A glorious historic 15th century Tower, with modern luxuries added...

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Overview
Rooms
Location
Policies

9.8

Exceptional

Popular amenities

Pet-friendly

Kitchen

Free WiFi

Explore the area

Peebles, Scottish Borders

Neidpath Castle13 min drive
Peebles Golf Club15 min drive
7stanes - Glentress20 min drive
Edinburgh (EDI)50 min drive

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 4)

Main Bedroom

1 King Bed

2 bathrooms

Ground floor Shower Room

Toilet · Shower only

Main Ensuite Bathroom

Bathtub · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Dining Area

About this property

Authentic medieval mini castle with roaring log fires and all modern comforts. In beautiful countryside on the River Tweed. Ideal for exploring the Scottish Borders. Biking at Glentress 5 minutes; Edinburgh 45 minutes; Peebles nearby. Heavenly walks. If Barns Tower happens to be booked when you want to stay, we do have two other luxurious properties right next door at Barns Library (sleeps 4) and Barns Bothy (sleeps 2), both available through VRBO
The space
Enjoy staying in a cosy, romantic miniature castle with all the luxuries of the 21st century. There is a luxurious double bed on the top floor and a possible 2 extra single beds in the Sitting Room.
Guest access
Linen, towels, heating and firewood are included, as well as wifi and a selection of Highland Soap Company toiletries. It is possible to arrange a private visit to Neidpath Castle if you should wish.
Other things to note
The Tower is ancient with open fires and fairly steep stairs, so not very convenient for small children or those unable to walk.

Property manager

Lulu Benson

Premier Host

Languages

English, French, Slovak

Amenities

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Breakfast included

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Microwave

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs and cats less than 25 kg per pet (limit 2 pets total)

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

About the area

Peebles

This castle is located in Peebles. Great Polish Map of Scotland and Robert Smail's Printing Works are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Haylodge Park and Kailzie Gardens. Dawyck Botanic Garden and Little Sparta are also worth visiting.

Peebles, Scottish Borders

What's nearby

Neidpath Castle - 13 min drive
Peebles Golf Club - 15 min drive
Dawyck Botanic Garden - 20 min drive
7stanes - Glentress - 20 min drive
Traquair House - 26 min drive

Getting around

Gorebridge Station - 25 min drive
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) - 51 min drive

Restaurants

‪Neidpath Inn - ‬14 min drive
‪Bridge Inn - ‬15 min drive
‪County Hotel - ‬15 min drive
‪Green Tree Hotel - ‬15 min drive
‪Costa Coffee - ‬15 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is A glorious historic 15th century Tower, with modern luxuries added... pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 25 kg per pet.

What time is check-in at A glorious historic 15th century Tower, with modern luxuries added...?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at A glorious historic 15th century Tower, with modern luxuries added...?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is A glorious historic 15th century Tower, with modern luxuries added... located?

Situated in Peebles, this castle is 2.2 mi (3.6 km) from Neidpath Castle and 2.5 mi (4 km) from Haylodge Park. Peebles Golf Club and 7stanes - Glentress are also within 9 miles (15 km).

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

19 May 2024

Gorgeous

Enjoyed every minute of stay. Beautifully restored Tower. Absolutely would stay again. Great location … Peebles is a warm friendly town.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

2 Mar 2024

Romantic historic stay by the Tweed

A return trip to Barns Tower for us, again for a valentine’s holiday. And the Tower did not disappoint with its external walls freshly painted, the Tower was again standing proud in the tweed side setting. The ambience in this historic peel tower is just lovely, while fitted with all the modern amenities that you need the open fires, decoration, spiral staircase, vaulted ground floor, cosy sitting room and lovely en suite bedroom give you a real feel of the past. The views from the windows are lovely and at this time of the year the snowdrops and crocus were lighting up the borders in all directions. We enjoyed a lovely walk into Peebles for dinner returning in the dark by moonlight. Also spent a lovely afternoon having lunch and walking round Dawyck Botanic Gardens. Thank you to Lulu and Katarina.

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10/10 Excellent

13 Feb 2024

A tower through time

We were not disappointed by anything that this wonderful historic building offered. Comfortable but not contemporary and conveying a real sense of history through the very fabric of the tower itself. Closing the big wooden door gave us a sense of splendid isolation. We loved every moment here and all that the magnificent surrounding countryside provided.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

28 Jan 2024

Excellent place,

Excellent place to stay. Nice welcome pack. Great location with easy access to riverside walks and Peebles. Quite quirky practicalities around open fires., but they are a great part of the stay. Sitting room couch and kitchen seats need an upgrade, they are tired, but servicable. Bath in the bedroom is a nice feature. Definitely worth a visit. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

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8/10 Good

19 Jan 2024

Barns Tower

Amazing experience and beautiful surroundings Great for dog walks Highly recommended and would return!

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

29 Nov 2023

Lovely and quirky

My husband and I stayed for a long weekend. We love old, quirky buildings and this certainly fits the bill. The stairs are very steep and were problematic for our old dog. Unfortunately we had to stop using the open fires as there was just too much smoke. Such a shame. Apart from those issues though, everything else was wonderful. It’s a very old building, done up in a sympathetic way and we loved it.

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10/10 Excellent

Loraine C.

3 Nov 2023

Three night stay in a castle

Three night stay in Barns Tower was amazing. It had everything we could wish for for an atmospheric stay over Halloween. We especially loved the big wood burning fires in both the kitchen and sitting room and we made good use of both. Exceptionally clean, with lovely walks in the surrounding area. We just can’t wait to return. Very cosy indeed

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10/10 Excellent

31 July 2023

Wonderful, unique place to stay

Barns Tower is one of the most interesting places we have stayed. A great sense of history in this unique tower. We enjoyed every room in the tower. Very cozy and relaxing. Well set up and a nice welcome package to arrive to. Thanks for a great place to stay.

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10/10 Excellent

Cris D., Bermuda

30 July 2023

A towering delight!

From the first moment we stepped into Barns Tower we were over the moon. No effort or expense was spared in the restoration of this enchanting and truly unique treasure. It turned out that our stop at Salisbury’s on the way through Peebles was wholly unnecessary. Almost everything we bought for ourselves had been thoughtfully provided by our host; milk, coffee, fruit, eggs, bread,,, We had to make a special effort to stay at home one afternoon to enjoy a fire in the living room. The walk into Peebles was a delight. We devoured all of the information in the book left for our edification. This was the best holiday let experience ever!!

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10/10 Excellent

17 July 2023

A must visit stay

A one of a kind stay in a quiet private but not isolated location. Has everything you need in a medieval setting.

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10/10 Excellent

Pauline W.

12 July 2023

The best holiday

A wonderful week spent in this beautiful quirky property. A holiday we will remember for all the right reasons, for a long time. All staff on the Neidpath Estate were exceptional. VERY dog friendly. The bed was the most comfortable we have slept in. The welcome pack was excellent. We were lucky to get a tour of the castle on the estate and the historic info. Would definitely recommend for anyone fit and able to climb stairs who is interested in experiencing a snapshot of history. Thank You to Lulu and the team.

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10/10 Excellent

3 July 2023

Fabulous stay

Beautiful tower in a lovely, quiet location. The tower was everything we could have hoped for and more! Clean, very well equipped and thoughtful touches of milk, eggs, bread and butter supplied. Comfortable bed, good shower and bath. Thoughtfully renovated. Just perfect.

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10/10 Excellent

3 July 2023

Lovely stay at the characterful tower.

We stayed for 3 nights in Barns Tower. Lulu was very welcoming, attentive and the tower was well supplied with quality items. The grounds are stunning with the river tweed close by for evening walks. Can’t wait to go back.

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly H.

25 June 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Barn’s Tower Experience

We can’t say enough about this incredibly special place. We found the history of the tower and the surrounding area so intriguing. The recommended walk along the Tweed River and the nearby arboretum were beautiful. Make sure to stay at least a couple nights.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mike E.

5 June 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peebles Paradise

Amazing property located just outside of Peebles in the Scottish Borders. A carefully and tastefully restoration of a historic tower, a must stay if you are looking for something unique! Our host was communicative and attentive. An overall amazing experience and we’ll be sure to come back again!

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

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10/10 Excellent

17 Feb 2023

Pure bliss

This place is a must do, it’s absolutely fantastic, takes you back in time.two loverly log burners to cosy up to. Just love the history of the place, working out were the original stairs were. The moment you put the key in the door wow what an experience. Little tip, walk in without your luggage and explore, you get such a warm feeling about the place . Absolutely recommend to anyone.Thanks lulu for the experience WOW

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Sarroll S.

5 Dec 2022

Weekend Break

Fantastic from start to end! The Tower has everything you need for a wonderful stay, The stairs can be challenging if you are not steady on your feet or have any knee issues though.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

2 Dec 2022

Beautiful place

Booked for my husbands birthday, Barn’s tower was just a glorious place to stay that just oozed history and charm. Yes, those stairs are tricky, but it has to be expected with the type of property it is, however, with a detailed web site with photographs that provides you with a view of what to expect, it should come as no surprise, so ‘other’ reviews complaining about these stairs are just unfair- we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It was more than what we expected as an experience and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will stay again in a heart beat. Barn’s tower was cosy, (I loved the kitchen and cooking in it with the fire on), it had a huge comfortable bed and modern downstairs shower room. Parking was no issue and the setting on a cold Autumn day was picture post card perfect and don’t get me started on the star gazing with those clear skies. Thank you for letting us share this beautiful place!

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

28 Nov 2022

A wonderful place to stay.

Totally unique property and a joy to stay in. Everything provided that you could need. Would definitely recommend to others.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Fred H.

26 Nov 2022

A lovely place in which to spend a few nights.

We booked this from the website having been attracted to the idea of staying in another unique place. Booking process was very straight forward and payments made OK. Helpful arrival instructions worked well. Good points. Well of course the type of property and its history stand out. We even bought and enjoyed the book by John Buchan. We loved the ground floor room and facilities as a very practical concept. With so many floors it was helpful to be able to 'store' items in the one room to retrieve and use as required as was the WC and shower. The quality of the fitout and equipment was beyond reproach although some equipment was excessive in amount bearing in mind there are only two guests. e.g. Did we really need a full service of crockery? Soft furnishing were in good condition and beautifully appropriate to the style and nature of the property. We rarely used the lounge floor and lived in the kitchen and commuted 'upstairs' to bed each evening. But it all worked well. If there was a downside, with one exception, it was more of style over substance. Too many items, cutlery, crockery, pots and pans etc., for just two guests. The surplus simply took up too much room that could have made for simpler and clearer use of shelf space. two minor grumbles. The approach road was badly potholed making the drive in and out a bit of a chore. More disappointing was that our one attempt to contact Caretaker and owner regarding a problem of no hot water went unheeded. As it happened I could trace and fix the problem to a probably air lock due to low pressure in the supply, but it would have been nice to have had a response to our calls. at the least. A lovely place to which the poor weather failed to remove any of the pleasure.

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10/10 Excellent

Jeannemarie S.

27 Sept 2022

Perfect secret hideaway!

We absolutely loved staying in the Barnes Tower! The decor was charming and comfortable, the bed was amazing and the location was gorgeous. It was fantastic to walk out the door onto the choice of wonderful walking trails whenever we wanted. The breakfast provisions provided for us were a welcome surprise as we never wanted to leave the tower to go into town. It was so peaceful and quiet and private, just a perfect retreat.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

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12 Sept 2022

Unique & tranquil

Stunningly restored and with everything you need for a tranquil farmhouse retreat - we’ll definitely be back!

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

31 Aug 2022

Fascinating and atmospheric building

Barns Tower is a really special place to spend a few days. We were delighted with this fascinating and atmospheric building and charmed by the interior and exterior as well as the peaceful wooded estate location. The restoration had been done with care and sensitivity. All furniture and equipment were perfect and the welcoming fruit, milk, eggs and bread appreciated. We would love to return!

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

26 Aug 2022

Overall, a disappointment.

We felt the accommodation was far removed from the castle: the website gave the impression it was a part of the castle itself. There was no mention on the website that the tower had so many narrow and very steep stairs: it is fortunate that we have no mobility issues but believe this needs to be explicitly stated. Confusion over which accommodation was booked for which guests could have been eliminated by a simple welcome card inside with the guests names, perhaps placed in the kitchen. The fresh eggs, butter, milk and bread were appreciated.The tower, whilst comfortable, did not match the standard of luxury we expected for the price paid.

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Keith H.

26 Aug 2022

Nicely restored tower in great location

We had a delightful 3 days staying in this four storey tower. A great base for Peebles and the surrounding countryside. Going up and down the narrow stairs keeps you fit especially if like me you keep forgetting things!

About the host

Hosted by Lulu Benson

I love renovating ancient buildings and being able to invite guests to enjoy them. Scotland is an extraordinary country and my corner of it, here in the Scottish Borders, is as romantic and beautiful as it gets!

Why they chose this property

Barns Tower is one of very few truly ancient towers that have been restored to enable guests to stay in real comfort. You can step back in time, whilst knowing that the water runs hot and the beds are comfortable.

What makes this property unique

An ancient iron Yett Gate, guards the studded front door. The lower vaulted chamber can be used for intimate wedding or vow renewal ceremonies. You can stroll out into the adjacent arboretum and wander through the magnificent trees and open the secret door into the walled garden, full of apple trees that you can help yourself from, when in season. The open fires in both the sitting room and kitchen can be lit and the wifi means that the modern world is at your fingertips, should you need it.