questions
- What facilities do all the Hideaways have?
- How do the Hideaways differ?
- Which Hideaway am I staying in?
- Which Hideaways welcome pets?
- Why didn’t I didn’t get a confirmation email?
- What if I need to cancel?
- What time can we check in - and where will I get the key?
- What time is check-out – and where should we leave the key?
- How do we get to The Hideaway Experience?
- We’ve found the farm – how do we find our Hideaway?
- How easy is it to get to The Hideaway Experience by train?
- Are there any supplies in the Hideaway?
- Will you come and meet us?
- Will a housekeeper visit?
- What if something’s not what I expected?
- Can you recommend a local restaurant?
- Can you recommend a pet friendly restaurant?
- Are there good walks from the Hideaway?
- Where are the nearest good beaches?
- Do any takeaways deliver?
- Do you have office hours?
answers
Each Hideaway has a private hot tub, a sauna, large double bath for two, wood burning stove, cocktail bar, super king-size bed and contained garden with gas-BBQ and firepits. All have complementary wifi and SONOS music systems both inside and out.
The Lovers & Stargazers benefit from the additional facilities of a heated relaxation room and ice machine.
The Lovers, Stargazers, Honeymooners and Dreamers have outdoor ice baths.
The Stargazers, Lovers, Dreamers and Honeymooners are modern luxury eco lodges with a large private deck area, a wall of south facing windows and panoramic views.
The Romantics is a tradtional country cottage with modern interiors which was fully renovated in Summer 2026.
You can compare the different properties and browse each Hideaway's unique features on our compare page here.
Each property is located around our working farm, you can see exactly where they are positioned on our location page here.
You’ll find the name of your Hideaway in your booking confirmation email.
Please ensure you go to the correct Hideaway. The name of the Hideaway is on the gate of each property and there are signposts throughout the farm.
We welcome up to three well behaved dogs in our Romantics, Dreamers and Stargazers Hideaways.
The Lovers and Honeymooners Hideaway are strictly pet free and suitable for guests with pet allergies.
Dogs are charged at £15 per pet per night.
Dogs must be kept on a lead while walking on the farm and supervised when in your Hideaway garden. You can view our full dog policy here.
We send out email confirmations to all guests –if you don’t get one, check your spam folder first then give us a call as soon as you can on 01382 320707.
It’s usually caused by nothing more than a mistyped email address, but on rare occasions, it can mean that we haven’t received your booking.We strongly recommend that guests take out appropriate UK or worldwide travel insurance, as most travel insurance policies provide cover for the cost of a cancelled stay, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.
We know that plans can change, so if you’ve booked our FLEXIBLE RATE, we’ll do everything we can to accommodate changes to your stay:
If you cancel more than six weeks in advance (before your final payment has been made), we’ll refund everything you’ve paid.
If you cancel two to six weeks before you stay, we can’t guarantee you a refund. However, we’ll re-release your dates, and if someone else books them, we can move your booking to another date.
We regret that we can’t refund the cost of any bookings, extras or special requests if you cancel less than two weeks before the start of your stay. This includes massages, flowers, food and drink.
If you have booked the INTERET SPECIAL RATE, or SINGLE NIGHT RATE, or PACKAGE
This is a completely non-refundable rate and it is not possible to move dates. Please ensure you have travel insurance to deal with any unexpected reasons to need to change your stay.
Check-in is 4pm.
You can upgrade your stay to an early check in of 2.30pm on our extras page, but this must be done at least 48 hours before your stay and are subject to availability.
For single night bookings we aim to offer a 3pm check in.
If your Hideaway is ready earlier than 4pm we will call you on the day and let you arrive early.
The Hideaway will be open and ready for your arrival, you don't need to come to the office for a key, just go straight to the Hideaway, your key is inside on the table.
We will always try to welcome you within 15 minutes of your arrival. If we are not able to welcome you, we will call or text you. We are always available to speak to by phone.
If you plan to arrive later than 9pm, please let us know in advance (12 noon on the day you arrive at the latest).
You can contact us by calling 01382 320 707 or emailing stay@thehideawayexperience.co.uk.Check-out is strictly 11am. This is to allow us to prepare the Hideaway for the next guests.
We can offer an up-graded check out time of 12:30pm but this must be purchased on our extras page prior to your arrival.
Don’t lock your Hideaway when you leave, just place the key on the table – our housekeepers will come and collect it.Our farm is tucked between the villages of Auchterhouse and Tealing, just north of the City of Dundee, so sat nav doesn’t always find us.
Our address is:
Balkello Farm
Auchterhouse
DD3 0RA.
If you’re driving here, we recommend following our driving directions (we’ll send these to you a few days before your stay).Drive past our farmhouse (it’s got a blue door), on the lower road, not the road next to the farm buildings.
When you see the large blue sign:
The Honeymooners - turn left and go down the hill, the Hideaway is on your right.
The Romantics - turn right and the Hideaway is straight ahead of you
The Dreamers – turn right, continue until you get to the Romantics, then turn left. The Hideaway is up ahead on the left.
The Lovers - turn right as if you are heading towards the Dreamers, immediately before the Dreamers take a right through the hedge and follow the road along towards the trees. The Hideaway is straight ahead.
The Stargazers - turn right as if you are heading towards the Dreamers, immediately before the Dreamers take a right through the hedge and follow the road along towards the trees. As you approach the Lovers the road will bend to your right and you will see the Stargazers infront of you at the top of the hill.
All our Hideaways have their name on the gate – double check you’re at the right one before you walk in on someone else’s getaway!
Located a short twenty minutes from Dundee Train Station, why not begin your break by leaving the car at home?
You can expect a similar travel time from Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with ScotRail providing services taking approximately an hour and twenty minutes.
If you are traveling to us from further afield, LNER provides services from London King's Cross Station taking just under six hours.
Once you arrive at Dundee Train Station, there is a taxi rank just outside- The fare to us will be around £20.
Your Hideaway stay is self catering but we have it stocked with some of the essentials: Highland Blend Tea, Nespresso Vertuo Coffee Pods, sugar, salt, pepper, and cooking oil.
You'll also find a loaf of home-baked bread, along with local jam and butter.We also supply fluffy towels and robes and 100% Egyptian cotton bed linen, plus toilet rolls, kitchen roll, washing up liquid and washing powder. Highland Soap shampoo, conditioner and body wash is also provided.
We welcome all our guests to make sure everything’s as you expected within 15 minutes of arrival.
When we can’t do this in person we’ll give you a call instead.
However, we understand that privacy is a big part of a Hideaway Experience, so if a personal welcome feels too intrusive, let us know before you arrive and we’ll leave you in total seclusion.No – we understand you’re here for a private, restful getaway so we try to leave you alone as much as possible.
The only exception is a five-minute visit to test the water in your hot tub each day.We’ll do this between 12noon - 1pm. It takes 5 minutes, and unless you’re in the hot tub at the time, we don’t need to disturb you.
We won't test your hot tub on the day you are leaving, we will wait until you have gone.
We want everything about your stay to be perfect. If something isn’t as you expected, or something is missing, tell us straight away and we’ll do everything we can to put it right. Please call us on 01382 320 707.
You’re spoilt for choice for restaurants in Dundee, just 15 minutes’ drive away.
Our favourites are:If you’d rather enjoy your dinner in the peace and tranquillity of the countryside, we recommend:
The Ardler Tavern (20 minute drive)
The Drovers Inn, Forfar (30 minute drive)
Balgove Steak Barn, St Andrews (40 minute drive)
Let us know if you’d like us to arrange taxis to get you there and back.
We have a more comprehensive list in our guest information booklet.
There are a number of pet friendly resturants/pubs in the local area, here are a few of our favourites:
Ardler Tavern, Ardler.
Mitchells Deli, St Andrews.
The Drovers Inn, Memus.
The Lunan Bay Cafe, Arbroath.
Bruach, Broughty Ferry.
The Hideaways sit in an area of oustanding natural beauty with panoramic south facing views.
They are located at the foot of the Sidlaw Hills, which run behind the Hideaways across Angus and Perthshire to the City of Perth.
Farm Walks and Wildlife
You are welcome to walk on the many tracks around the farm. There are several tracks alongside the fields and in the Autumn, you can walk on the fields which have had their crop harvested (yellow stubble). All we ask is that you do not walk in a field with livestock (sheep or cattle) for your own safety.
Our guests have managed to view a lot of different wildlife on our farm and we are always interested to hear what you have encountered. We have even had two deer on the patio at the Hideaway! As well as deer, there are buzzards, herons and curlews and we also have a cat named Fudge who likes to visit guests at the Hideaway.
Balkello Hill
There are two options to access Balkello Hill.
One is to drive to the farm road end, turn left, then left again for Auchterhouse. Keep on this road for ½ a mile and turn right into Balkello Community Woodland Car Park. Park here and walk through the woodland; you can walk up either the right or left-hand side of the hill as you are facing it and do the circuit. This is a relatively easy walk with fantastic views. 60-minute walk.
The other is to walk to the end of the farm road and turn left, then left again for Auchterhouse. At the bend in the road go straight on up the tarred farm road, (North Balluderon, our other farm is up this road). At the top of the hill, instead of turning right to the farm, keep walking along the track heading for the hill. You will come into the community woodland. Head along the track, take first right turn, and follow the track up the hill, heading north. The path will take you up onto the Hill where there is a cairn at the top depicting how far it is to local landmarks.. 1 ½ – 2 hour walk.
Craigowl Hill
Walk to the end of the farm road and turn left, then left again for Auchterhouse. At the bend in the road go straight on up the tarred farm road, (North Balluderon, our other farm is up this road). At the top of the hill, instead of turning right to the farm, keep walking along the track heading for the hill. Craigowl is the hill with the mobile phone masts. Head up the track with the hill on your right, then climb the hill from left to right. It is steep in places but the view from the top is amazing. You are best to descend the same way and avoid fields where cows and cattle are grazing. 1 ½ – 2 hour walk.
Auchterhouse Hill
A beautiful hill. When you access Balkello Hill and the community woodland, head West on to the next hill along, onto Auchterhouse Hill.
We are not located far from the coast.
The nearby City of Dundee is where the famous River Tay meets the North Sea on the East Coast of Scotland.
One of our favourite places on earth. This beautiful nature reserve on the south side of the Tay Estuary just into the region of Fife is a 30 minute drive from your Hideaway. Stunning pine forests with many walking tracks and miles of sand dunes and beach with hardly a soul to be seen. Drive over the Tay Bridge, take signs for Tayport village, park on the eastern edge of the village and walk into Tentsmuir from here.
Another stunning expanse of unspoiled sand, this time in Angus, about 45 minutes drive from your Hideaway. You will enjoy a scenic drive to this beach either cross country or along the Angus coastline from Dundee. Beautiful sand dunes, a sandy beach and a lovely cafe to enjoy an ice cream or lunch. We recommend a drive back home via the famous fishing town of Arbroath for fish and chips next to the sea or to buy an Arbroath Smokie (smoked haddock) to enjoy back at your Hideaway.
West Sands beach at St Andrews, made famous by the film Chaiots of Fire. Two miles of sandy beach on the edge of the famous and historic university town of St Andrews. A 40 minute drive south from your Hideaway into Fife. Combine a walk along this beach, which runs alongside the world famous "Old Course" golf course, with a walk around St Andrews which has fantastic shops and places to eat. Our favourite is the farm restaurant, Balgove Larder on the edge of town which has a great steak barn restaurant.
A seaside village on the outskirts of Dundee, Broughty Ferry is a lovely place to spend an afternoon or evening. A beach at the heart of Broughty Ferry where the River Tay meets the North Sea. Ideal for a walk along the waterfront then lunch or dinner in one of Broughty Ferry's many tasty and funky restaurants to eat. We would recommend Bruach for cocktails and food, or The Ship Inn.
We have a fantastic local Chinese called Downfield Garden. They will deliver to your hideaway.
If Chinese food isn't your thing you can enter our post code (DD3 0RA) on the Just Eat app and browse all the businesses who deliver.
Please ensure you state which hideaway you are staying in for the delivery driver but if for whatever reason, the delivery driver ends up at our farmhouse we will point them in the direction of your particular hideaway.
We have a small freindly team of staff who are here to look after you during your stay.
There is ususally a manager on site between 9am-5pm who can answer your queries or help with any requests.
We politely ask if you need any Hideaway stock replenished that you let us know by 12 noon so we can organise accordingly.
Post 5pm, The owners are on hand should you have an urgent request. The number to call is inside your Hideaway guidebook.