Scotland Hotel Review: Cringletie House - A Luxury Borders Country House Hotel

Perfect for Weekend Getaways, Touring Breaks or Salmon Fishing in Scotland

• Edinburgh Road, Peebles near Edinburgh EH45 8PL, Scotland, UK
• Tel: +44 (0) 1721 725 750
• Website
• Price Band: $$$
• Extras: In-room spa treatments, croquet lawn, woodland walks, walled garden. Golf, salmon fishing and mountain biking nearby.
• Member of Pride of Britain hotel group
• Dog friendly

The Bottom Line

Hosts Jacob and Johanna van Houdt have created a warm and welcoming luxury country house within half an hour of Edinburgh. Set on a hill above the Tweed Valley, the hotel's rooms are immaculate, the food is superb and the pastimes various. And it's dog-friendly. What more could you ask for?

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Cringletie House is just north of the pretty Tweed-side market town of Peebles on the Edinburgh road. The house, high above the folded hills and valleys of Tweeddale, commands fine views in all directions. Every one of the 12 guest rooms, as well as the suite, overlooks the countryside, the grounds or the gardens.

The house itself, approached by climbing a long, private drive through woodlands, is a classic 19th century baronial mansion - all red brick and turrets - built in 1861 by well known Scots architect David Bryce. Updated in 2003, all the rooms are individually decorated in a contemporary country house style that features soft colors, upholstered furnishings, and polished wood.

Luxury bathrooms are large with modern, glass showers and oversized bathtubs (the suite features a Jacuzzi). Mine included a fluffy white robe as well.

An elevator was added during refurbishments making Cringletie House completely disabled-friendly - unusual in a historic building. One of the new guest rooms is completely wheelchair accessible.

Comfortable Public Rooms

Wide corridors, carpeted in tartan, lead to several well decorated, yet relaxed and homey, public rooms all of which offer lovely views and log fires. I liked the sociably small library where a drink before dinner was bound to lead to conversation with other guests. A computer with free broadband internet is discretely tucked into a corner of the library for guests use. All the public rooms have service bells - connected to the original butler's pantry - to summon staff.

Cringletie House (pronounced CRINKLE-tee) sits on rolling, manicured lawns surrounded by some 28 acres of woodlands, laced with paths. One path winds along a rushing stream, crossed by a small wooden bridge. Below the house, a former tennis court has been converted into a formal garden. Beside it, several wooden sculptures - left after an arts festival - are odd but perfect for their setting. Elsewhere, wandering the paths, guests may come across other surprises, like a waterfall or a historic, listed dovecote.

The Walled Garden at Cringletie House

The real showstopper of the grounds is the 16th century walled garden. Part of an estate demolished in the 19th century to build the current house, the Cringletie House walled garden may be the oldest in Scotland. Its Victorian glass house, arbors and beds are used to raise fruits, vegetables and herbs for the hotel. The yew hedge that divides the garden in half is, itself, 400 years old.

One corner of the walled garden is reserved for an outdoor chess and chequers board (which Wallace the Westie thoroughly enjoyed exploring).

And speaking of Wallace the Westie

Cringletie's grounds are a doggy delight and staff all seem to be dog lovers, so Wallace the Westie had plenty of attention - though no special bowl or treats. Luckily, I spotted the Teddy Bear on the bed in my room before he did and was able to remove it. If you have a pet who believes it has dibs on all stuffed toys, be warned.

Cringletie House's main dining room has an elegant trompe l'oeil ceiling and large windows overlooking the grounds. Breakfast and dinner are served there. The full Scottish breakfast is generous and includes fresh juices and Scottish style porridge along with the usual eggs, bacon, sausages and breads. Dinners, of French-influenced and Scottish dishes, makes use of excellent local ingredients - lamb, lobster and scallops, as well as the hotel's own fruit, vegetables and herbs. The menu is a la carte and reservations are recommended. For real gourmands, there is a seven-course tasting menu.

Extra Pampering Touches

No worries about finding trail rations on leisure walks and rides. Hotel staff will fill a picnic rucksack for cyclists and walkers. But for real pampering, they will organize a romantic hamper, complete with champagne, and deliver it to you on the trail.

For spa break fans, a selection of in-room treatments and massages are offered in the deluxe rooms, and suites.

No Chance of Boredom

There's no pressure to run around and engage in activities, but more active guests will find plenty to do. These are within easy reach and, if required, can be organized by hotel staff:

• Salmon fishing breaks on the Tweed.
• Golf at nearby courses
• Mountain biking - the Glentress Centre of the 7stanes is 5 minutes away
• Sightseeing - the Rosslyn Chapel, made famous by the DaVinci Code is 10 miles away, Melrose and Dryburgh Abbey's are close by as is Walter Scott's home Abbotsford House.
• Tours and accompanied tours
• Walking and cycle routes

No place is perfect and as lovely as Cringletie House is, I do have a few small complaints.

The bathrooms have liquid soap dispensers and, sadly, I really hate liquid soap. To compound my disappointment, there is a printed note in the bathroom reminding light fingered guests to leave the toiletries for others. A staff member explained that guests don't use up milled bars of soap, which can't be reused and have to be discarded. With so many hotels of this class offering luxury toiletries as gifts, it did seem a bit mean.

I was also disappointed not to find a coffee and tea making tray - pretty standard in British hotels. A tray with a small pot of tea for one was quickly brought up at my request - but I am a hot drink junkie and like to have the fixings readily to hand.

Lastly, my turret room, though very pretty, was smallish and I could have lived without the small sofa to have a bit more space.

All in all, however, my stay at Cringletie House was delightful and I look forward to visiting again.

Next: Salmon fishing at Cringletie House

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_{As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation for the purpose of reviewing. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.}