Cairdean House

The cafe, to us, plays an important part in the life of Cairdean, being a central meeting place and a hub for entertainment and activities

We looked at several care homes for mum (now 98 and no longer able to live independently) in May 2026. Cairdean stood out for at least a couple of reasons. One was the extremely helpful, knowledgeable and friendly staff members we met from the outset. They made this big transition as smooth and straightforward as it could be, and I'm pleased to confirm that, over 2 months into mum's stay, she is being looked after extremely well. Other big factors in Cairdean's favour are its custom built facilities (lovely gardens with shady spots for sitting in, a spacious, bright cafe, cinema room and en suite toilet and wet room in every bedroom) and its layout. Unlike other homes we saw, it comprises self contained suites of ten bedrooms, each suite having its own lounge and dining area. So it feels a very manageable and homely environment for the residents and carers to live and work in.

I would certainly recommend anyone looking for a care home to take a look at Cairdean House Colinton.

My mum has dementia and we organised a stay at Cairdean for two weeks respite. It is such a difficult thing to do but Leona and the staff made me feel like mum would be in safe hands and I had nothing to worry about. That was indeed the case and going forward I have absolutely no worries about booking her in to stay again. Everyone was so lovely and she really enjoyed the daily activities. Although she can't remember being there, whenever I remind her about it she has a happy feeling so I can't ask for more than that!

The staff are all very friendly.

As we found, after my sister suffered a stroke, choosing a care home is a challenging task, with many perspectives to be considered. For the loved one, there is apprehension about what lies ahead, given such a major change from living in their own home or moving from hospital. Among other things, they will be looking for a welcoming, homely, and friendly atmosphere as well as comfortable accommodation, food choices, and high levels of hygiene. After visits to several care homes, we found that Cairdean ticked all our boxes. Care is of a high standard, nursing and caring staff are capable and friendly, and the range of activities, which my sister can access, is impressive and fulfilling. The café is well stocked and spacious and welcoming for visitors, and the numerous open spaces, internal and external, give helpful variety. Our initial positive impression from the first point of contact with Leona, has been fully confirmed in the 3 years my sister has so far spent in Cairdean.

My Dad moved into Cairdean just over a month ago. It was a huge decision for our family and the prospect of finding somewhere for Dad was intimidating to begin with. Due to a change in family circumstances we needed to find a place quickly. We approached Cairdean initially due to geography and reviews. My husband and I were able to quickly arrange a visit and were very impressed right from the start. The staff member who showed us round was excellent. We had a follow up call from the customer relations manager and were able to bring Dad for a visit very quickly after our visit. We were treated with the utmost courtesy and respect and felt our needs were understood and individualised. Dad moved into Cairdean 3 days later. The moving in went extremely smoothly and we couldn't have wished for better. Dad is settling in well and there is regular ongoing communication and we really cannot commend the staff highly enough. We feel that Cairdean cares about our family as a whole.

Overall, we are grateful and impressed with care given in the Scott unit, especially during her illness last year.

When our aunt's condition and health deteriorated we discussed different options. One was for home carers on a daily basis to assist her. She did not feel comfortable with that. The thought of strangers attending was not a solution for her. A decision was agreed that we look into care facilities which she would feel more "at home" with. The first visit was to Cairdean House. After visiting the others my aunt said "we should have just stopped at Cairdean House as it felt like home". From our initial meeting with the customer relations manager, Leona, it just felt right. My aunt quickly settled in and has not expressed any doubts. Her health and wellbeing have also improved. From our perspective we feel that as my aunt has 24 hour care and excellent facilities we have less concerns about how safe she is. Cairdean House feels like her home and not just another care facility. We have no hesitation in recommending Cairdean House to other families who want what is best for their relative.

My mum has moderate dementia and mobility issues and was living alone with care support. Mum moved into Cairdean at Christmas 2025 and settled in over the following 3 months. Mum was unsure at first but the staff have been amazing and the unit chosen was perfect for her. Mum enjoys living at Cairdean and is especially pleased with the activities and the company of other residents.

Another major factor that has enhanced my Mothers stay is the amount of flexibility with regards room decoration, planting the garden and also visitors and friends. This is all very geared to ensuring the residents feel this is 'their home'.

Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Cairdean.

Dad is quite happy in the care home, sadly he doesn't want to engage too much, and sleeps most of the day. However, staff are always attendant, looking after his needs, and make an effort to try and encourage him to get up and moving.

I am extremely happy with the care received in the care home. All the staff are lovely, kind, attentive, and engaging. Some have also previously known dad whilst working as carers before employment in the care home.

Mum's life changed overnight after Dad passed away. She was no longer able to stay at home due to her early stage dementia. We visited many residential care home to find a suitable place for her to move to. The most important factor was to find a home that was happy and busy with lots of organized activities, to keep mum occupied. Cairdean stood head and shoulders above all the others we viewed. The facilities and staff were lovely, the slate of activities was interesting and varied. Mum has now been there nearly a month, and has settled in very well thanks to the caring staff. She is kept very busy, which is key as the last thing we wanted was for her to be left alone, missing Dad's company. The onboarding process, headed by Leona, was excellent and made the whole transition so much easier.

My wife's dementia was accelerating and it was becoming increasingly difficult to look after her at home, even with the help of visiting carers. So I booked her into Cairdean. I took her there in my car and was met at the front door by staff with a wheel chair. We were taken to her very well appointed room. She was given a most comfortable reclining wheelchair so it is now easy to move her around the home. The staff are so kind and caring, not only to my wife but also to me. The facilities are first rate, with a comfortable cafe where a wide range of activities is laid on. Visiting singers, a Christmas party and other entertainment. The food is exceptional, enticing menus for lunch and dinner - they even allow me to partake! I am also being given a Christmas meal with my wife on the day. It was a wrench for me to see my wife depart our home, but I am very happy she is now in the right place. Wonderful caring staff, excellent facilities, great food, lovely for my wife and for me also.

Mum went to Cairdean for 2 weeks respite. This was our first experience of using a care home for respite. The staff made the process really easy, from giving us information and answering any questions we had. It was really helpful to be able to visit the care home first. No obligation or pushy sales which was really appreciated. What appealed to me about Cairdean was the amount and variety of activities on offer 7 days a week, I knew that would help mum feel settled and have an enjoyable stay. The staff were exceptionally caring and very skilled in supporting someone with dementia. Cairdean's management team were very involved and supportive, they had great advice on how to prepare for respite. We all felt very supported and seen. It was particularly helpful to be able to use the onsite cafe area when visiting mum, it made our visit very relaxed and the cakes were fabulous!!! I cannot thank the Cairdean staff enough for caring for mum, would highly recommend.

I can't recommend Cairdean highly enough.

We looked at a number of homes and Cairdean was different class. It is very relaxed, and extremely friendly. The way they deal with the stress and anxiety (for all parties) of moving into a home is first class. They could not do enough to make my Mother feel that this is her residence, and she has so much freedom to do as much or as little as she wants. The culture in Cairdean is just so relaxed and caring, and the schedule of activities is extensive. Management are always visible and very approachable and will do everything possible to ensure residents are genuinely happy. It is a lovely environment with access to several gardens and huge sunny lounges and cafes. My Mother has so many visitors who are made very welcome and love to visit her there.

There were lots of activities at Cairdean House but my Aunt has very poor sight so couldn't attend any without being escorted by staff. She was therefore reluctant to participate as she didn't want to bother the staff. Perhaps a wee bit more encouragement from staff might have helped but not a criticism.

My mum really didn't want to leave!