Guest Rating
Quick Info
| Sleeps: 4/8 | Bedrooms: 4 |
| Changeover Day: Sat | Pets Allowed: Yes (2) |
| No smoking | Bathrooms: 3 |
| Licence No: SB-00223-F |
A sweeping driveway leads along to Darnlee, a substantial house set in beautiful extensive parkland on the outskirts of Melrose in the Scottish Borders, offering guests the chance to take a real trip back in time.
Darnlee is a category B listed building that has been in the same family since it was built over 200 years ago and still retains a lovely homely family atmosphere with lots of original furniture and antiques. Once in the grounds you are surrounded by some impressive redwood and sequoia trees that provide great privacy and the feeling that you are 'monarch of all you survey'.
At the heart of the house is a delightful garden room that is flooded with light from large French doors that lead out to the garden. Everything is easily to hand in the kitchen and although there is a dishwasher, with views of the Eildon hills from the sink you may prefer to wash up yourself. The formal dining room is a very grand place to gather together for meals whilst admiring the family portraits that adorn the walls.
Positioned upstairs to take advantage of the pleasing vista from the bay window is the drawing room with an open fire that keeps it nice and cosy.
Bedrooms are spread out over two floors with a twin bedroom and shower room downstairs and another twin bedroom and double bedroom upstairs, as well as a master bedroom with gorgeous views of the garden and a chaise longue that just begs to be curled up on.
Wildlife lovers will like seeing the rabbits playing in the garden at the front of the house and the friendly rare breed sheep that graze in the adjoining field but are kept from wandering into the garden by a cattle grid. To the rear is a more formal walled garden with manicured lawns and wonderful plants and flowers that add a riot of colour. Soak in the peace and quiet from the benches under the trees or try out the little sun room that allows the garden to be enjoyed whatever the weather.
Melrose (1 mile) is a charming town with plenty of amenities, a well-stocked supermarket and lots of interesting little shops. In fact, it was voted as the 'best place to live in Scotland' by The Sunday Times.
If you fancy a break from cooking there are several excellent restaurants to choose from and history enthusiasts will like visiting Melrose Abbey, the final burial place of the heart of Robert the Bruce, and the interesting Trimontium Museum detailing the history of the nearby Roman Fort.
Walkers are spoilt for choice here with lots of paths to follow, the Eildon hills to climb and the St Cuthbert’s and Southern Upland Way both running through the town. It is only 5 minutes’ walk from the house down to picturesque walks along the River Tweed where sand martins nest in the banks and herons are often spotted. Guests even have trout fishing rights on a stretch of the river.
Darnlee is also an easy 10 minute walk from the train station at Tweedbank that links up with Edinburgh in under an hour should a day of sightseeing or shopping in the city beckons.
Nearby Abbotsford House (1.5 miles), once home to Sir Walter Scott, dates back to around the same period as Darnlee and was actually partly built by the owners family. Today is open to the public to tour around the house, walk in the pleasant gardens and stop off for lunch in the stylish café.
Local Events and Attractions
Please note: while we make every effort to be as accurate as possible, the actual position of the cottage indicated on the map above and the proximity of the amenities in the Local Info section cannot be guaranteed to be precise and should be used as a guide only.
Accommodation
Downstairs
Garden room with TV/DVD
Kitchen with electric hob and oven, combination microwave, fridge/freezer and dishwasher, etc
Dining room
Twin bedroom with wash basin
Shower room with WC, wash basin and washing machine.
Upstairs
Drawing room with open fire and TV
Double bedroom (king-size) with wash basin
Twin bedroom
Double bedroom with wash basin
Bathroom with WC and wash basin
Shower room.
What's included
- Linen (Double Bed)
- Free
- Linen (Single Bed)
- Free
- Sets of towels (per person)
- Free
- WiFi
- Free
- Travel Cot (excluding linen)
- Free
- Highchair
- Free
Available Extras
- Pet
- £20.00
Services
Bed linen and towels are INCLUDED. The first £25 per week of electricity is INCLUDED with any additional usage payable by meter reading at the end of your stay. Heating is by oil central heating (first £35 per week INCLUDED) and open fire (starter pack INCLUDED). WiFi is INCLUDED. A maximum of 2 dogs is welcome at an additional charge (2 large, 2 medium or 2 small). If you wish to bring any other pets please contact us and we will see what we can do. No smoking.
Please note: For Darnlee, the tariff for 4 persons is based on two bedrooms only being made available.
Weekly Prices
The weekly guide prices for this property are shown below. Use the availability & book sidebar on the right to select your holiday or calculate short break rates (where available).
From 10/10/2025 to 13/10/2025
From 17/10/2025 to 20/10/2025
From 10/01/2025 to 13/01/2025
From 04/04/2025 to 07/04/2025
From 03/10/2025 to 06/10/2025
From 24/10/2025 to 27/10/2025
From 17/10/2025 to 20/10/2025
From 10/10/2025 to 13/10/2025
From 20/12/2024 to 23/12/2024
From 27/12/2024 to 30/12/2024
From 03/01/2025 to 06/01/2025
From 17/01/2025 to 20/01/2025
From 24/12/2024 to 24/12/2024
From 23/12/2024 to 24/12/2024
From 30/12/2024 to 30/12/2024
Changeover Day: Sat
| Rental - Date Range | Sleeps 4 | Sleeps 8 |
| 20 Dec 2024 - 27 Dec 2024 | £1,550.00 | £1,550.00 |
| 28 Dec 2024 - 05 Jan 2025 | £1,650.00 | £1,650.00 |
| 06 Jan 2025 - 31 Jan 2025 | £750.00 | £950.00 |
| 01 Feb 2025 - 04 Apr 2025 | £950.00 | £1,150.00 |
| 05 Apr 2025 - 25 Apr 2025 | £1,050.00 | £1,250.00 |
| 26 Apr 2025 - 02 May 2025 | £950.00 | £1,150.00 |
| 03 May 2025 - 23 May 2025 | £1,050.00 | £1,250.00 |
| 24 May 2025 - 30 May 2025 | £1,550.00 | £1,550.00 |
| 31 May 2025 - 27 Jun 2025 | £1,050.00 | £1,250.00 |
| 28 Jun 2025 - 18 Jul 2025 | £1,550.00 | £1,550.00 |
| 19 Jul 2025 - 29 Aug 2025 | £1,650.00 | £1,650.00 |
| 30 Aug 2025 - 12 Sep 2025 | £1,050.00 | £1,250.00 |
| 13 Sep 2025 - 03 Oct 2025 | £950.00 | £1,150.00 |
| 04 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025 | £1,050.00 | £1,250.00 |
| 25 Oct 2025 - 19 Dec 2025 | £750.00 | £950.00 |
| 20 Dec 2025 - 27 Dec 2025 | £1,650.00 | £1,650.00 |
| 28 Dec 2025 - 05 Jan 2026 | £1,650.00 | £1,650.00 |
| 06 Jan 2026 - 05 Jan 2027 | POA | POA |
| 06 Jan 2027 - 05 Jan 2028 | POA | POA |
| 06 Jan 2028 - 05 Jan 2029 | POA | POA |
Please note: Prices are calculated based on your party size at the time of booking and where more than one tariff is shown, the number of bedrooms made available may vary. This allows us to offer larger properties at lower rates for smaller parties. If your party size changes for any reason after booking, please let us know so we can ensure the accommodation provided meets your exact requirements.
For Darnlee, the tariff for 4 persons is based on the two bedrooms only being made available.
Reviews
(Supplied Independently through Feefo)
Beautiful old house, full of interest. Surprisingly warm considering its age and the winter weather.Lovely garden.
Our response:
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We hope to welcome you back to one of our cottages again soon.
The house was perfect for our young family and the grounds were superb. Great location and access to local historic plac...
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We stay here every year and it is a perfect house for our holiday. Lots of character and plenty of space in a beautiful ...
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No ensuite rooms, decor a bit tired, but had a great stay and would go again. Didn't much like having to worry about fue...
Our response:
We’re delighted that we’ll see you back at Darnlee. Thank you for the alert about the wood. We’ve walked through it and ...
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This is our second stay at Darnlee and I doubt it will be our last.
Beautiful house and grounds, accessible for our...
Our response:
Darnlee sits in a great location, not just for Melrose but for the rest of the Borders.
Read MoreGuest Comments
'We have had a lovely stay here, thank you! We loved playing in the enormous garden!'
'We had an amazing stay, everything in the house was perfect and well thought out. Furnishings and décor are gorgeous and I would love to come back for Christmas'
'A wonderful stay in a house that really lends itself to a large family get together. Felt very lucky to spend a week here'.
'Darnlee NEVER disappoints. Lovely old family home in the most beautiful grounds, more birds singing than you can count. The surrounding area is glorious and the host family are very kind. I’ll be back. Thank you!'
'Enjoyed a wonderful week in this delightful area of The Borders. This is a fabulous walking area and we’ve been very fortunate with great weather!'
A much looked forward to break in the type of house one only dreams of and such a lovely atmosphere it has too. Not many holiday homes of this calibre and character to be found amidst such gorgeous scenery. We have had a lovely week here. Will highly recommend.'
'Our second holiday at Darnlee, what an amazing house! It has the ability to be special, spacious and at the same time warm, cosy and welcoming.'
'Wonderful stay. Good food, relaxation and fun. Went on the Buckholm Circular at Galashiels - great walk.'
INDEPENDENT FEEDBACK
Guest Comments
'We have had a lovely stay here, thank you! We loved playing in the enormous garden!'
'We had an amazing stay, everything in the house was perfect and well thought out. Furnishings and décor are gorgeous and I would love to come back for Christmas'
'A wonderful stay in a house that really lends itself to a large family get together. Felt very lucky to spend a week here'.
'Darnlee NEVER disappoints. Lovely old family home in the most beautiful grounds, more birds singing than you can count. The surrounding area is glorious and the host family are very kind. I’ll be back. Thank you!'
'Enjoyed a wonderful week in this delightful area of The Borders. This is a fabulous walking area and we’ve been very fortunate with great weather!'
A much looked forward to break in the type of house one only dreams of and such a lovely atmosphere it has too. Not many holiday homes of this calibre and character to be found amidst such gorgeous scenery. We have had a lovely week here. Will highly recommend.'
'Our second holiday at Darnlee, what an amazing house! It has the ability to be special, spacious and at the same time warm, cosy and welcoming.'
'Wonderful stay. Good food, relaxation and fun. Went on the Buckholm Circular at Galashiels - great walk.'