Butler's Apartment. Flat 5, Dalmore House, Helensburgh, Scotland G84 8JP

It is a gorgeous apartment within a fabulous building. The decor is beautiful but you can see by the patches on the walls and ceilings that it is a constant battle to keep out the Scottish weather. Unfortunately there is no heater in the kitchen or shower room and stepping into them felt like stepping outside. ! The weather was very cold outside with storm Katherine hitting during our stay and as the lounge was large the two electric heaters were certainly needed and we did made use of the throw blanket. We also had to put the bedroom heater on half an hour before we went to bed to warm the room up. No hot water on tap either. Its a pity because if the weather been kinder it would have been the perfect weekend away, walking along the prom to the town centre to eat/shop and the apartment wouldn't have been cold.

The note left by the owner saying as the electric heaters were expensive to use, to be aware of our usage. A smart meter in the kitchen saying it was over the budget for the week was very off puting. Given the age of the property, it would have been nice to learn a bit about it and the family who had it built.

Firstly - communication with the host was very easy with all queries being promptly addressed. Location was a good base point for us to explore nearby areas and was easily accessible with parking out the front and only a short drive to a supermarket for supplies. Whilst the property was old, it was lovely and it felt very homey and comfortable - the kitchen was quite new, as were the bathroom fittings. The property was clean and decorated with some quirky lovely pictures and items

The stairs were a bit tiring with heavy luggage but it had a few landing area points to break it up a bit. Shower pressure wasn't too bad - not what we get spoilt with back in Australia but it did the job. As the bathroom was quite small it did get very steamy/wet in there and I think some improved ventilation/extraction is required. Recommendation for improvement with this property and pretty much all the properties we stayed with during this holiday is to add hooks in the bathroom to hang things on and/or include adequate counter space to place items - there was also no shower shelf so items had to be placed on the floor which was a bit of a pain. A couple of the doors might need a quick spray of CRC to stop squeaking as I woke my partner on a few occasions with opening and closing a few doors... just a minor issue but one that is a quick fix

Historic building, beautifully furnished, good views and free parking right next to entrance. Well equipped, modern kitchen and bathroom with large walk-in shower. Spotlessly clean. Very comfortable bed with luxurious bedding.

Two of the heaters short circuited and the heater in the bathroom was off. This would not usually be a problem but the weather happened to be very cold while I was there. This was sorted as soon as I reported it to the very helpful caretaker next door. It turns out there is a switch in the living room behind a bookcase to turn on the bathroom heater. It would be helpful to have a booklet with instructions for things like this. The electric fire in the living room has been broken for some time and is very dusty. The TV is small and basic with no Netflix, etc.

Nice location and clean

Could of been abit warmer in the main room

Lovely appartment. Good facilities. Quiet position close to shore

Comfy bed. Decent shower. Plenty of toilet rolls and hand wash.

TV - it was small and not Smart. Exterior of building much in need of maintenance - peeling paint and weeds all over. Uneven, badly lit paths to door. No information in apartment re appliances or rubbish disposal. Further from town centre than expected - it is 1.4 miles to centre where shops etc are. There are 19 steps up to the apartment.