Scottish Self Catering Melville Retreat FAQs

Can I park my car next to the Melville Retreat?
Yes, private parking for up to two vehicles is available at the front side of the Melville Retreat.

What are the arrival and departure times for the Melville Retreat?
Your self-catering accommodation at our campsite near Edinburgh will be ready from 4pm on arrival day. If you are going to arrive later than 8pm please let us know. We are unable to accommodate arrivals after 10pm on account of our quiet site policy. Departure time on your last day is 10am at the latest to allow us to turn around the accommodation and hot tub for arriving guests.

Can I book the Melville Retreat self-catering cottage all year-round?
If you are looking for luxury Scottish self-catering with hot tub open all year then our Edinburgh cottage is ideal for you. We are an ideal campsite Edinburgh from which to enjoy the Edinburgh Christmas markets and Hogmanay celebrations. In addition the amenities and attractions of East Lothian, Edinburgh's Coast and Countryside, are on your doorstep making Drummohr an ideal location for an Edinburgh hot tub break at Christmas.

Do you allow dogs in the Melville Retreat?

We now allow up to 2 well behaved dogs in our luxury self catering with hot tub for an additional cleaning charge. No dogs allowed on the beds or soft furnishings.

Can you provide baby cots and children’s highchairs?
We have baby cots and highchair available to hire for £5 a stay; please call us on 0131 665 6867 for more information or to reserve.

What does it mean by Low Noise Policy site?
Drummohr have built a reputation on being a peaceful location at which to enjoy your Edinburgh camping, glamping or self-catering break. We do not allow music or loud noise from any device that can be heard outside of your accommodation. Children must not play in the playground after 9pm and we ask for conversation-level noise only in any outdoor area after 10pm. We do expect all guests to follow this policy so that everyone can relax and enjoy their time at Drummohr. Guests who do not will be asked to leave immediately. Our campsite is suitable for families and couples and we do not accept group bookings for groups of more than 3. The Melville Retreat has its own private rear garden and is located at the entrance to the Drummohr camping and glamping site therefore it benefits from a high level of privacy.

What is included in the Melville Retreat as standard?
Our luxury Edinburgh self-catering cottage is furnished to a high standard and very well equipped with all the home comforts you could need, including Egyptian cotton bed linen, hand and bath towels for 4/6 guests provided at no extra cost, shaver sockets, a wide screen TV, DVD, free WIFI and a private outdoor furnished rear garden with hot tub and wood fired oven. The kitchen is equipped with a kettle, toaster, microwave, fridge/freezer and dishwasher. It has crockery and cutlery for 4/6 people including glasses, pans and cooking utensils. The Melville Retreat has a private outdoor covered hot tub big enough for 5/6 people.

Is your Scottish self-catering cottage dog-friendly?
Regrettably we do not allow dogs into the Melville Retreat. However we do have dog-friendly holiday lodges with hot tubs and we allow 1 small well behaved dog in our holiday lodges for an additional charge of £25 per stay. We respectfully request that dogs are not allowed to sit or jump onto the beds or soft furnishings. 

Is there public transport to Drummohr Camping and Glamping Site and the Melville Retreat? 
Drummohr Edinburgh campsite has excellent public transport links to both Edinburgh city centre/Edinburgh Zoo and East along the East Lothian coast. The number 26 bus to Edinburgh runs every 10 minutes from the Mining Museum Prestonpans bus stop, a five-minute walk from the site (every 20 minutes in the evening) and normally takes around 1 hour. East Lothian buses also operate the night service N26 which runs every 90 minutes. Just make sure you get on one with the destination Seton Sands or Tranent if returning on the night service. If you are staying with us we recommend that you download the East Lothian Bus app which gives live updates on every service.

There is also a train station at Wallyford, a twenty-minute walk and trains run every hour. The journey to Edinburgh Waverley takes around 15 minutes. Trains run between approximately 06.30 and 21.00. Wallyford Railway Station has a park and ride.

The site is a five-minute walk from the John Muir Way and so is an excellent overnight spot for cyclists and walkers attempting this long-distance trail.

However, having your own transport is always an advantage when camping or glamping at Drummohr if you want to make the most of the beautiful East Lothian coastline or countryside.

Where are your nearest supermarkets?
The nearest convenience store is the Co-Op in nearby Prestonpans, about 1-mile from Drummohr along the John Muir Way. The Co-Op is open until 10pm. Click here for their website

Musselburgh is around 2-miles away and has a selection of chain and independent stores including a bakers, greengrocers and butchers. There is also a Tesco Extra, open until midnight, Iceland Foods, open until 8pm and Aldi open until 10pm.

What is there to do whilst staying at your Scottish self-catering cottage with hot tub?
Our peaceful and picturesque Edinburgh Melville Retreat is ideally placed to explore the attractions of Edinburgh City Centre, the beautiful beaches and harbours of the North Berwick villlages and coastline, play a round on one of Scotland’s most famous golf courses or visit the local East Lothian countryside. The shores of the Firth of Forth and the Levenhall Links nature reserves are a mere 5-minute stroll away so you can stay occupied without venturing too far. It’s a lovely walk to Musselburgh along the John Muir Way which hugs the coastline of the Firth of Forth. The outdoor Preston Grange Mining Museum is opposite Drummohr and is free to visit all year round. It provides some fascinating information about the industrial heritage of the local area.

Relaxing in the private rear garden of your Drummohr self-catering retreat or inside your outdoor hot tub in our beautiful surroundings may also suit. Our Edinburgh campsite is located in the grounds of an old monastery and evidence of the old walled garden still remains. The site is encircled by trees and when the leaves are fallen there are lovely views across the Firth of Forth towards Fife. Facilities on-site are kept deliberately low-key to maintain our peaceful environment although there is a children’s playground in the centre of the site. We have a Book Exchange in our Information Point if you fancy reading something different whilst relaxing in your Edinburgh cottage or hot tub.

What is the nearest pub serving food?
There are several pubs serving food in Musselburgh (2 miles away) including the Muss Bar and KItchen (0131 629 9746) and The David Macbeth Moir (JD Wetherspoon), (0131 653 1060). Newcraighall (5 miles away) has the Cuddie Brae (0131 657 1212). There is also a pub in nearby Prestonpans, known locally as The Goth (full title The Prestoungrange Gothenburg) (01875 305741), less than a half hour walk.

Do you accept stag/hen Parties at Melville Retreat?
Sorry, we do not accept stag or hen parties. As a low noise policy site, we have families and couples who book with us for some quality time at our gorgeous East Lothian campsite. Also, as per our terms and conditions, we don’t allow any music to be played by our guests that can be heard outside of their Drummohr accommodation.

Is there WIFI on site?
Yes, free WIFI is available on site for all guests. However, due to our location there can be issues with the free WIFI particularly when the site is full, so we do ask guests to bear this in mind. We do have good 4G signal. Our wardens will try to assist with any specific issues or requests, if you are trying to book somewhere to eat or wanted some local information. 

Are you within walking distance to local shops?
Yes, you can walk down into either Levenhall, which has a small village store, or Prestonpans, which has a larger selection and a Co-Op. Both are around 1-1.5 miles away. The more energetic could cycle into Musselburgh, around 2 miles away.

Do you provide a BBQ?
Yes, a gas BBQ is provided for your exclusive use.