Inverlochy Castle

If you know a bit about the castles of the western Scottish Highlands then you know there’s a little something that needs clearing up: the matter of two Inverlochy Castles. It’s quite simple actually. Just up the road is the deeply historic 13th-century Inverlochy Castle — which happens to be in ruins, albeit quite well-preserved. The Inverlochy Castle you can stay at, by contrast, is anything but ruined — and while it dates back scarcely a century and a half, it’s as fantastically, opulently historic as any hotel in Scotland.

In our opinion one of the best things about unrenovated historic properties is the fact that there’s a limited number of rooms — not to be greedy, but it’s a fine thing not having to share the house with too many fellow travelers. And of course it means they remain spacious, when the suites in particular could well have each been split into two or more contemporary-sized rooms.

Of course the place isn’t entirely untouched by modernity. Amenities have been updated where it really counts, which is essentially just in matters of electronics and plumbing. Otherwise it’s as it would have been on its founding in the 1860s: such country pursuits as shooting and fishing by day, and a lavish dinner in one of two dining rooms by night. Change, we think you’ll agree, is highly overrated.