Windlestraw

Enjoyed 2 days here last week. Our 1st visit was March 2017. John and Sylvia gave us a very warm welcome, coffee and delicious home made short bread too, in the lounge overlooking the T**** valley. Our en suite room was very comfortable. We felt like house guests , rather than in a hotel. Fine dining here. Emphasis on local Scottish ingredients. Beautifully cooked and presented. Canapés to begin, mini loaves of unusual breads. 3 courses petit fours with coffee afterwards. Breakfast - choice of fresh fruit, cereals, juices beautifully laid out to help ourselves. Various options of cooked breakfast to choose from. Again, local bacon , sausages, delicious eggs from local farm. All beautiful cooked by John. Their chef cooked our dinners. We explored the borders on our e bikes. Visited Alnwick gardens on the way there, Kelzie gardens too. Thank you both for a wonderful stay. We enjoyed our break very much. We’ll be back.

I have just realised - to my embarrassment - that I have not reviewed this amazing place after our visit last summer. We stayed for the last night of our Scottish road trip - 8 nights and 6 hotels - and truly saved the best till last. The personal friendly service was evident from my first enquiry but we were not expecting Windlestraw Lodge to be quite as glorious as it turned out to be. Our room - Wilson - was beautiful and had been furnished and fitted out by someone with excellent taste. The bathroom was probably the best we have ever had the pleasure of relaxing in. All the public spaces are elegant and welcoming and the food delicious. I have reviewed dinner separately but breakfast was brilliant with everything freshly cooked and an extensive menu. I have recommended this place to a number of friends and I know one has visited and also loved it. We hope to return. It is not a cheap option but worth every penny.

We loved the family that ran this property as much as the property itself. They were so friendly and hospitable, and the food for the breakfast was delicious. I wish every B&B experience was just like this!

Beautiful property and stunning interior, very friendly welcome and a lovely stay. Would be delighted to visit again.

Staying at Windlestraw was an absolute pleasure. The food was incredible and great amounts of thought went into it. Sylvia was so hospitable and kind, she went above and beyond to make sure we had a wonderful stay and she made it feel like home. Rooms were lovely and very well stocked with tea, coffee and biscuits.

My husband, labrador and I stayed for one night to break our journey en route to the glorious Highlands and we were totally thrilled with our experience. This beautiful place is about the beauty of this awesome couple. They are so unassuming and generous of spirit and made us so very welcome and relaxed without being intrusive . The quality of the interiors and beautiful landscapes are impeccable as is the food and quality of service . I thoroughly recommend that you read the book quietly on sale in the reception area.. White Chalk ... extremely grounding and beautifully written.. thank you for sharing this enriching and wholesome journey..

Recently stayed at Windlestraw for my wife’s birthday. Sylvia couldn’t have been any more helpful in making this an exceptional experience. It’s a boutique hotel in a beautiful setting in The Scottish Borders. Sylvia greeted us warmly and accommodated us in the sun room with large pots of tea and coffee along with homemade shortbread. We were encouraged to relax and unwind with our drinks before being shown to our luxurious room. The furniture, linens, decor, artwork, everything about our room were beautiful, every small detail was considered and thoughtful from the restored original bath to the sleep spray for our fluffy pillows. We met Sylvia again at 7pm in the sunroom for aperitifs and canapés, these were delicious, we knew that dinner was going to be excellent and indeed it was. Every course was fabulous, the wine list varied and interesting and the service warm and professional. Breakfast was perfect with quality ingredients and a varied choice of homemade breads and cereals, freshly squeezed orange and hand pressed apple juices. Unfortunately our stay was over all too quickly, time to check out which again was a lovely experience. We met John who single-handedly cooked our wonderful dinner and breakfast and chatted with both he and Sylvia a little. They are lovely people, we would have loved to hear more of their interesting stories. Our whole experience was perfect and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a stay at Windlstraw for a special experience.

An exquisite base for the Borders . A beautifull small hotel owned and run by John and Sylvia , with lovely rooms and exceptional cooking by John. This couple have a very interesting back story so do read his book White Chalk it’s remarkable!

Excellent foodie experience. I had not expected such a wonderful evening dinner as we booked on ******* rather randomly, looking for a location on route to Scotland rather than for the type of hotel. What a wonderful surprise. Amazing food and hospitality.