Five-star service till the cows come home

THERE are cows in the fields and pigs in the paddock. But don't expect to be mucking out the hayloft on this particular farm: the service is strictly five star.

VisitScotland has announced the creation of Scotland's first five-star farmhouse, making it one of the country's most luxurious places to stay. While chickens scratch in the yard outside guests can bask in a jacuzzi, take a monsoon shower in a cubicle big enough for two, before slipping into a fluffy robe, lounging on Egyptian cotton sheets and watching the bovines come home.

Millhill Farm, near Dumfries, is a working farm with sheep, pigs, cattle and chickens as well as a thriving Christmas turkey business. Since 2006 it has also operated as a top end bed and breakfast and offers two lavish en suite bedrooms for guests as well as a range of luxury facilities. Guests can even bring their own horses, where they will be stabled and looked after. It was awarded the five stars last month after being assessed by VisitScotland's quality assurance team.

Susan Carr, 43, who runs the farm along with her husband Tom, 45, who took over the farm from his father when he retired in 2002, says the couple decided to open the B&B as a way to diversify their farm business.

"We decided to get a few pigs, which is something I've always wanted to do, and we were making sausages and bacon from them. People started saying to us: 'These are really good, you should do B&B and serve these on your breakfast table.' It seemed like a really good project, and it grew from there really."

Millhill is just one of 70 farmhouses rated by VisitScotland. While most of the farmhouses on the list are ranged between three and four stars, the notion of luxury farmhouses is still relatively new, but one that is growing.

A spokesperson for the National Farmers Union Scotland said: "There are a number of Scottish farms which are now looking at ways of supplementing their income that are away from direct agriculture, and tourism is one of those key growth areas. There is a real market now for B&Bs and self catering accommodation on Scottish farms and that's because there's a real demand for people wanting to go and stay on living and working farms. It's part of the experience."

VisitScotland head of quality and standards Tony Mercer said: "The passion, enthusiasm and dedication of Tom and Susan Carr at Millhill has resulted in a first-class experience that goes beyond guest expectations.

"Our team looks at the overall quality of the experience a visitor would have there - in the case of Millhill this means looking at the hospitality and friendliness, the food, the bedrooms and bathrooms; in fact everything that a visitor experiences."