# Curlew Cottage Pet-friendly family holiday cottage in Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay. A converted stone steading with private access road, walled patio garden, sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms. Quiet elevated location between Bruichladdich Distillery and Port Charlotte village. Source: https://portbahnislay.co.uk/accommodation/curlew-cottage Sleeps: 6 | Bedrooms: 3 | Bathrooms: 2 | Dog-friendly: Yes ## Indicative rates | Period | Per night | |---|---| | Jan | From £119 (indicative) | | Feb | From £119 (indicative) | | Mar | From £209 | | Apr | From £207 | | May | From £232 | | Jun | From £232 | | Jul | From £240 | | Aug | From £232 | | Sep | From £232 | | Oct | From £237 (indicative) | | Nov | From £149 (indicative) | | Dec | From £149 (indicative) | | Fèis Ìle week | From £330 (28 May–6 Jun 2027 · book well ahead) | Accommodation only. Cleaning fee £120 per stay. We update our rates week by week based on a number of local factors, so always check the live rates for the dates you'd like to book. These are average rates for the time of year, to give you an idea. ## Overview Curlew Cottage is a pet-friendly, cosy family holiday cottage — a converted stone steading in elevated farmland between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte on the Isle of Islay, Scotland. It sleeps 6 in 3 bedrooms with a private access road, walled patio garden, and sea views across Loch Indaal. Curlew Cottage is our friend Alan's family holiday getaway - a converted stone steading in Bruichladdich on the Isle of Islay, sleeping 6 guests in 3 bedrooms. Alan has kept Curlew Cottage as his family's private holiday home for years, and it's opening to guests for the first time in 2026. We have known Alan for years and manage it with the same care as our own properties - Portbahn House and Shorefield next door - where we hold a 4.97/5 rating across 380+ reviews and Airbnb Superhost status. [Bruichladdich Distillery](https://www.bruichladdich.com) is a 15-minute walk along the coastal path to the north, and [Port Charlotte village](/explore-islay/islay-villages) - with its two hotels, the museum and a sandy swimming beach - is a 5-minute drive or 30-minute walk on foot along the coast path to the south. Bruichladdich village shop (Aileen's / Debbie's Mini Market) is a 15-minute walk or 2-minute drive - excellent coffee and sandwiches, post office, and basic supplies such as bread, milk and firewood. Port Charlotte has a shop/post-office with petrol pump and [two hotels serving excellent food](/explore-islay/food-and-drink) with a good and rare selection of local Islay whiskies. Curlew Cottage is a pet-friendly holiday home for families seeking a quiet, safe base on Islay for exploring [beaches](/explore-islay/islay-beaches), [distilleries](/explore-islay/islay-distilleries), and [coastal walks](/explore-islay/walking). Curlew is the one to think about if your dog needs space to run free: the walled rear patio is enclosed but compact, and out front - farmland and neighbouring homes - it's leads at all times. For an off-lead garden, Portbahn House is the better fit; Curlew suits calm dogs happy with on-lead coastal walks. ## Bedrooms & Bathrooms Three bedrooms accommodate 6 guests across two floors in this family-friendly cottage. The cottage has three bedrooms, sleeping six, all upstairs - a superking, a double and a twin. Two share the main landing and use the family bathroom downstairs, and the third is reached via its own separate stair and has its own small bathroom - nice for privacy if you've got teenagers or older kids who want their own corner. Each room has its own character: the master bedroom, with superking bed, has dark blue painted furniture and botanical cushions; the double has a teal geometric throw and Moroccan patterned cushions; and the separate-stair twin room has a dormer window and a writing desk. All have sea views out over the loch. The main family bathroom is on the ground floor — bath, shower, pedestal sink, spacious wooden shelving. Upstairs, serving the twin room, there's a smaller bathroom with toilet, sink, and a small bath with shower over the bath — so it's really 1.5 bathrooms in total. To manage expectations: the upstairs bath is small with the shower over it, not ideal for larger guests. One honest note: one of the bedrooms involves a separate stair, and the split staircase between rooms might not suit everybody. There are no bedrooms on the ground floor - possibly not ideal if stairs are a problem, but the ground-floor main bathroom means nobody has to climb for basic needs. - Master bedroom with superking bed (sleeps 2) - Double bedroom (sleeps 2) - Twin bedroom — two single beds, separate stair access with small upstairs bathroom (sleeps 2) **Bathrooms:** - 1 main bathroom downstairs with bath/shower combination, toilet, and sink - 1 small ensuite to bedroom with separate stair access (small bath with shower attachment, sink, toilet) ## Living Spaces The ground floor is the heart of this holiday home, with bright windows looking out over the private garden and fields across Loch Indaal to Bowmore. The separate living spaces are great for people to get together and have a blether, or just to find a quiet corner with a book. The main large family room has a big, cosy sofa, Islay seascape prints on the walls, and a wood-burning stove that gets the house toasty warm on cool Scottish evenings. There's a TV with an Apple TV box for streaming. A second, bright living space has books and board games and a TV with Freesat — perfect for family nights in when there's a storm outside. Next door, adjoining the kitchen there is a dining room — with a proper table for big hearty meals, and a door straight out to the summer garden where there's a bench for catching the morning sun with a cuppa. There's also a little snug area with a sofa and chairs, just off the kitchen, for coffee and wool-gathering. The kitchen has grey shaker cabinets, oak worktops, a Dualit toaster, gas hob, dishwasher, microwave — simple, but fully equipped with all you need. A separate laundry/utility room is by the back door with a washing machine, tumble dryer and an airing pulley for when the rain sets in. The cottage has oil-fired central heating, double glazing, and a wood-burning stove — so it's warm year-round, not just a summer house. Wifi throughout. **Kitchen & dining:** - Dishwasher - Microwave - Oven - Refrigerator - Toaster - Coffee machine - Vacuum cleaner - Children's high chair - Kitchen stove/range - Dining table for 6 **Living areas:** - Separate sitting room - Separate dining room - Sea views - Wifi/broadband - Books and games - Double glazing ## Outdoors & Garden Curlew sits in an elevated position surrounded by farmland, between Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte, with sea views across Loch Indaal. The private access road is shared only with two neighbouring homes - very quiet, very safe for kids playing outside. The walled rear patio garden has an old greenhouse and the original stone outbuildings from when this was a working farm steading - the cottage itself is a conversion of the same steading, so the old stonework is a real feature of the property inside and out. Ample parking for several cars. On warm spring and summer days, the front door opens straight onto the garden and a lovely bench for a morning brew - the front door leads from the dining room / snug area so the garden is on tap when you want it. In winter, the view from the sitting room window - snow-dusted fields, Loch Indaal in the distance, sunset behind the Paps of Jura - is one of the best things about Curlew. Winter in the islands is often underestimated. Dogs are welcome at Curlew Cottage, with one note: they must be on a lead when out the front of the property, which opens onto the neighbouring properties and farmland, but can be let off the lead in the back patio garden area. Please keep dogs on leads at all times when around farmland and livestock and be sensitive to the neighbours. - Private garden - Sea views - Walled garden - Elevated position ## Location Peaceful secluded hideaway between [Bruichladdich](https://www.bruichladdich.com) and [Port Charlotte](/explore-islay/islay-villages), set back from the road with sweeping sea views Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay Postcode: PA49 7UN ## Nearby Attractions - Bruichladdich Distillery, 15 minute walk - Port Charlotte village, 30 minute walk along coastal path or 5 minute drive - Portbahn Beach, 5 minute walk - Port Mor children's playground at Port Charlotte, 5 minute drive ## Dog Policy Dogs are welcome at Curlew Cottage at £15 per dog per stay — no size or number limit. Dogs must be kept on a lead at the front of the property and around neighbouring farmland; off-lead permitted in the walled rear patio garden. - Walled rear patio garden, safely enclosed for dogs off-lead. - Dogs on a lead at the front of the property, which opens onto neighbouring homes and farmland. - Portbahn Beach — dog-friendly, 5-minute walk. - Coastal cycle path to Bruichladdich and Port Charlotte — easy traffic-free walking. ## Dog-Friendly Properties on Islay All three properties — Portbahn House, Shorefield House and Curlew Cottage — welcome dogs at £15 per dog per stay, with no size or number limit. At Curlew Cottage, dogs must be kept on a lead at the front of the property and around neighbouring farmland; they can be let off the lead in the walled rear patio garden. Portbahn Beach is a 5-minute walk from all three properties. Islay is one of the best dog destinations in Scotland: empty beaches, quiet roads, and open countryside. ## Walking Distance to Bruichladdich Distillery You're a short walk from the pioneering Bruichladdich Distillery along the coastal cycle path — 10 minutes from Portbahn House and Shorefield House, 15 minutes from Curlew Cottage. Tour the distillery, then walk home. Portbahn Beach is 5 minutes the other way. Port Charlotte village (restaurants, shops, museum, and petrol) is a 5-minute drive. Bruichladdich's central location means all eleven distilleries and Islay's best beaches are within easy reach. ## Port Charlotte Village Port Charlotte village is a 5-minute drive — perhaps Islay's prettiest, with the Port Charlotte Hotel (300+ whiskies, live music Wed & Sun), Lochindaal Seafood Kitchen (order the platter 24h ahead), Islay Museum, local shop, and the Port Mor playground for families. ## Guest Reviews Total reviews: 19 Airbnb: 4.5/5 (6 reviews) Booking.com: 8.5/10 (12 reviews) Google: 4/5 (1 reviews) **Guest reviews:** > "Good location well equipped plenty of space." — Deborah, Booking.com, August 2026 > "We’d love to stay forever and wake up every morning to the sound of sheep and the view of the sea!" — Tom, Airbnb, July 2026 > "We enjoyed our stay, overall the cottage was very comfortable and I would highly recommend staying there." — Jacqualine, Booking.com, July 2026 > "The cottage is clean, spacious and extremely comfortable." — Lora, Airbnb, July 2026 > "Felt right at home. Would come back just to relax in this house." — James, Airbnb, June 2026 > **Our reply:** Love that you mentioned the 'little sheep' in your review James! Just the icing on the top! You were a delight to host, genuinely, and would be very welcome back. Best wishes to you all from Pi & The Team > "What stands out most is the kindness and care Pi showed throughout." — Charlene, Booking.com, June 2026 > **Our reply:** Dear Charlene, I want to be transparent with our future guests: your arrival experience was not acceptable, and I'm truly sorry for that. As a new season host at Curlew, I was not able to oversee the preparation of the cottage personally before your arrival, and the standard fell well below what we expect and what our guests deserve. That has since been addressed. What I can promise is that every issue raised has been fully resolved, a thorough deep clean has been completed, and we have put proper processes in place to ensure this does not happen again. Meeting you, your family and your wonderful mum was an unexpected joy. Islay and Jura will be here waiting when you're ready for that wellness weekend, with the wild sauna on Jura and some Atlantic dipping! With warm wishes, Pi > "Beautiful location overlooking Loch Indaal." — Mairi, Airbnb, May 2026 > "Overall had a very pleasant stay and would love to return in the future." — Alison, Booking.com, April 2026 > **Our reply:** Ah, that is a nuisance! Thank you Alison for bringing this to our attention, exactly what we hope our guests will do as it helps us improve our guests' experience of staying. I shall double check that we have left sufficient suggestion forms for our guests as we develop Curlew Cottage. Best wishes! > "Perfect location for exploring the island by car. Good size property and well equipped. Washing facilities worked well, including tumble drier, which is a bonus in holiday homes." — Liz, Booking.com, August 2026 > "Lots of room, plenty of room at the back for bikes. Bit of a walk/ ride to get food." — Kim, Booking.com, August 2026 > "Stunning location and a short walk from the village" — Georgia, Airbnb, August 2026 > "Fantastic cottage and view, comfy beds and good info. Drawback broken light (happens but was not fixed) and info saying coffee was stored but there was no coffeee. Otherwise well equipped." — Kerstin, Airbnb, August 2026 > **Our reply:** I am completely to blame for 'Light-Gate' Kerstin! It appears I passed on the wrong advice, and our housekeeper discovered this morning that the light does indeed work, and that I had pointed you to the wrong light switch altogether! I am so sorry!! I wholeheartedly understand your disappointment at there not being any coffee available...as would any coffee drinker! Not our usual standard of care, and I hope you can accept my apologies. Sending well wishes to you all, Amba > "there was no safety box. the door of the cottage was open." — Andrea, Booking.com, August 2026 > **Our reply:** Thank you for a clean sweep of Tens Andrea!! If I can address your comments to avoid any confusion for any readers; we do leave the door open for new arrivals as there isn't a keysafe. However, guests do have access to keys for security once inside. As islanders, it's not unusual to leave your door unlocked, even when leaving the island, but we appreciate this is a strange practice to most. Please be assured, the house is lockable and keys area available. Best wishes to you and yours Andrea, from Pi & The Team > "Geräumig, gut für Familien, 2 Bäder. Gute Lage. Tür ging nicht zu verschließen." — Michael, Booking.com, July 2026 > **Our reply:** We discovered the key Michael; it was on the press as suggested! But well done for making a plan, our guests are incredibly resourceful! Best wishes from us all. > "Great space, pretty Location, good amenities. A bit remote to get to get to, and heavily wooded so midges kept us from being outside...which looked lovely." — Chris, Booking.com, June 2026 > **Our reply:** Oh my days, too a man you'll not hear Islay is a bubbling metropolis Chris, but it's really not so remote when one considers, perhaps, Tiree or Benbecula for example. And if you're talking about the cottage, it's a stiff 15-minute stroll out of Bruichladdich, unless you've had a few drams and then I suppose it could turn into a marathon. As for The Midge, The Pesky Midge, naughty as they are, they are a West Coast inhabitant too. As welcoming as any one of us! And, for the uninitiated, not just forest dwellers on remote islands either. They love an urban garden just as much ;) Just not a breeze. Best wishes, and thank you for the smile! > "After a very upsetting start to our stay at Curlew Cottage, our host Pi went above and beyond to rectify the situation. As soon as she became aware of the issues we faced on arrival, she was with us within an hour." — Charlene McMenemy, Google, June 2026 > **Our reply:** Dear Charlene, thank you so much for taking the time to update your review. I want to be transparent with our future guests: your arrival experience was not acceptable, and I'm truly sorry for that. As a new season host at Curlew, I was not able to oversee the preparation of the cottage personally before your arrival, and the standard fell well below what we expect and what our guests deserve. That has since been addressed. What I can promise is that every issue raised has been fully resolved, a thorough deep clean has been completed, and we have put proper processes in place to ensure this does not happen again. Meeting you, your family and your wonderful mum was an unexpected joy. Islay and Jura will be here waiting when you're ready for that wellness weekend, with the wild sauna on Jura and some Atlantic dipping! With warm wishes, Pi > "The host told us to collect the keys from a key box - there was no key box. It was also difficult to operate the TV. Otherwise, all was very good and the cottage had a beautiful view." — Tom, Booking.com, May 2026 > **Our reply:** Thank you for staying at Curlew and for taking the time to post a review Tom. Curlew Cottage is our newest addition and we are grateful to our guests for their interaction, for raising issue such as these during their stay. I have amended our welcome information to reflect the key box being out of use: that's a hiccup on my part. Readers will be pleased to note that our gem of a 'always goes the extra mile' housekeeper was able to resolve the TV remote issue during Tom's stay, and a simple 'How To' guide has been added to our welcome information. Best wishes, Amba ## Good to Know - **One bedroom has separate stair access:** The twin bedroom with ensuite is accessed via a separate staircase. Provides privacy but may not suit guests with mobility concerns. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Why are there no reviews for Curlew Cottage yet? Curlew is Alan's family retreat, and he's opening it to guests for the first time in 2026. We (Pi & Lynton) manage Curlew with the same care we give Portbahn House and Shorefield. We hold a 4.97/5 rating across 600+ guests since 2017, with Airbnb Superhost status and 5.0/5 communication. Over 30 reviews mention our legendary ferry crisis support. You're getting the same level of care—just at a property new to the market. ### Can we bring our dog to Curlew Cottage? Yes — Curlew Cottage welcomes dogs at £15 per dog per stay, with no size or number limit. Dogs must be kept on a lead at the front of the property (which opens onto neighbouring properties and farmland), but can be let off the lead in the walled rear patio garden. Please keep dogs on leads whenever around livestock and be sensitive to the neighbours. All three of our properties — Portbahn House, Shorefield House and Curlew Cottage — welcome dogs on the same terms. ### Is the walled garden safe for children? Yes — the walled rear patio garden is fully enclosed and private, perfect for kids to play safely without supervision concerns. The property is off the main road with its own private access, shared only with two neighbouring homes. Families with young children specifically choose Curlew for the combination of safe outdoor space and quiet location. ### How many bedrooms does Curlew Cottage have? Curlew has 3 bedrooms sleeping 6 guests: two bedrooms on the main floor (accessible without stairs) and one twin bedroom with ensuite accessed via a separate staircase. The separate staircase provides extra privacy (great for teens or separate families), but note this if you have mobility concerns. ### What's the character of Curlew Cottage? Curlew is Alan's family retreat—filled with his family's personal effects and holiday things like books, games, comfortable furniture. It's cosy, authentic, and genuinely feels like home from home. This isn't a styled, minimalist rental—it's a real family cottage with personality intact.