Maxwell Place

Maxwell Place is a historic Kelso mansion built as ‘Eden Bank’ in 1806 by Robert Nicol, the Duke of Roxburghe’s Baillie and a prominent wine and spirits merchant, then improved by his son and the Spottiswoode family over the next fifty years. It has been my family home since 1988, and today two three-bedroom wings of the house are dedicated to self-catering holiday lets which I manage personally. It is a very quiet location and a short easy walk to the town square, to all shops and services, to the garden centre and riverside.

They can be found on AirBnB as East Wing (open since  April 2021) and West Wing (open since October 2022).  The wings are parts of my home but separate in terms of access and privacy each with its own entrance, part of the garden, and parking spaces for 2-3 vehicles each. Each independently centrally heated wing has one king bedroom, one double bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom and living room. Both have outdoor garden space with a picnic bench. In my own garden I keep hens, and if they are productive you will get some lovely eggs in the welcome pack I provide, which always includes a pint of milk for your coffee or tea, a small loaf, a tub of butter and refill mini Kilners of honey and marmalade.. and everyday eggs if my ladies are off lay!

The West Wing has a downstairs room with French doors to the west side garden and a double sofa bed, extended if booked with three bedrooms, and also a downstairs WC. It has a living room with a south-east large window and 42″ satellite and Amazon Fire Cube TV (50mpbs free WiFi throughout), with a 2-3 seater sofa, two Ercol easy chairs, Moroccan pouffe, coffee table, books and games, and dining table for four. The large kitchen has a full size dishwasher, Bosch super-quiet washing machine, Miele fridge-freezer, multifunction oven and ceramic hob, microwave, toaster, kettle, and Nespresso coffee maker with pods provided. Both upstairs bedrooms have TV and the master bedroom has a washbasin. The Edwardian-style bathroom with freestanding rolltop bath and shower, radiator and vintage CH towel rail is really spacious. The master bedroom has a large antique wardrobe, bedside drawers and big chest of drawers. The second bedroom has bedside drawers and and chest of drawers from the classic Stag Minstrel 1960s range (no hanging wardrobe).

The East Wing has a ‘boot room’ ground floor entrance lobby big enough for bikes and ideal for coming and going with walking gear or dogs – it’s all on the first floor otherwise, and the third bedroom (also ideal for working with office desk and chair) has two full size adult bunk beds made up if booked. The master bedroom has a two-seater Chesterfield sofa, large wardrobe, and bedside tables with wireless phone charging. The second bedroom has 1930s vintage furniture with a dressing table, and a writing bureau. A wardrobe in the passage to the living room serves the second and third bedrooms. The bathroom is in a mix of modern and vintage style with a raised plinth rolltop bath and shower, and an electric towel rail with timer. There’s a washing machine provided in the adjacent tank cupboard. The living room with its views to the Abbey has a 42″ terrestrial digital and internet TV, a 2-3 seater sofa bed as an alternative to the bunk beds, two Poang easy chairs, a dining table for four, books and games and our guests’ favourite… a log burning stove provided with firelighters, kindling and logs. The kitchen is well equipped with Samsung American-style fridge freezer plumbed for chilled water and ice, a multi function oven and hob, compact dishwasher, toaster, kettle, microwave, and Nespresso coffee maker with pods provided. East Wing has good coverage of free 100mpbs WiFi, its own guest network,

Both wings also have a Cuggi cot suitable for babies and infants at no extra charge (own bedding must be brought) and a wooden high chair. Both are suitable for dogs, with enclosed outside space (additional charge for pets). You will also find hair dryers (shampoo and shower gel is provided along with bath and hand towels), illuminated bathroom mirrors, full length mirrors, drying racks (Kitchen Maid overhead in West Wing), an iron and ironing board – many guests stay when attending weddings or events.

Window blinds, working wooden shutters and curtains are there to make sure you stay cosy and can control the light. Power points and USB for your devices are in most rooms.

Normal check in is 3pm and normal check out 10am, but these are flexible. The shortest stay is 2 nights and the longest so far has been one month. All utility bills are included, there are no paid meters and no surcharges.