It's only been available for just over six months, but a stunning lochside Highland holiday rental has just taken home a major UK-wide award.
Scots homeowner Martin Matheson started renting out The Sheiling earlier this year near Plockton and it's just been crowned Britain’s Best Holiday Let.
The awards, which were arranged by Sykes Holiday Cottages, saw holiday homeowners from across the UK competing with Martin walking away with the £10,000 cash prize.
The Sheiling, a luxury wooden lochside lodge, caught the judge's eyes for its beautiful location, stylish interiors and also won top spot in the Best View category.
Clever design
Created to fit seamlessly into its natural surroundings, The Sheiling, which has two bedrooms and sleeps four, features a circular grass-topped roof and a modern contemporary theme throughout.
The luxurious lodge boasts a lochside hot tub, a large wrap-around deck, and a private pier where guests have access to a small rowing boat.
Local building company owner Martin purchased Loch Lundie in 2017 with his wife Mairi, and quickly spotted the potential for a beautiful holiday let in this idyllic spot.
The pair went on to design, build and decorate the property over a four-year period with the help of local craftsmen, finally opening its doors to holidaymakers in May of this year.
Graham Donoghue, CEO at Sykes Holiday Cottages, said: “These awards don’t just showcase the very best of Britain’s holiday lets, they also highlight the hard work that goes into holiday letting across the UK to make Britain’s staycation market the success it is today.
“The Sheiling was certainly a worthy winner – it beat off tough competition, but it is clear to see that this holiday let is nothing short of first-class."
Speaking about the win, Martin said: “We’ve put so much into The Sheiling to make it a success and since opening back in May, we’ve constantly received great feedback from our visitors, but an award like this really does mean a lot.
“Taking on the project to purchase and build on Loch Lundie was a big decision, but we are so proud of what we’ve achieved. We were booked out over the past summer and 2022 is already filling up fast – with this award win likely to take our bookings to the next level.
“It's fantastic that Sykes Holiday Cottages have taken the initiative to run a competition like this to showcase some of the best places to stay in the UK"
As well as Britain’s Best Holiday Let, smaller cash prizes were up for grabs for further categories including Best Renovation, Best Quirky Holiday Let, Best Sustainable Holiday Let, and Best Interior Design.
Winners of the other categories included Balvaig, Pitlochry, a four-bedroom eco-property in Perthshire, Scotland which took home the award for Best Sustainable Holiday Let.
The expert judging panel included Deputy Property Editor of The Times and Sunday Times Carol Lewis, The Holiday Let Success podcaster Elaine Watt and Sykes’ Chief Executive Officer Graham Donoghue.
Properties were judged on a number of factors, including customer reviews, location, and facilities on offer. Judges were also asked to consider if each property would be the first choice for holidaymakers looking for a staycation.
Sykes’ Britain’s Best Holiday Let competition was launched to inspire holiday let owners and celebrate excellence in holiday cottage accommodation across the country.
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