We are three families (6 adults, 6 kids now aged 8-14) who take holidays together every other year - previously Crete, Brittany (twice) and Wales. We had a great week on Banlicken and Arran generally. Banlicken is very quiet, with lovely views across to Kintyre. The house is very comfortable. We appreciated the well-appointed kitchen (we like preparing big meals) and table we could all sit around. The bedrooms are very nice with comfortable beds. Some lovely pictures and ornaments give Banlicken a nice homely feel. The kids spent a lot of time playing table-tennis. Another loo in the main house would have been the icing on the cake!
The track is memorable and not for the faint-hearted. It fords a small river and was at the limit of our low-slung skoda - so mostly the passengers had to walk.
One of the reviews here says there isn't a restaurant nearby, but since that was written the Cafe Thyme has opened a couple of miles down the road - good food, big portions, children's playground, rabbits. Worth a visit. There are lots of nice walks for youngish children, including a particularly nice one around Lochranza (buy lunch at the Sandwich Shack). Bring your own frying pan for making bacon rolls on the beach - an adventuresome and steep walk down from the house.