us. It wouldn’t take much to sort out the above issues.
Visited April 2022
Written 2 May 2022. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

maryR72_13
maryR72_13
11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Perfect peace and comfort.
Accessed by a well maintained drive hust beyond Ardfern village , this is a really lovely house..comfortable, very spacious yet cosy and extraordinarily well-equipped The area was familiar to most of our group but we were reminded of how "central" it is ...between Lochgilphead and Obsn ...though seeming quite remote and secluded! We visited both towns and Tarbert Loch Fyne, admiring the views again , and stopping to eat and shop at leisure. Our dog had a great time too, exploring round and round the large enclosed garden...Which would be ideal for children also. Thoroughly recommended .
Visited October 2018
Written 29 October 2018. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Malcolm M
Malcolm M
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Great Christmas
Great location, beautiful views. Thanks to Diane for providing the Christmas tree and extra tables so we could have our extended family over for Christmas dinner. The house had everything needed for a comfortable stay.
Visited December 2017
Written 12 January 2018. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Kirsti
Kirsti
Hawarden, United Kingdom2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
A perfect holiday cottage in a beautiful area
Eight of us and one dog had a brilliant holiday in Drumalban. It's position, views, layout and interior with artwork, books and games all helped to make the week we spent there perfect. The grown-ups relaxed, the children explored and the dog was happy. Ardfern is a great village with a well stocked shop an easy walk down along the track, a cafe and pub. We were lucky to be there the weekend of the Pirate Parade and producers market. On our more active days we visited Kilmartin Glen, explored the peninsular down to Danna Island and went pony trekking. We were made to feel very welcome and would love to return soon.
Visited August 2017
Written 11 September 2017. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Katie O
Katie O
5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Beautiful Cottage
We stayed at Drumalban in July 2017 for a week and had a really fabulous time. The cottage is spacious and clean and very child friendly. Stocked with plenty of games/toys and books for when the weather is not the best. In addition the use of amazon prime was a real treat! The kitchen and utility room were fully stocked with every utensil possible and all bedrooms were light and airy with black out blinds on most windows which was a real help with little ones who like an early rise! I would definitely recommend this cottage for families wanting a relaxing break away with the most stunning views I have ever seen!
Visited July 2017
Written 6 August 2017. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

JaneCross
JaneCross
Winchester, United Kingdom80 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Well equipped comfortable very private house with amazing views
This is our third stay at Drumalban and we love it. It is very well equipped and spacious and suits our family of 8 adults and 2 babies very well.
Visited May 2017
Written 16 June 2017. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Julia W
Julia W
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Perfect weekend
I'm getting married close to Ardfern in June and as it's a part of the world I truly love, decided to go for a long weekend with a group of friends a month before the wedding. We were incredibly fortunate to have beautiful weather for the entire stay which made the breathtaking view from the house and garden even more fabulous. The accommodation is spotless and full of wonderful collections of books, records and fascinating artefacts. While we spent most of our days sitting out taking in the scenery, the house was fantastic to come into in the evening and enjoy the fire while sitting with a drink. Diane was great to communicate with, she couldn't have been more helpful, and dropped in to make sure everything was ok with her lovely dog, which we all agreed was the one thing we were missing from the weekend. Having enquired about a caterer for one of the evenings Diane gave us a couple of personal recommendations. We chose Janine who was really lovely and cooked the most wonderful food, which really showcased how delicious vegan food can be - we were a group with a wide variety of eating habits including some pretty carnivorous people and everyone loved the meal. Drumalban is a wonderful secret which I'm almost loath to write a review of lest the message spread too far. Such a lovely time, hoping to come back for my 30th later in the year. Thanks again!
Visited May 2017
Written 18 May 2017. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Woodleawanderers
Woodleawanderers
Glenrothes, United Kingdom
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Celebrating a 30th birthday
We booked Drumalban to celebrate our daughters 30th birthday. We wanted somewhere that we could be together as a family as her birthday is on Christmas Day and it's a difficult time to get everyone together. What a place! It was exactly what we wanted as she is an English teacher and was having a book themed birthday! With the library and all the little bits of decor dotted around the house, especially the giant Alasdair Gray poster, the house couldn't have been more perfect. It was so nice to be able to have her friends and family visit and be able to accommodate them and the kitchen was so well equipped to be able to cook meals for everyone. The garden was perfect for our dogs and our 6 year old grandson! They had a ball and were very tired every evening. The views are stunning and such a pleasure to wake up to every morning. No matter where you look or drive to, the views are beautiful. The house is so comfortable with everything you could possibly need and more! We had the log fire on every evening, so cosy! We had quality family time in an amazing place!
Visited December 2016
Written 4 January 2017. This review is the subjective opinion of an individual traveller and not of Tripadvisor LLC nor of its partners. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Peter R
Peter R
Newbridge, Ireland37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Coastal Heart
After a year away from Scotland to stay in such a beautiful place is great for the soul. The house is fantastically well equipped and comfortable. The grounds are great for kids to explore. Not to mention the stunning view. It's really well located for things to do in various directions. The walk to the point is well worth the effort.
Visited July 2016
Written 22 July 2016. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

AndrewSimpson60
AndrewSimpson60
Portsmouth, United Kingdom1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Location and Vibe in Drumalban
After receiving a warm welcome, we enjoyed a fortnight of bliss in the well designed and thoughtfully prepared Drumalban. Appreciate the evolving daily weather and vista whilst improving log fire making skills. Friendly locals add to the fresh air experience and stunning landscape.
Visited February 2016 Travelled as a couple
Written 7 March 2016. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Showing results 1-10 of 29

What this rental offers
Entertainment
  • DVD player
  • Stereo system
  • Television
Outdoor amenities
  • Balcony
  • Private yard
  • Terrace
Bathroom and laundry
  • Dryer
  • Iron
  • Linens provided
  • Towels provided
  • Washer
Scenic views
  • Ocean views
  • Waterfront views
Wi-fi and internet
  • Wi-fi
Kitchen and dining
  • Grill
  • Dishwasher
  • Freezer
  • Refrigerator
  • Kettle
  • Microwave
  • Cooker
  • Toaster
Things to do
  • Fishing spots available
  • Watersports
  • Cycling areas
Location info
  • Kid friendly
  • Beachfront/Lakeside
Parking
  • Parking available
Nearby
  • Golf course (within 30 mins drive)
  • Horse riding facilities
  • Hiking areas
  • Countryside area
Indoor amenities
  • Central heating
  • Fireplace
  • Internet access
Living spaces
  • Highchair

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Map
About the neighbourhood
Ardfern is a wonderful centre for a holiday with short walks to the village and along the loch. At end of the Craignish Peninsula (4 miles), fantastic sunsets can be seen looking between Jura and Scarba, where lurks the infamous Corrievreckan whirlpool. A mile nearer the house, there is a beautiful little mediaeval chapel with its ancient burial stones and a shallow bay where you can swim. There are beautiful sandy beaches within an hourThe focus of the village of Ardfern is the 200-year-old drover; pub - The Galley of Lorne - with its open fires and easy atmosphere. There is a restaurant and bar meals are also served. On sunny days, one can drink outside while the kids play on the grass. Opposite the hotel is for coffee, cakes and crafts as well as, in season, lunch and dinner. The church service is at 10:15 a.m.. There is also a well stocked, licensed, village shop and post office 08:00 (08:30 Sun) to 19:00hrs, and a thriving marina from which daily boat excursions depart.Ardfern and its sister village of Croabh Haven boast an excellent riding centre with Appaloosa horses, daily boat trips and a watersports centre with canoeing, windsurfing and sailing. There are golf courses at Lochgilphead, Seil and Oban. If canoeing and riding is all a bit too energetic, then you can just soak up the beautiful scenery or enjoy the many lovely local walks and gardens. The area is ideal for photographers and artists and there is also plenty of bird and sea life to be seen. Should you wish to venture further afield you are well placed for touring Argyll and the islands. The recently re-intoduced beavers can be found at Dubh Loch less than an hour from the house.Mid Argyll is one of the most fascinating parts of Scotland to explore. There are more prehistoric sites, stone circles, standing stones, cup and ring marks in these few square miles than anywhere else in Scotland. The first Scots kings were crowned at Dunadd fort. Archaeological exploration is centred on the village of Kilmartin (15 minutes drive from the house) and its Museum of Ancient Culture. The adjoining café is a family favourite.The bustling port town of Oban is the embarkation point for many islands including Kerrera, Mull, Coll, Tiree, Colonsay and the Outer Hebrides. Mull is an easy day trip. Its attractions include: Duart Castle, the fishing and distillery town of Tobermory, and Toronsay House and gardens (linked to Craignure by a narrow gauge steam railway). From Mull, it is a short hop to Iona (where St Columba landed in 563 AD) with its famous Abbey and white sandy beaches; and to the geological spectacle of Staffa and Fingal's Cave which inspired Mendlesohn's Hebridean Overture. There are several organised full day excursions from Oban which include Mull, Staffa and Iona. North of Oban, via the Connell bridge, is the village of Port Appin; embarkation point for the island of Lismore and/or lunch stop at The Pier Restaurant - if you want to push the boat out – try the Michelin-starred Airds Hotel. Just to the north is Castle Stalker. On wet days, children might prefer the Sealife Centre at Benderloch (1 hour from Ardfern) or the subterranean Ben Cruachan Hydro Electric Visitor Centre. On hot days there are beaches and diving at Gannavan and Tralee. Around Taynuilt there is the Bonawe Iron Foundry museum (Apr – Sep) and cruises on the Loch Etive. Other attractions include: Kilchurn castle, Oban Rare Breeds Park and Oban Distillery.The Island of Seil is halfway between Oban and Ardfern, and accessed by the 1793 Thomas Telford “Bridge over the Atlantic”, where lunch can be had at Tigh na Truish (House of the Troussers!). Further on, at Ballvicar, there is a rough-and-ready 9-hole golf course and next to the Inshaig hotel, the beautiful gardens of An Cala (Apr – Oct). The road ends at Ellanbeich from where the tiny car-free island of Easdale with its historic slate quarries and fascinating museum is reached in 3 minutes by ferry. Half an hour south of the house is Crinan, a busy hamlet (with upmarket hotel and coffee shop) by the lock gates at the seaward end of the Crinan Canal. From here, excursions run to the remote north end of Jura (where Orwell wrote 1984). Beyond Crinan, at Kilmory lie beautiful large white sandy beaches (a sinuous 1-hour from the house). There is a small beach at Carsaig (30 mins). If the sea is too cold(!) then you can try the warmer hill lochens above the house or the swimming pool at Lochgilphead. Further down the Kintyre peninsula, the island of Gigha (house, gardens and hotel) makes a great day trip. Islay and Jura are reached from Kennacraig and Ireland from Campbeltown.Argyll is walking country with 25 Munros within 90 minutes including Ben Cruachan, Ben Lui and Glencoe (where one can also ski). Sea fishing can be arranged from Oban and Croabh, and there is good fresh water fishing in Loch Awe and in other smaller lochs. There are fine gardens: Arduaine NTS (15 minutes) and Old Portalloch (20 minutes), It is 1 hour south to Inverarey with its beautiful white houses, castle (home to the Duke of Argyll) and historic jail. The Auchindrain Crofting Village Museum, Crarae gardens and a wildlife park are on the way. Glasgow and its museums/shopping is 1 hour further.
Access
Car advised
How to get there
Glasgow (160 km - 2.5 hrs) and Edinburgh (215 km - 3.25 hrs) are the closest cities to our house - both have international airports.
Activities nearby
Fishing spots availableGolf course (within 30 mins drive)Horse riding facilitiesWatersports

Things to know
Check in / out timings
Check in after 5 pm Check out by 9 am
Cancellation policy
  • 100% refund within 24 hours after booking (provided the stay is at least 60 days away).
  • 100% refund* if you cancel at least 2 weeks before check-in
  • No refund available once booking is confirmed
Notes from owner
All rentals are inclusive of linen and towels. There is free WiFi. Electricity and phone use are charged at cost. We request a 25% deposit, receipt of which makes the booking firm. Dogs are welcome by prior arrangement at a cost of £25 per week. The balance should be paid 4 weeks prior to your rental together with a separate security cheque for £200. This is refunded once the house has been checked after your stay. Please e-mail us/call us if you have any questions.

About this property

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Property #HL22236568

Frequently Asked Questions about Drumalban

Drumalban is able to accommodate up to 12 guests. See all property details.

Drumalban has 3 bathrooms available. See all property details.

Drumalban has 4 bedrooms available. See all property details.

Stays at Drumalban must last at least 7 nights. See all property details.

Drumalban - Tripadvisor - Holiday Rental in Ardfern