Inverlochy Castle Hotel

We arrived in Edinburgh the day before, spent the night at a ‘small luxury hotel of the world’ which was okay… and then headed to Fort William for the night, en route to a hotel on the Isle of Skye where we had planned to stay for five days. We had heard about Inverlochy Castle. It was also recommended by Ten Lifestyle, our Concierge service who booked it for us. I also recall many years ago reading a ‘Winners Dinners’ review in the ‘Sunday Times’ which was excellent. Everything about this hotel was lovely. We were served complimentary champagne when we arrived, dinner was extremely good, they have a superb chef. They served champagne to guests before dinner along with the most delicious amuse bouche and they were generous with everything, nothing ran out. Dinner is a set menubut they were excellent with dealing with special diets and allergies The entire hotel is beautiful, very well kept and our rooms were perfect. Breakfast the following day was lovely. We chatted with the general manager who has been involved with the hotel for 30 years. He told us a story about the late Michael Winner who he picked up at the port as he arrived by boat. I am delighted to highly recommend this hotel. After breakfast, we set off to the Isle of Skye where it all went downhill so badly that we departed Skye a day early and checked into a hotel in Inverness. I am going to review the hotel in the Isle of Skye. Meanwhile, do take a look at my photographs .

This was our second time at Inverlochy. The room was superb and exactly as discussed on booking with the view we wanted, dual aspect and spacious. We had the Seasgair evening dinner (its the only choice!) and it was fabulous. We had champagne and canapes in the main hall and then an excellent tasting menu in the main dining room. Breakfast the next day was ok, but on the second day when we left it was appauling! We noticed the slow service and other tables were complaining about the delay. We waited 25 mins after ordering the full breakfast but when it arrived the egg was stone cold and congealed and the bacon too tough to cut. The rest was piping hot. I tried to call the attention of the staff to replace but they avoided me even though they had seen me. We drew the attention of the manager only to have her close the door on me! We left the breakfast and walked out. When we came to settle the bill we complained to the manager (the same one who had ignored us) who said they would have replaced if we had asked and our fault for not asking. We pointed out we were ignored and was told by her rudely that other guests were more important and they had to deal with them first. There was a heated discussion and it became apparent there were staff issues with 3 people not turning up but the attitude towards us was unacceptable and we will not be returning.

This place is gorgeous! We recently stayed at this luxurious hotel. The grounds are stunning, the castle itself is right out of a fairy tale. The rooms are well appointed, the food is delicious, and I highly recommend booking Afternoon Tea. The staff we encountered went above and beyond, with one exception. We went into a beautiful grand room with a roaring fire and a pianist playing. There were a few people on luxurious couches and lush chairs. We were immediately approached by William, who, by the way, was the same gentleman that checked us in. He asked us if we would like to see the menu to order some food. We told him we weren't quite ready. Some time passed and we were ready to place a food order but no one came by. I got up and walked to a tall, dark headed gentleman wearing glasses ( I never got his name, but he was quite recognizable for his height). I asked him if I could get a menu and he said yes. I also asked him if it was alright if we could eat where we were sitting or if we had to go to the other room where our afternoon tea had been previously served. He asked me where I was sitting and he said that was fine. I was about to leave him and he looked at me and, with a tone, told me to go sit down. I was so taken aback by the gruffness, I must have expressed it on my face. Not only did he mimic my expression, but cocked his head back as if to say, yea, I just said that. I went back to my family and told them about the interaction and they were shocked. In hindsight, I should have reported him to William immediately, but was enjoying my time at the castle, and with my family way too much to have the action of a bully spoil it. I would highly recommend Inverlochy Castle Hotel. It's amazingly beautiful.

We enjoyed a superb stay at the Inverlochy Castle Hotel. Our spacious, well-furnished suite featured an expansive patio with a view of the Walled Garden and Ben Nevis. Queen Victoria once stated she had never seen a lovelier spot. I agree! It is beautiful. The hotel staff graciously attended to our needs during our stay. We received a warm welcome upon arrival, including a bottle of champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a selection of fine chocolates. The household staff ensured that our stay was comfortable with nightly turndown service and a fan. One of the highlights of our stay was the formal dinner. When we arrived, the hotel staff ushered us to a lovely traditional reception room and offered predinner drinks with light snacks. The chef perfectly executed each course. Our evening concluded with after dinner drinks and light desserts in the main room, where we listened to a talented pianist play a selection of classic and contemporary pieces. I will never forget hearing the Downton Abbey theme song such a lovely evening. We appreciated the variety of activities that are available to guests at the hotel and the area. We opted to take a scenic road trip to the Isle of Skye. The scenery was stunningly beautiful and mind-blowing. The highlight of our trip was stopping at a scenic spot and hearing a bagpiper play the "Skye Boat Song." We enjoyed the warm Scottish welcome from the friendly hotel staff, the excellent cuisine, and our well-appointed suite. Our stay at the Castle Inverlochy Hotel was truly memorable.

We have just returned home after another great stay. We last visited last year and it was great to see some of the familiar faces from them. It was almost like a catch up with friends. As ever, an attentive service where the staff are always to hand but not in your face. Food remains to a high level and since you actually get to meet some of the Chefs through the night, it was again good to see they have retained the brigade. For the room, it turns out we were in the same room as last year but it has been heavily refurbished and this just elevated our stay yet again. A great breakfast after our 1 night visit got us on the road to go meet up with family. Looking forward to our return next year for what is becoming our regular must stay.