WEST WING
Highland Park. Master Bedroom & en-suite bathroom. This is the only bedroom in the west wing of the house and it is situated above the library. Decorated in a contemporary style, with beech panelling, shutters and bespoke beech furniture throughout the bedroom and bathroom. You can enjoy a super-king size double bed with plenty of hanging and storage space for clothes. The bathroom is equipped with a double Jacuzzi bath with integral radio as well as a separate shower.
EAST WING – FIRST FLOOR
Wolfburn. Super-King Double bed or twin beds with generous, en-suite shower room and drenching shower. This bedroom is above the Whisky Bar and Games room, with views over the Firth. Once again, it is decorated with flamboyant wallpaper.
Dalmore. There is also a Super-King Double bed or twin beds in our final bedroom. The en-suite bathroom for this room contains a roll-top “Slipper Bath” with a good view over the sea, and a separate drenching shower.
Bedrooms and Bathrooms
With views of the Dornoch Firth
Sleeps 16 in 8 bedrooms, (7 with sea views) – with 8 en-suite private bathrooms. WiFi throughout. The sea can just be heard at night though the shutters.
Here is a summary of the available bedroom facilities:
- Six Super-King double beds. 5 can be split into twin beds if desired
- One King Size Double bed
- One Double bed
- One travel cot and two extra children’s beds
- All bedrooms have bluetooth wireless speakers and hairdryers
TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR
FIRST FLOOR – MAIN HOUSE
Clynelish. Super-King Double bed or twin beds with en-suite bathroom. A classically decorated room with stylish wallpaper, antique furniture and a black-and-white bathroom, this bedroom and its twin across the hall, benefit from the generous proportions of what would have been the original, Georgian master suites. Huge shuttered windows have an amazing view over the Firth. The bathroom is equipped with a large claw-foot bath and a separate ‘drenching’ shower.
Glenmorangie. Super-King Double bed or twin beds with en-suite bathroom. This room is in a very similar style to Bedroom 2. although the specific décor is different. (eg, the bathroom is green & white)
SECOND FLOOR – MAIN HOUSE
Glen Ord. Super-King Double bed or twin beds with en-suite bathroom. Still generously proportioned with marvelous views overlooking the Firth. Whilst not as ‘grand’ as the two bedrooms beneath, this is the best place to have a bath in the house. The en-suite bathroom contains the “Keystone” arched window in the centre of the house. A “Landmark” Georgian-style gunmetal bath sits in front of it and the bathroom is also equipped with a separate drenching shower.
Old Pulteney. Kingsize Double bed with en-suite bathroom. A good-sized bedroom with great views over the Firth and a beautiful brass bed. The bathroom is equipped with a large claw-foot bath and separate drenching shower.
Balblair. Double bedroom with en-suite shower room. The smallest bedroom, but beautifully formed and furnished with great views over the garden and surrounding countryside. The en-suite shower room is contemporary with luxury finish and is equipped with a large drenching shower.
GROUNDS & SURROUNDS
The garden runs to 8.5 acres and most of it is laid to grass, though to the back of the library, there is an extensive terrace and a large circular lawn, surrounded by flowers. In the Spring, snowdrops and then daffodils run riot in the wooded areas, and in summer the fruit cages overflow with raspberries, currants, strawberries and rhubarb, all of which our guests are welcome to enjoy. There is also an extensive herb garden, with different herbs and roses enclosed within miniature box hedges, in the form of an old-fashioned “par terre”.
BBQ/Pizza/Terrace area, just outside the kitchen and on the terrace. There is a large, charcoal BBQ and an outside Pizza Oven, which will cook a 16″ pizza in 60 seconds! (We can provide the dough). The metalwork garden furniture is ideal for enjoying balmy evenings or afternoon tea on the terrace.
6 wo/man Jacuzzi Hot Tub. The hot tub sits just in front of the Summerhouse and is normally kept at a temperature of about 40 degrees. The Tub is emptied & cleaned prior to the arrival of each set of guests and is monitored for you through the week. Flip flops and plastic “glasses” are provided, so you can safely enjoy an evening drink while you soak away the strains of the day’s activities.
Summerhouse. Perfectly positioned to enjoy the afternoon sun, the glass summer-house is furnished with comfortable seating and is a wonderful place from which to watch the sun disappear over the yard-arm, accompanied by friends and a chilled bottle of white. Though unheated, this summerhouse is so warm in summer that a fig, peach & apricot tree – and a grape vine produce large, edible fruits. Smoking is allowed in the Summerhouse, though not in the house itself.
Embo House’s Practice Pitching area
Practice pitching area. Golf aficionados and members of Royal Dornoch Golf Club may not rate our pitching area very highly, however, it can provide great fun for friends and family, and comes complete with a tee, pond/water hazard, bunker and flags! We also have a set of clubs for your use, which are stored in the cellar.
Boules & Croquet. There is a full boules court in the back garden positioned to catch the afternoon sun – and a croquet lawn in the front.
Parking There is lots of parking at the back of the house.
The Firth and the Seashore. There is a short path from the front of the house down onto incredibly beautiful Embo Beach and from here you can walk the 4 km south to spectacular Dornoch Beach and the Dornoch Firth (SSSI). Alternatively, you can go a couple of kilometres north, past Coul Links to the National Nature Reserve of Loch Fleet (SSSI). This is famous for all kinds of wading birds and wildfowl, flora, fauna and the pods of seals, visible year-round as they bask on the sand bars.
Living Space
Reception rooms, kitchen, dining and garden
RECEPTION ROOMS
The library is a large, warm room lined with spicy-smelling cedar wood. At one end, there is a large fireplace surrounded by sofas, enough to comfortably accommodate the group. At the other, a small dining table and 4 chairs, ideal for jigsaws and other games or projects. French doors lead out from here onto the terrace and then the garden. Windows on the opposite side look out over the sea. In a secret “priest hole” behind some of the book shelves, there is a sound system from which you can hook up the speakers to your own streaming service or MP3 player.
The sitting room is a cosy yet elegant room in russet and gold, with an open fire and wonderful views looking out over the Dornoch Firth. Two 3-seater sofas and various occasional chairs create a perfect space for snuggling up to watch a film on the large smart TV, or reading a paper away from the crowd.
There’s also a Games room with a bar, including a fridge, ice-maker and dishwasher, topped with American walnut and surrounded by bar stools. There are a couple of comfortable, leather sofas to relax in. At the other end, there is a small pool table and large wall mounted TV, equipped with Sky Sports, ideal for following the latest golf tournament!
KITCHEN / DINING
The Kitchen is light, airy and contemporary. It is well-equipped with large, twin electric ovens and a 5-ring induction hob, 2 dishwashers, fridge, freezer, microwave & DAB radio. The wooden kitchen table can seat 8-10. There’s a small wood-burning stove for winter mornings and cosy kitchen suppers. French doors lead out onto the BBQ area and terrace/garden.
Dining Room. This is probably the grandest room in the house, dramatically furnished in red, silver and mahogany. It boasts a large fireplace, a dining table to seat 16 and two, immensely grand silver candelabras. A door leading directly into the kitchen makes it easy to serve and clear meals away.
The Cloak Room. This generous cloakroom is an essential part of the house, and is situated right next to the back door. Besides having coat-hooks and ample space for muddy shoes, it is equipped with a vacuum cleaner and all kinds of cleaning products. There is also a supplementary fridge/freezer, ideal for storing drinks etc. There are two de-humidifiers for drying sports kit overnight.
Laundry Room/Golf club store. This room is outside the main house, next to the Garage. It accommodates two, large washing machines and two tumble driers, plus ironing equipment, all available for guests’ use, if required. There is also ample space for storing golf clubs.
Cellar Complex. There are some very large, standing-height, unheated cellar rooms which can be used for storage by guests, on request. They are accessed via proper steps down from the Utility Room and date back to the earliest days of the house.
Embo beach in Summer
And in winter, with Northern Lights over Golspie
Guest Reviews
“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.
