"Stayed at Aikwood Tower for a couple of days to celebrate a birthday with friends. Forget any idea of cold, damp or threadbare! This is a beautifully restored, high spec, luxuriously warm, spacious, delightful escape in the "wilderness" of the Scottish borders. Plenty to do in the surrounding area - walks, houses and gardens to visit, eatieries, or simply chilling out. Plus an interesting history, both from the days of the border raiding parties and more recently as the life long down time project of Sir David Steele and his family. Thoroughly recommend it!"

"Our group had been planning a castle stay in the UK for around 10 years, and Aikwood did not in any way disappoint. This place is more amazing than any picture can describe, and Vicki and her family have done an beautiful job on it. We recommend lawn Jenga to anyone visiting the castle. We spent most of our time in the great hall, as it was so warm and inviting, and our family is always cooking something or other. The lounge areas are large and comfortable, rooms were clean and luxurious, and the bath tubs were the best bath tubs I have ever bathed within. If you want to pretend you live in a fairy tale, Aikwood tower is the place to make believe."

"We got married here a couple of weeks ago. Aikwood Tower is a beautiful and unique locational to get married. Not only that - Vicki was so wonderful to work with and she worked so hard to make sure we were able to get what we wanted and for our wedding day to run smoothly. I had a stress-free wedding day as a result and an enjoyable stay at Aikwood. We had one of the best weekends of our lives and our friends kept saying to us how it was one of the best weddings they had ever been to. We were able to have a wedding that was bespoke and so personal and Aikwood will always be special to us. We can't thank Vicki enough and hope we can stay again!"

"No words can describe this.... but I will try. Aikwood Tower, is the most amazing place I have ever stayed. I have always wanted to stay in a Scottish Castle with my family and with my 60th birthday to celebrate with my twin sister, I started searching. We were there for 3 nights and lived like landed gentry. We were in awe of this wonderful property, the history and the location. Vicki, who owns the tower, was so helpful and an absolute pleasure to deal with. All ten of my family didn't want to leave. If it wasn't for the pressure of returning to work, Vicki would have had to drag us out by our feet as we held on to the door frames! Beautifully and tastefully restored, with sympathetic contemporary touches, it is no wonder they have received architectural awards for the restoration. I can only say, you must visit - then you will appreciate what I can't out down in words. My father now wants to return for his 80th birthday - we will be back. And hopefully for a longer stay. It was an honour to experience Aikwood Tower."

"Aikwood Tower in the glorious border region is an absolute gem of a place for a family gathering. It is a historic and impressive building by anyone's standards, but also wonderfully well equipped, with every comfort for visitors. It’s also, as you can imagine, a very robust setting for families. You are not walking on eggshells or over worried about the décor or arriving back from walks with muddy wellies etc. so ideal for our big group, plus the two dogs. The gardens are lovely as is all of the surrounding countryside. Cycling opportunities are many and varied from the front door - the borders really are one of the best areas of GB for cycling both on and off road. Little traffic and courteous drivers - the local people were very friendly and Selkirk has some excellent shops and sufficient supermarkets. An excellent butcher too. We went to a concert at Haining House Selkirk and it was obviously set up and organised by a local group who are helping with the hall and grounds - again, really nice people taking a pride in their community. The train from Tweed Bank to Edinburgh was well used by some of our guests and what good value it is on a lovely stretch of line. Edinburgh is less than an hour away and its far easier and cheaper than driving for a day return. There are lots of other attractions in the area but we had a lot of fun just staying in and around our stronghold! Everything was really well prepared and Tina was most welcoming on arrival. Vicki was so helpful also and we felt as if they wanted us to have a nice time and weren't listing rules and regulations. We had lovely flowers and Easter eggs and chocolates all round. Plus, some fantastic local bacon and sausage. We really enjoyed our stay despite the weather but then again, the hills looked lovely in the snow!"

"Beautiful castle stay, surprisingly affordable yet still felt wonderfully decadent. Would highly recommend Oliver's Travels and will be booking again."

"I'm not typically given to hyperbole, but I am having a hard time finding words that do justice to Aikwood Tower. It is simply gorgeous. The tower has been lovingly restored in a way that blends the charm of its history with the comforts of five star luxury accommodation. The gardens are beautiful, the views spectacular -- many times I stopped on my way to fetching a jacket or a book from one of the rooms to gaze out the window at a stunning vista and was so mesmerized that I completely forgot what I had originally been after. Owner Vicki is lovely and supremely helpful, and my energetic family -- three teenagers, and eight year old, my husband and myself -- felt welcome and very much at home. My young son had the adventure of his life exploring the many interesting nooks and corners of the tower and the delights of the gardens, including a play house in the orchard. Our stay was all too short, we were there a mere three nights but we filled the days hiking the hilly trails at Bowhill House and exploring the nearby villages. We are all in agreement that we cannot wait to return for a longer stay! Thank you, Vicki and family, for sharing this gem of a home with us and others."