Before reviewing the house I'd like to say that Stuart's service deserved five stars. He responded to all my queries promptly and when there was a problem with the plumbing he came to the house and fixed it.
However I found the cottage very unwelcoming. It's at the bottom of someone's garden (not Stuart's). I never met the people living in the house at the top of the garden and felt uncomfortable being overlooked. All of the windows faced the main house so I spent the whole time with the blinds closed, which made the cottage feel claustrophobic. Also to enter the cottage I had to go through the house's garage, which was longwinded and made me feel hemmed in.
The cottage was spacious and very well equipped, with a generous welcome pack. The living room was a nice space, but the wood burner smelt constantly even though I didn't use it. The smell was quite overpowering and gave me headaches. Also the bed was very uncomfortable with a lumpy, unsupportive mattress that made my back ache and meant I slept very badly. The bathroom was clean but old-fashioned with a tiny shower cubicle. I didn't stay for the whole time I was booked in; I had to leave for personal reasons but wasn't sad to do so.
To summarise, Stuart's service was great and I'd recommend renting one of his other Edinburgh properties. But can't recommend this cottage because of the location and the bed.