The Otter Hide Reviews 12

Wow! What an amazing hide away on Harris. The Otter Hide has been made by Frank (and friends) and the attention to detail on the fittings/amenities is amazing. The hut feels so homely and is larger than other Shepherd’s huts that I have stayed in. It was possible to cook in the hut but was close to restaurants too. We really enjoyed a meal at the North Harbour Bistro on Scalpay. As Frank says on the description, it is perfectly located to explore both Lewis to the north and the beaches of Harris to the south. If a remote hide away to relax in and explore Lewis and Harris is what you’re after, I would not hesitate to book The Otter Hide!

This property is a real gem. Designed and built by the owners it is obvious how much thought and planning has gone into every aspect of the Otter Hide. All the fittings and equipment are top quality and we really appreciated all the small personal touches. The cabin is full of character reflecting the Isle of Harris, it is cosy and warm with a lovely relaxing atmosphere and the views in all directions are outstanding. Eddie was the perfect host, friendly and approachable but not intrusive and we would definitely recommend this property to anyone looking for a peaceful and quiet location but within easy driving distance of Tarbet and all the tourist attractions. Thank you Eddie, Frank and Linda for letting us share such a special place - we even had an otter walk past the cabin one evening, it doesn't get better than that !!!

My husband and I spent a wonderfully relaxing week at the Otter Hide. It really was the perfect place to retreat from the world for a while and immerse ourselves in the beauty and peace of this gorgeous landscape. The Hide is wonderfully designed to incorporate everything you need in a small space that somehow never feels cramped. It is comfortable, cosy, and beautiful to return to after a long day’s walking or sitting on the beach. It is equally perfect for wild and wet days spent on the sofa, watching the world go by – sheep, rabbits, eagles, herons, curlews, a family of geese and the promise of otters, even if they didn’t show up for us. There has been so much thought and love put into this place, and we loved the little book documenting its construction by Frank, Linda, Eddie and their neighbours. Thank you for a wonderful week.

I spent 5 days, on my own, at the Otter Hide.
The Cabin is a wonderful place to relax and visit Harris. The kitchen is very well equipped, the lounge has a very comfortable sofa, the bedroom is cozy and the shower room has heated towel rails. Everything is clean and tidy. Outside you look over the bay. It is extremely quiet and connected to nature. There are sheep, rabbits and birds. It is a very peaceful place.
The location is great: it is just 5 minutes drive up to the main road that connects Stornoway to Talbert.
The hosts are extremely friendly and helpful.
Thank you Eddie! Linda and Frank, it was a pleasure to meet you! I truly hope to be back to the Otter Hide.

The otter hide is beautiful! We couldn’t have asked for a better stay, great location for waking the hills of Harris and also to reach the beautiful beaches of south Harris. It was cosy, warm, fantastic view overlooking the loch and had everything we needed. 10/10

My wife and I loved our 4 night stay at Otter Hide and are already planning to come back sooner rather than later. I honestly cannot better the previous 5star comments and reviews here on Trustpiilot. I agree with them all.
Everything was perfect for us. Great accommodation, tranquil and with great surrounding landscape. So peaceful with only nature's soundtrack to tune in to. (available TV & WiFi keeping you tuned to the rat race if you prefer). -:)
It is not just internal detail and perfectionism that is apparent it's replicated outside as well!

Frank's little booklet/record of his (and friend's) adventure building the pod and the detail they went to making it clearly illustrates this place is their pride and joy and rightly so.

Great work Frank (and friends).

I couldn’t resist and returned to The Otter Hide for a second year it didn’t disappoint and was everything I remembered and more . The attention to detail was excellent and it was fully equipped for all your needs. Spotless and clean and the views over the loch outstanding - it’s calm , peaceful and comfortable highly recommend visiting . Thank you Frank, Eddie and Linda for creating such a beautiful retreat.

The otter hide is a lovely cabin in a location with stunning beauty all around you. It is situated on a beautiful loch with amazing scenery all around it. You truly feel that you in the heart of nature.
The cabin has everything you need, plus a little bit more. The addition of walking poles, books and board games were a pleasant surprise and it is fully equipped with really good quality kitchenware, reliable WiFi and a great bathroom. The bed is extremely comfortable.
The otter hide is also a short drive to a lot of great areas on the island and we managed to pack in a lot of activities due to it being so accessible to so many amazing areas.
The hosts, Frank, Linda and Eddie are very pleasant and provided a lot of great tips of nature and wildlife spots.
We feel the overall experience of the otter hide can be improved by the hosts being a little less detailed with their guests. We arrived late evening and really appreciated being met at the gate to be shown to the cabin but the host showed us around the cabin and provided a few ‘dos and donts’ in terms if how we should cook, leave the bathroom window open, keep the radiator at a certain temperature and a few other small details which was a lot to take in after a 24 hour journey to the otter hide where we feel a simple instruction booklet may have been a better. After a couple of days we were reminded to leave the bathroom window open which made us feel we were being checked up on.
We also hung a washing line out one day and when we came back we found it had been hung up a different way. The line was hung up in the porch with full view into the cabin of all of our things and we didn’t like the fact the hosts could have examined our things while we were out. We completely respect people’s property but our expectation was that we had full use of the otter hide as if it was our own and not have to adhere to a number of detailed rules of how we should live.
A couple of hours after leaving we had a message from the host asking about a very minor issue which they later advised was resolved regardless, which detracted a little more from our overall experience.
Our recommendation is that the hosts need to be a little more relaxed about how people use the otter hide during their stay. Of course, if something breaks or is left worse upon departure than arrival there should be an agreement of how that is resolved but we would prefer to be left to our own devices and when we can open or close a window during our holiday.
Overall, we loved the otter hide, the location, the nature and the island, and we would fully recommend it to others.

We stayed at the Otter Hide for 4 nights. The cabin is in a beautiful location with stunning views of the loch and hills. It was so peaceful and calming to sit and watch the skies and wildlife. Communication with Frank (Linda and Eddie) was excellent and he was available to answer any questions and gave recommendations- a wonderful host. The cabin was immaculate, homely, comfy and had plenty of room for 2 people and all our holiday / walking / camera gear. Tarbert is close by in the car for shops / restaurants etc. I would definitely recommend. Many thanks. :)

The Otter hide was the perfect location to explore Harris and Lewis. The view and surroundings are stunning and feel very peaceful and private. The cabin is a perfect little escape from the Hebridean weather. It was absolutely spotless and had everything we needed; all the little personal touches made it feel very homely and comfortable! Frank was easy to communicate with and gave Us some recommendations of things to do nearby.
Would highly recommend to anyone looking to visit the island or just looking for a relaxing getaway!

We had a wonderful time at the Otter Hide! The cottage is furnished beautifully, with stunning views over the loch, a large comfy bed and a wonderful hot shower. It's the perfect cosy getaway, with everything designed bespoke for the hide for comfort, from beautifully crafted driftwood hooks, to the curved wine rack that fits next to the cupboards. Frank, Eddie and Linda were really welcoming and kind hosts, giving us lots of local tips. Lastly, it was very well situated for exploring Harris and Lewis, with the Eagle Observatory, Luskentyre and Stornaway 30-45 mins away. We would love to come back!