Guest Reviews
“…Such a privilege and we cannot wait to come back. 5 star +! “
“Embo is outstanding and such a wonderful place to stay. The location, the furnishings, the amenities and the wonderful Victoria who caters for every need. Such a privilege and we cannot wait to come back. 5 star +! “
“We had a fabulous stay for our golf week. Super comfortable and great space for socializing”
“What an amazing spot. We had a fabulous stay for our golf week. Super comfortable and great space for socializing. Victoria was amazing and the food was incredible.”
“The house, the location, the grounds, the convenience — all outstanding. The house itself was remarkable — luxurious and so comfortable.”
“We had a spectacular week at Embo House. Our very high expectations were exceeded. The house, the location, the grounds, the convenience — all outstanding. The house itself was remarkable — luxurious and so comfortable. Victoria was incredibly welcoming and set a wonderful tone — friendly and professional. She is a wonderful cook — our breakfasts were delicious and dinners outstanding. I can’t think of a better place from which to enjoy Dornoch and the remarkable Royal Dornoch golf course.”
“Victoria is the perfect cook … her customer service is impeccable. Always smiling; always helpful.”
Fabulous stay for 8 golfers for a week! Embo House is magnificent. Comfortable, easy, convenient and fabulous views and country surroundings. Victoria is the perfect cook and while she may not carry the title, her customer service is impeccable. Always smiling; always helpful. We will be back next year
“Embo House is spectacular. We had 8 golfers all with their own room and bath..”
Embo House is spectacular. We had 8 golfers all with their own room and bath. Be sure to include meals with your stay. Victoria and her team prepared great breakfasts and special dinners for us.
We would all stay there again when we return to Dornoch
“Heaven is now located in Dornoch/Embo Scotland….the home comes with a very gifted and lovely Hostess and Chef par excellence”
Heaven is now located in Dornoch/Embo Scotland. As a member of the world famous Royal Dornoch Golf Club, I have been fortunate to travel to Dornoch, Scotland on a regular annual basis for many years. Fortunately, about eight years ago, my wife and I discovered the magnificent EMBO house, it is an updated historic mansion that can sleep up to 16.
The home has views of the North Sea and the seventh hole of Royal Dornoch. You can find this wonderful paradise on Earth by checking its website. However, the icing on the cake, is that the home comes with a very gifted and lovely Hostess and Chef par excellence in “Victoria”. …. Her breakfasts are a delight and just last week for Easter Sunday she cooked for my family of 13, a delicious and tasty leg of lamb, a dinner replete with potatoes, vegetables and mint jelly plus an apple tart for dessert.
“What a great time we had at Embo this Christmas. The house was perfect”
“I wanted to let you know what a great time we had at Embo this Christmas. The house was perfect for our needs and wonderfully warm… we had some great walks along Embo beach where we saw dolphins and beside Royal Dornoch to the village … we were also impressed with Dornoch. It has everything one might want and very good hot chocolate at Cocoa Mountain everything at Dornoch Stores and lovely clothes in the Jail. Excellent whisky at the Castle as well as superb mulled wine … love to return to the house … at a different time of year to get some fishing and take in the golf.”
“Dornoch and the stay at Embo House was by far everyone’s favorite!”
“We had 6 couples on a golf trip to Dornoch from the States and then went south to St. Andrews and Edinburgh. While we had an amazing trip overall, Dornoch and the stay at Embo House was by far everyone’s favorite!
Embo House is a great spot for wives if they join a trip, or it’s as good for a group of guys with vehicles. The 8 bedrooms were incredibly comfortable, and we had Victoria cook us pizzas on our first night of arrival and a barbeque dinner our last. Both were spot on and enjoyed by all.
We can’t say enough about the Embo House, Victoria who did all the meals and Ginny behind the scenes organizing our visit. My only regret in leaving a great review is if we can’t find any open dates in the future because more folks find this wonderful location!
Also, do yourselves a favor and have Willie come in one night with the bagpipes. Very nice added touch! Lots of laughs, great food, hikes to the beach and a few good golf shots along the way!
Thanks Victoria and Ginny for everything!! Can’t wait to do it again someday. “
“We ‘eloped’ to Embo House for 5 days with our friends and family…Ginny was a dream to work with…Our guests are already asking when we can go back; and we will.”
“Nothing I can type about Embo House could capture how phenomenal it is.
We got married at Embo House in April, having never been to Scotland or seen the property. We “eloped” to Embo House for 5 days with our friends and family. We were slightly nervous that it wouldn’t live up to the photos. Which now feels silly, because it was absolutely magical.
From the beginning, Ginny was a dream to work with. She answered all of our questions, no matter how silly they were. She provided me with a list of vendors who brought our wedding dreams to life (special thanks to Rachels Country Flowers) and assured me that Victoria the Housekeeper would be able to accommodate my food allergies.
Being severely allergic to gluten and sesame, I’ve come to expect food accommodations to be lack luster… but by the end of our trip we were all singing Victoria’s praises! We even toasted her at the end of our wedding dinner. Everything, was THAT wonderful.
The rooms were incredibly clean and comfy. The grounds were immaculately kept. We were even able to see the Northern Lights! The beach was an easy and beautiful walk– so easy I walked down in my wedding dress.
Our guests are already asking when we can go back… and we will.”
“Every detail has been thought of, from the heating pad to the after bath robe, to the many games for entertainment for all ages…We will go back for sure.”
“We stayed at Embo House for a week with our large family to celebrate a special birthday. This house is amazing! Every bedroom has an ensuite bathroom except for one that has an adjacent bathroom. Every detail has been thought of, from the heating pad to the after bath robe, to the many games for entertainment for all ages.
The kitchen has everything you could possibly need and more.
I could go on and on but the website has a very detailed description and pictures are worth a thousand words.
We will go back for sure.”
“Big Birthdays at Embo House…Family and friends were all delighted with the excellent facilities and the standard of cleanliness”
We have just had the most wonderful time celebrating some big birthdays at Embo House. Family and friends were all delighted with the excellent facilities and the standard of cleanliness. The house has something for everyone – from holding a “pub quiz” in the beautiful library, pool competitions in the bar and cosy evenings in front of the sitting room fire to noisy household breakfasts in the superb kitchen, and beautiful walks around the area. A special mention for Victoria, the house manager, who provided some delicious and memorable meals, wish we could do it all again. Finally, excellent communications from owner Ginny, who ensured that we had the best time. Hope to be back again one day
“You 100% have the best bar in the world and also the best house in the world!..”
“You 100% have the best bar in the world and also the best house in the world! A HUGE THANK YOU TO GINNY AND VICKY, we had the best day and the best time ….. just perfect. As you already know Vicky and the team are an amazing asset …….. just “wow!” We had deer in the front garden, owls every night … Thank you for sharing your amazing home.
We are now thinking about booking a week next year!”
“… location … great views out to Dornoch Firth … the Northern Lights one evening.”
I have just had the most amazing week, staying at Embo House with a group of friends for a golf holiday. The location of the house is incredible, great views out to Dornoch Firth and over the hills. You can lie in bed and see the sun rise over the water. We even got a glimpse of the Northern Lights one evening.
The house is beautifully presented and furnished with everything you could possibly need for a restful or active week, whatever you choose. We played pool, backgammon, practiced our chipping in the garden, walked along the beach in front of the house, did a jigsaw, picked a book to read from the well stocked library and enjoyed the huge range on offer in the honour whisky bar. But what made the holiday perfect was the wonderful dinners prepared and served by Victoria and her team. What a treat it was to leave all the shopping, preparing and clearing up to someone else!Thank you Ginny and Jim for turning this property into the most wonderful place to stay in The Highlands.
“..Sometimes web sites and other marketing material promise more than the actual product can deliver, but not in this case. The house is beautiful..”
“We were all were delighted with our stay at Embo House. Sometimes web sites and other marketing material promise more than the actual product can deliver, but not in this case. The house is beautiful, all bedrooms and living spaces are beautifully decorated with attention to detail and maintained extremely well. The outside amenities like the jacuzzi, the golf practice area, just the entire property…amazing and in excellent condition.
As many others have stated in their reviews on your web site, Victoria is fantastic. She was the one that made the house a home for us during our stay. Always a friendly smile, and always there to help with anything we needed. The breakfast and the Nae-bother dinners she prepared were excellent, and so were the dinners prepared by Kenny Mackay with the help of Victoria.
I really can’t put in words how happy I was with our stay at Embo House.
P.S.: also thanks for the weather arrangements. Didn’t expect that kind of service, but it’s highly appreciated”
“It was so good, we’ve decided to return again next summer for a family celebration!”
“Loved our return visit to Embo and beautiful Dornoch. Totally different experience in the summer but both were fantastic. Made full use of the outdoor amenities this time, all of which were great. First class accommodation and services provided. We had the chef prepared dinner and a BBQ pack delivered, both were delicious. It was so good, we’ve decided to return again next summer for a family celebration!”
“The children enjoyed all the facilities … boule, table tennis, hot tub, croquet and many games of cricket. The golf hole was also made good use of.”
“I just wanted to let you know how much our Family enjoyed our stay at Embo House. Everything was perfect. Including the weather! Victoria is a treasure and looked after us so well. Her cooking is delicious.The children enjoyed all the facilities- Boule,table tennis,hot tub,croquet and many games of cricket. The golf hole was also made good use of. They all want to return!”
“”Perfect! We loved every moment of our time at this beautiful home. Embo House has been lovingly restored to make it the truly special place that it is and our family enjoyed it all!”
“The shared spaces are plentiful and allowed us to experience quiet time alone or to gather as a group whenever we wanted. Without a doubt, the favourites were the library which opens on to the garden and the bar!
Each of the eight bedrooms is unique – beautifully decorated, very comfortable beds and amenities in the bathrooms.
The kitchen is enormous and fully stocked with everything we needed plus a lovely, large table where we gathered every morning to chat and plan the day ahead.
Location, location… For the golfers, Embo House could not have been better with so many golf courses nearby, especially the exceptional Royal Dornoch. Heaven!
The shining stars of our holiday were Ginny and Victoria – Ginny helped with all of the pre-planning for this trip which was a long time in coming due to the pandemic and she made certain that each detail was covered; Vicky was amazing and took care of everything once we arrived ensuring that we enjoyed every moment of our stay especially many fantastic meals. Thank you Ginny and Vicky!
Our time at Embo House was perfect and we cannot wait to return!”
“The house itself is spacious, beautifully and sympathetically decorated and perfect for both groups and family breaks. The location is divine…”
“We have rented Embo House for the past two years and had the most glorious time on both occasions. The house itself is spacious, beautifully and sympathetically decorated and perfect for both groups and family breaks. The location is divine, a short walk to Embo beach. The house is fully accessorised for self catering but I would highly recommend having at least a couple of nights where the wonderful Victoria (who looks after the house) does the cooking; her food is fantastic”
“Embo House is really a WOW! and exceeded our high expectations. Marcus +10 happy golfers!”
“I just wanted to drop you a line and thank you for a fantastic stay at your beautiful house.
It was simply amazing, and by far the best equipped & furnished and beautiful house we have rented – and we’ve gone through a few. Kitchen & Bathroom standards, plus of course the brilliant service & great food from Victoria stand out and sets Embo House apart from other rentals we’ve tried in the UK.
Thank you again, we had a lovely week. Embo House is really a WOW! and exceeded our high expectations.
Marcus +10 happy golfers!”
“Everyone found that the house and your exceptional attention to detail exceeded their expectations…The dogs had a fabulous time too…”
“Everyone found that the house and your exceptional attention to detail exceeded their expectations. The weather also lent a hand as we were blessed with a dry and almost entirely sunny week. High praise to Victoria who, whilst we didn’t need to call on her often, was happy to help and gave us a super pizza night during our stay.
We all left with heavy hearts and more things that we would have liked to have done whilst in the area so would love to return. We absolutely love the house, the garden and the isolation of not needing to use the cars for most of the week, instead opting for walking and cycling. The dogs had a fabulous time too. We aren’t golfers, so didn’t make use of the local courses but did hit a few, friendly balls on the practice hole.
We have stayed in similarly graded properties and can assure you that Embo House is amongst the best! Thanks again for letting us use your home as our home for a week. It will live long in the memories of us all.”
“…Xmas Dinner which we ate in the beautiful dining room. Hot tub, jacuzzi baths, games room, this house had it all.”
….
D. Jack from Dundee, Dec 21
“Stayed in this fabulous house for 3 nights .
Victoria was a great host and cooked us the most succulent Xmas Dinner which we ate in the beautiful dining room . Hot tub ,jacuzzi baths, games room, this house had it all. Unbelievable views from each bedroom and great walks to the beach. Will definitely be getting my American golfers to look this place up when visiting RDGC .
Hopefully one day we will visit this wee bit of heaven again”
C. Robertson from Aberdeen, Nov 21
“Fantastic weekend!! Couldn’t fault it! As a group of 14 adults we have never experienced such a fabulous place to stay for a winter getaway. On arrival the fire was lit, welcome tray with lots of goodies and fizz in the fridge! Victoria, the lovely housekeeper was there to greet our first arrivals and prepared an amazing meal for us all. Embo House has literally got everything you could possibly want for the best break away!”
P Mazoyer from Glasgow, Oct 21
Just a brilliant place for a break. Great surroundings and great indoor facilities to make sure all are entertained. A very high standard has been set and we’d have no hesitation in returning. Thank you for making this beautiful house available to share.
“The kitchen is fully equipped … Victoria is a wonderful cook, we had Beef Fillet for my Mother’s 70th lunch party and it was cooked to perfection …”
We had a wonderful stay at Embo House in the October holidays. The house is beautifully appointed, the kitchen is fully equipped, there is everything you need. Victoria is a wonderful cook, we had Beef Fillet for my Mother’s 70th lunch party and it was cooked to perfection & commented on by hoteliers and farmers who dined with us. We also had a pizza evening cooked by Victoria which was a great success. The gardens are stunning and well looked after and on the last evening we used the firepit which went down a treat. We thoroughly enjoyed our beach walks everyday to Dornoch, the children were up early every day to cycle to Dornoch to get our daily shopping, a very important job to them. Embo House is truly special, it was a privilege to stay there and hats off to Ginny, Victoria & team for keeping the House in its splendour inside & out.
“…so much space inside for everyone to spread out with so many things to keep you entertained…a very pleasurable and hassle free stay!”
What an absolutely wonderful place to stay. The house is stunning and has everything you need and more. Even if the weather isn’t great (the only thing Embo can’t always provide!), there is so much space inside for everyone to spread out with so many things to keep you entertained. Victoria, as mentioned by others, is absolutely fantastic and I can highly recommend having some meals prepared by her AND everything is cleaned up afterwards … a real treat for the normal cooks in the house. Thanks for a very pleasurable and hassle free stay!
“…kitchen is a great size, is immaculately clean and extremely well stocked, the beds are soooo comfy…”
“We’ve been having family holidays in big houses for 9 years and Embo is the best by far for all sorts of reasons. The layout works perfectly, the kitchen is a great size, is immaculately clean and extremely well stocked, the beds are soooo comfy and on a general cleanliness score Embo is streaks ahead of all the others. Victoria and her team are a credit to you and the generous welcome pack she had organised was a lovely surprise.Having 3 little people with us meant that a lovely beach within walking distance was the icing on the cake. The little (and big) boys had great fun building castles and dams and even went in the sea – brrrr!Embo is a wonderful place!”
“…don’t think there’s anything I could suggest to make it any better. The surroundings are beautiful, the house is stunning…”
We all had THE most amazing time at Embo House! The house is beautifully presented, and you have thought of every single detail! I don’t think there’s anything I could suggest to make it any better. The surroundings are beautiful, the house is stunning, Victoria was welcoming, helpful and friendly. I just can’t enthuse about it enough.Many thanks for an amazing stay!
“…Victoria was an absolute treasure. The food she cooked for us was restaurant quality, she was so good with the kids (letting them join in and help prep the food for the adults)…”
The house was absolutely sensational, the weather was perfect; the beach was stunning! Most of all Victoria was an absolute treasure. The food she cooked for us was restaurant quality, she was so good with the kids (letting them join in and help prep the food for the adults) she also provided us another meal last minute which was also gorgeous. She was super friendly and accommodating and really took great care of us.
We all were gutted to have to leave and would love to be able to return again.Thanks for allowing us to share in your little hideaway haven in the Highlands
“… The standard of fittings and finishes was first class and we all particularly enjoyed our pre dinner drinks in the library…snooker table, table tennis table, books, games etc all made for a super holiday for the children …”
We had a marvellous family holiday at Embo House and will certainly return. The standard of fittings and finishes was first class and we all particularly enjoyed our pre dinner drinks in the library. The extras in the form of snooker table ,table tennis table ,books, games etc all made for a super holiday for the children and the standard of kitchenware, crockery etc was of the highest. The house is superbly situated in peaceful grounds but only 10 minutes walk to a quiet beach and 5 minutes by car from the charming town of Dornoch . Both the owner (Ginny) and the housekeeper(Victoria) were a delight to deal with from start to finish and I would have no hesitation in recommending Embo House to friends.
“… all of these little things make such a difference when you have a real mix of ages, ours went from 13 -76 years – the house was also so very well equipped compared to others we stayed in.”
We all had the most wonderful time in your beautiful house. Things that stood out for us after staying in a few nice properties were the extras you supplied, tea & coffee, the beautiful jam, cake and bread and washing powder etc, sky TV and 3 TV’s. All of these little things make such a difference when you have a real mix of ages, ours went from 13 -76 years The house was also so very well equipped compared to others we stayed in. We cooked most days and it was lovely to have dishes that served all of us. Probably just little things but they do make a stay easier. For a very large property, it was extremely homely and relaxing.
Your communication throughout our booking time was amazing, I always felt I could ask anything, and Victoria, again nothing was ever too much trouble, she is a real asset.
We hope to be back at some point.
“…well appointed, and provides a selection of rooms for socialising or for finding somewhere quiet to read the morning papers or a book from the library, and to bask in the warm sunlight streaming through the windows.”
We enjoyed a lovely stay with a group of friends at Embo House in October 2019. The house is home from home, well appointed, and provides a selection of rooms for socialising or for finding somewhere quiet to read the morning papers or a book from the library, and to bask in the warm sunlight streaming through the windows. Our king size bedroom was very comfortable and beautifully decorated, with a large en-suite and walk in shower. We were impressed with all of the guest bedrooms, all which have stunning views of the coastline in the distance. We were very pleased with the standard of cleanliness throughout the property, including a well appointed kitchen, and a large utility and separate boot room for all our coats, boots, walking shoes, golf clubs! The gardens are also very well kept, and were inviting to explore during the warm Autumn sunshine! We fell in love with Embo House, it’s location, and surrounding area which offers something for all! We look forward to visiting again!
“We held our wedding here, it was the perfect setting and we were able to take advantage of the stunning grounds for our photographs. Ginny is so helpful and accommodating and gave us an abundance of information about local amenities…”
Embo House is a truly fabulous place to stay, we cannot recommend it highly enough. We held our wedding here, it was the perfect setting and we were able to take advantage of the stunning grounds for our photographs. Ginny is so helpful and accommodating and gave us an abundance of information about local amenities and things to do. Embo House is opulent and beautifully decorated with amazing attention to detail whilst at the same time feeling homely and cosy. Everyone loved their bathrooms with the different coloured claw foot baths. It is the perfect venue for a multi generational family holiday or celebration as there is so much space and different living areas to suit everyone. The sea views are amazing, the grounds and gardens are beautiful and it is only a short walk to the beach. Dornoch beach which is only a few minutes away is spectacular. We would definitely return to Embo House and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it
“….The views from all the rooms were fabulous…certainly hope to return as there is still so much to do in the area.”
I can only confirm all the previous positive reviews of this wonderful house. Our group of walkers, cyclists and one fisherman thoroughly loved coming back every day to this cozy, welcoming house which has been decorated to a high standard. Each room had its own charm and the large dining room was great for our evening meal. The views from all the rooms were fabulous, even the one room facing the back of the house. Certainly hope to return as there is still so much to do in the area.
“An utterly magical place to stay with attention to detail that far exceeds any other place we have stayed in.”
Embo House garden was the chosen location for our sons wedding ceremony to his Mexican fiancé. The guests from far and wide then settled into the house for a weeks holiday thereafter.
What a week in this wonderful house and none of us wanted to leave.
Embo House is truly special and has left many memories with us that we will never forget.
“… loved the well equipped Kitchen and my Father got to sample a few new whiskies. He also shed a tear when we surprised him with Willie the Piper ..”
The whole family loved perusing books in the library, jigsaws, computer games, pool etc. The cooks among us (all of us actually) loved the well equipped Kitchen and my Father got to sample a few new whiskies. He also shed a tear when we surprised him with Willie the Piper on our last night, who was fantastic.
“… loved the attention to detail … wonderful welcome (fires burning and welcome basket)…”
Embo House is a stunning example of Architecture which has been sensitively refurbished to modern standards.
We loved the attention to detail, extremely well stocked kitchen (even had required spurtle), wonderful welcome (fires burning and welcome basket), great book collection (even had a copy of Lanark!) incredibly comfortable beds, relaxing atmosphere and ideal location.
Visiting with family and dogs the house more than comfortably accommodated us all with ease. We would certainly highly recommend to all friends and family.
I’m sure we will be back!
“…The library room is so peaceful. We had everything we needed – just like home….”
We spent such a great time in Embo. The house is just perfect! Very clean and comfortable. The library room is so peaceful. We had everything we needed – just like home. It was perfect for the kids, they had the second floor just for themselves!! And the location is perfect, with the sea close by and the pretty Burgh of Dornoch. Ginny is always available for advice and information. We hope to go back there again.
“I can only confirm all the previous positive reviews of this wonderful house…”
I can only confirm all the previous positive reviews of this wonderful house. Our group of walkers, cyclists and one fisherman thoroughly loved coming back every day to this cozy, welcoming house which has been decorated to a high standard. Each room had its own charm and the large dining room was great for our evening meal. The views from all the rooms were fabulous, even the one room facing the back of the house. Certainly hope to return as there is still so much to do in the area.
“..Embo House also arranged a catered dinner and catered breakfasts for us, which we highly recommend.”
A group of us stayed over the weekend and had a wonderful and relaxing stay. The house is absolutely lovely with magnificent rooms, cozy sitting rooms and a a terrific garden; all caringly maintained. Embo House also arranged a catered dinner and catered breakfasts for us, which we highly recommend.
“.. fabulous views to the sea…completely blew us away!”
Just returned from a wonderful stay at Embo House and we just feel so relaxed and rejuvenated. The interiors are luxurious , spacious and elegantly decorated. The fabulous views to the sea and out over the flower and fruit filled gardens completely blew us away! Walking on the beach, seal spotting , golfing , reading in the beautiful cedar library .. it really is a house for all seasons. We will return..
“..amazing property and a very special place to stay..”
This is an amazing property and a very special place to stay. Everything is top quality including the views and the sea air. There is plenty to do and see in the surrounding area but just being in and around the house is enough. Highly recommend, we will be back!
“..most amazing landscape with glorious views all around..”
Embo House is a truly impressive property set in the most amazing landscape with glorious views all around. It has been furnished to the highest standards with everything you need for a perfect stay with a large group of friends or family. The owners have got the perfect balance between grandeur and cosiness. We loved the views over the Firth, exploring the grounds, seaside walks and of course, the golf. With so many wonderful links courses in the area it is heaven for golfers and I can’t wait to go back and improve my scores.
“..magical time in this marvellous house..”
We had a magical time in this marvellous house. The accommodation has been so well thought out and is luxuriously comfortable with fabulous decor and facilities. The beautiful garden leads into the peaceful landscape and spectacular shoreline, and there is so much to see and do in this area. We were a group of painting enthusiasts and did not find ourselves short of inspiration! We are much looking forward to a repeat visit and recommend Embo as one of the best houses we have ever stayed in.
“..beautiful grounds and in a stunning location..”
Embo House is impressively grand and stylish with beautiful grounds and in a stunning location. Lots to do for those that want to, both in the house and around but also great for a chill and relax. We highly recommend a stay for a little or long break and will be returning soon.