McKinlay Kidd Traveller Reviews

The experience throughout was excellent. The area is stunningly beautiful and the people we met were friendly and helpful.

All arrangements for travel and accommodationwere well selected and communicated. Reliable and trustworthy.

I stayed at the Tobermory hotel which was very comfortable and the staff were very welcoming. McKinlay Kidd organised 3 wildlife tours and each was very good in a different way. I was fortunate to see eagles, whales, a basking shark and red deer. I also visited Staffa and Lunga on one of the trips by boat. There were 2 free days and, at my request, I was sent the bus timetables to enable me to visit Iona. On my second free day I took a walk detailed in the guide book which the company had provided. This walk was to Aros park to see a magnificent waterfall. I would definetly recommend McKinlay Kidd. The team are helpful on the phone, answer emails promptly and provide excellent information in a superior pack.

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At every turn of this holiday we were awe struck by the natural beauty, wildlife and friendly folk it was a truly unforgettable experience, where else would you see a sea eagle and stay in a castle.

We booked at short notice and McKinlay Kidd did a marvellous job and when we had a minor problem at the ferry terminal (our fault) they were on the end of the phone and sorted it immediately for us.We were overwhelmed by their choice of accommodation and our only regret was that we didn't have longer to savour the experiences.

We covered the northern part of the Wild Atlantic Way staying in a combination of historic and modern hotels and country houses. The scenery was stunning and the planning was very carefully done so we had the right amount of time in each location. It took the hassle out of planning this ourselves.

McKinlay Kidd were able to offer us a couple of options so we could choose what suited us best. We didn't have to do anything except turn up! The logistics (flight, hire car and all the hotels) worked like clockwork.

We took a self driving tour set up by McKinlay Kidd. All details were worked out in advance including auto rental, lodging, and some meals. We could not have asked for better results. We had a great time in a beautiful country.

Very organized and well designed trip.

Very responsive and everything worked as they had scheduled

We came up from London to Glasgow by train and did McKinlay Kidd's train and hotel package to Fort William and Mallaig, travelling for the last part on the Jacobite steam train, with an extra couple of days added on in Oban which the company also arranged. We've been to many places in the world but seldom seen anywhere to compare with the beauty of the West Highlands. A lovely place with friendly people, and we hope to return soon.

All the arrangements by McKinlay Kidd were excellent, with a special mention for the seats they booked for us on the Jacobite steam train - they were on the side which seemed to have the best views. The documentation they provide is very complete and absolutely accurate.

Since everything was well planned ther was no surprises. Mull is rich of wonderful spots and landscpaes and even when weather wasn't helping,there was plenty of activities to do. Local resources are excellent and recommendable.

All staff was very kind. Tom was our contact always ready to answer. Everything was well planned since the beginning and even when weather wasn't helping, last minute changes were well dealed with. Choice of local resources was excellent and recommendable.

We'd been considering a holiday using trains for some time, so a tour around Scotland using scheduled trains, with the odd steam train and ferry, seemed to fit the bill. Starting in Glasgow, we trained Northwards, stopping off just short of Fort William, at Spean Bridge. This was an idyllic spot, marking the real end of work and start of the holiday! We then took the Jacobite steam train up to Mallaig, staying a couple of nights at nearby Arisaig. Then a couple of days on Skye (which wasn't as crowded as the newspapers were saying - but certainly as beautiful). Next stop Inverness, from where we took a boat excursion through the Caledonian Canal into the resplendent Loch Ness. Onward to Thurso, from where we took a day trip to lovely Orkney. We broke up the train journey down to Edinburgh with an overnight stay at Kingussie and the finest dinner of the trip. Finally, three days in Edinburgh, all full of Festival, Tattoo 'n' all. That's what we did, but putting into words how we felt about our holiday is more difficult. Just a wonderful experience made up of a variety of lovely experiences. The scenery to start with - Scotland seems to be green all the way up to the top - and watching it from a train window rather than looking for road signs from a car was a good choice! The excursions we took, the places we stayed, the people we met (who knew, the Scots are really friendly!). the food we ate, the ale I drank, the gin she drank, and finally all the fun of the festival at our final stop. A big tick for Scotrail too - the schedule went to schedule. This was a holiday to remember, and we will do so with great fondness.

I think it was a car company that once ran a campaign with the tag line "it just works". Well our holiday, with its various journeys, transfers and one- or two- night stays, just worked. The balance of travelling versus staying, was just right for us, and the range of experiences spot on. We didn't feel stuck, or hurried, at any stage. We quickly began to trust "Robert's Recommendations", not least when various hoteliers told us that Robert (Kidd) visits himself. Some say that the planning of a holiday is almost more stressful than the holiday is enjoyable. What stress? McKinlay Kidd took that away, and delivered a special two weeks.

Our Scotland by train adventure was everything we had hoped for. No stress about driving (on the wrong/other side of the road). The legs of the journey were of the perfect duration - we overnighted two nights at every stop meaning that there was no rush and we had time to explore and unwind. The stops chosen for us were highlights - Pitlochery/Inverness/Skye. Our ride on the Jacobite was a sure hit. We never thought we would travel to Scotland (a family wedding changed that) and now we are so glad that we did. Scotland is a beautiful country that abounds in history.

There are not enough superlatives for McKinlay Kidd. The staff know their stuff!! The kind assistance we received with our entire trip (a family wedding prior to the M-K holiday package) not just the train adventure was so appreciated. Attention to detail was very much in evidence as every leg of our journey was well organized - no surprises. Our holiday literature package was a delightful surprise (we'd had an info package prior) as it contained a wealth of brochures/maps not available on line. Although we did a package, this package was tailored and custom fitted for us which made our vacation ours.