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Real freedom, real luxury, real Scotland

There is so much going on all the time at Mains of Taymouth – Robin, Irena and all the team at Mains of Taymouth continually strive to make it one of the highest quality luxury self catering ‘all in’ experiences for visitors to the Highlands of Scotland. Located in one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland, with a wonderful selection of activities to suit all tastes, we will continue to deliver everything you could want from a Scottish holiday experience.

Following are some press articles highlighting the Mains of Taymouth experience and our more recent activities.

Fill your lungs with fresh Loch Tay air

Travel with Robin McKelvie
Sunday Post 15 March 2009
Luxury – Our cottage, Granary Court, was spot on, managing to negotiate that fine line of offering real luxury, but also being family friendly.

My baby daughter Tara loved the big open-plan living room and kitchen, while my wife, Jenny, and I were fans of the outdoor hot tub and the stand-alone sauna. As it was snowing we enjoyed the surreal experience of bubbling away in the warm water as our hair started to ice up.

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The Mains event

Look closer to home for a holiday property with long-term potential, writes Kirsty McLuckie.
The Scotsman, Property, 29 January 2009

For many people, a holiday home is not an indulgent luxury, for the use of family and friends. It’s a considered investment which they themselves may use rarely or never, but which brings in enough income over expenditure to act as a savings or pension plan.

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Travel - Be as active or restful as you like at scenic Kenmore

Step out of the rat race with a tranquil break in Perthshire
Janis Blanchard
Evening News January 17, 2009

Who needs the stress of hanging around airports waiting for delayed flights? Swap your passport for the keys to a holiday home set in an unrivalled location acknowledged as Scotland’s “Golden Corridor”. You’ll be captivated.

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High-end timeshare venture where the outlook is sunny

Jenny Shields
Property Mail, Daily Mail 9 January 2009

The unspoilt village of Kenmore – which can be reached in a couple of hours from Glasgow and is only 90 minutes from the capital – was chosen by Queen Victoria as her honeymoon destination and it remains a desirable location today. Estate owner Robin Menzies said: ‘We are very excited about what is currently happening here. This glorious area has so much potential and it has been a joy to take our business forward and create a special holiday haven which lives up to expectations.’

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Happy when it rains

Kirstin Innes stands up for Scottish weather, even in the coldest, wettest months, after a weekend break at Mains of Taymouth in Perthshire
The List, 27 Nov -11 Dec 2008

Mains of Taymouth, by the village of Kenmore on the banks of the Tay, is a particularly good example of a new breed of Scottish self-catering holiday development. If the weather’s fine, you can go whitewater rafting, horseriding, or Munro-bagging. However, a little bit – or even a lot – of water, as we experienced when we visited, doesn’t mean that your visit will end up a total washout. The Taymouth houses, a courtyard circle of beautifully converted old stone farm buildings, really come into their own in particularly bad weather, with crackling log fires and some serious Scottish scenery out of the rain-battered windows, looking good with or without the storm clouds. The cottages, which vary from cosy snugs for couples to party houses that sleep 11, have all been awarded four or five stars by the Scottish Tourist Board, and are pretty much tailor-made for curling up and luxuriating in, at one with the elements away from the world.

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At home with

The Mains of Taymouth estate has been home to the Menzies family for generations and on taking a look around this property it is clear to see why this is one family who are here to stay.
Words Katie McKenna, Pictures Victoria Sharpus-Jones
No 1, Issue 46 November 2008

But escapism is always just around the corner at this estate. Head down to the river and you will find the Hobbit House. With an open fire in the middle for cooking and heating, as Irena points out, all you need is your food and you have got the makings of a magical and cosy evening in the Perthshire countryside. Situated in a secluded spot next to the river, Hobbit House is the perfect base for fishing, or just relaxing with a good book and listening to water meander past.

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Weekend Pass – Mains Park Court

Janet Christie
Scotland on Sunday, Travel, August 31 2008

Our ‘cottage’, Mains Park Court, has three floors of accommodation, with five en suite bedrooms, a huge open-plan, split-level lounge, expansive kitchen and decking outside. And because the fixtures and fittings are built to last - the toasters are Dualit, the bathroom fittings are Roca – I’m proud to report that we managed not to break anything. It might be five-star, but it embraces children (and animals, as you can even bring your dog).

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New cash crop

A vision for the future helped the Mezies family transform their working farm into a classy holiday destination.
By Nichola Hunter, Photographs by Rob McDougall
Scotsman Magazine, August 23 2008

At the same time, Robin and Irena started to reclaim the original inner courtyard which had been home to the dairy and the blacksmith and was now falling into disrepair. Major building work ensued and more self-catering accommodation was added to the Mains of Taymouth portfolio. Camping and caravans have been replaced by luxury wooden lodges and holiday homes. During the last 20 years, Robin and Irena have lived on site with their family and have continued to renovate, improve and build. Stylish new build properties sold as holiday buy-to-lets have been erected and the bistro/bar has been replaced by the contemporary Courtyard Restaurant which sits alongside a deli and gift shop.

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MAINS OF TAYMOUTH COTTAGES

Next year an inconspicuous corner of Perthshire will be under the spotlight when it becomes home to the UK’s first six star hotel. Fiona Armstrong pre-empts the fuss with a trip to Taymouth where top-notch accommodation is already on offer.
Homes and Interiors Scotland, November 2005

It’ll be brownie points for anyone claiming discovery of Mains Park Court for the next trip, a property with country character (yes, there’s a log burning stove) simultaneously offering the experience of a stylish boutique hotel. How many times have you rolled up to a castle or country mansion to have socks toasted by under floor heating?

Mains Park Court flies the flag for all that’s discerning about Mains of Taymouth Cottages, a redevelopment of courtyard steadings beside the pretty village of Kenmore. At the head of Loch Tay, the buildings were constructed in the 19th century to accommodate the home farm for neighbouring Taymouth Castle, the sprawling structure that’s being honed as Britain’s first six star hotel.

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