A nice and cozy guest house with a highly accommodating host, Niall, that has worked with us before…read moreand after our arrival to ensure a pleasing experience. The house is conveniently located on Port Ellen such that access to the restaurants, pubs, shops and shoreline are no more than a few minutes away by foot. Walking to the three close whisky distilleries of Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg is done in under an hour, one way. You may want to book transport back, depending on how much you sampled! The rooms are clean and tidy for a couple or single accommodations with en-suite shower and toilet for three of the rooms and a dedicated combination for the fourth room. To go along with the primary accommodations, the breakfast and general communal area is downstairs where a satisfying and freshly prepared breakfast is served according to your specifications, recorded the day before. Niall is prompt and flexible on setting your meal before you with your satisfaction foremost. I cannot stress more strongly how helpful Niall has been on advising me about Islay, setting up tours, getting restaurant reservations or advice on Glasgow accommodations. Top notch!

Stayed here one night since we could get into the place we were planning to stay when we added…read moreanother night. Room was a bit tiny and cluttered. With one window it got a bit stuffy and warm. The folks were very nice and the breakfast was delicious. That would be a 4 but overall a 3.

Of all our stays in Scotland, this one is near the top of my list…read more We booked a Gold Room for two nights and my goodness, it was a delightful accommodation. The room was spacious, the bed comfortable, and sweet touches all around to give a sense of home. The coffee machine was excellent and there was a atray of goodies on the desk, sweetners, cookies, teas, cups, milk packets and probably more that I can't think of. We felt quite spoiled. Our view was lovely as well. And our bathroom had wonderful space, and a nice shower with good pressure. We visited the bar several times, and always got very good service and good pours. The restaurant was very good as well. We had dinner twice and breakfast twice. All of our meals were delightful. One of my favorite dishes was the mushroom toast, I had it both nights with no regrets. If you are in Islay, this hotel has everything you need for a great visit!

Staying at No. 1 Charlotte Street was a highlight of our trip to Islay. It's a lovely older hotel…read morewithin walking distance of the Three Distilleries Way, with updated decor, comfortable rooms, and spectacular views from the hotel. Staff were warm and welcoming, and helped us with a number of needs during our stay, including advising on and booking a taxi to the airport and arranging laundry service. The included breakfast was among the best we had during our tour through Scotland, period. The made-to-order Scottish breakfast option was delicious and provided us with sufficient protein before going out to taste some whisky, while the cold breakfast bar was a lovely option for a quicker meal. I do wish that we had visited the attached bar; had we stayed in town longer, we would have tried it. Another helpful amenity was the upstairs lounge, which offers a comfortable living room type area for guests to enjoy some takeaway, or to make use of the provided books or board games. I could see this being a wonderful perk for group travel. The outdoor seating area would have been lovely if we had visited at a warmer time of year. The one real downside is that there is no lift, requiring guests to carry suitcases up and down the grand staircase. One of the staff members helped me with mine, which was lovely. For travelers unfamiliar to the UK, it's helpful to note that many hotels do not have lifts, especially older buildings like this one, so this wasn't that unusual.

As a former inn keeper I know that sometimes things are not what one might expect, but how you deal…read morewith this is a true reflection of how client focused an establishment might be. I had booked two rooms and my room was exactly as expected, bright cheery and had a great view over the harbour. The bed mattress was a a little too soft for my liking and I think might slowly sinking towards the end of its life. That said I did sleep well. The bathroom sink had a loose hot tap as the plastic washer had snapped underneath it. I imagine that trying to get a simple thing like that fixed on Islay is an issue and it caused no problem as the tap worked fine but I would worry how long it might be before a leak happens. The crew who serviced the rooms did a fantastic job and cleanliness was top notch. Breakfast was simple but tasty and there was a good selection of choices. All the staff I engaged with were delightful but a special mention must be given to the ever smiling Kim on reception. Despite facing the main road in Port Ellen the hotel was quiet. The weather was unseasonably warm and dry and the sun shone long and hard; thus the view from the front of the hotel was fantastic. My friend was disappointed in his room choice. Nothing wrong with the room but simply too small for him and he had selected the wrong room. As the hotel was full he was unable to move room for two nights thus he decided to check out and move to the Islay hotel. No 1 Charlotte Street had no obligation to offer him a refund as it was his choice. However they choose to refund the two nights he had not stayed which is simply 'above and beyond'. If you want a reasonably priced in Port Ellen I would heartily recommend this place and do say hello to Kim from me.....she is a commensurate hospitality professional with many years experience and is also extremely charming.

Love, love, loved our stay at the Marchrie! Hands down our favorite hotel and restaurant of all the…read moreplaces we've stayed at in Scotland. The room was comfortable and well appointed. The staff went above and beyond to make sure we were all happy with our time and our stay. Happy to give tours and show you around. Impeccable service. The restaurant stood out as well. We had several dishes during our stay and every one of them were 5 star. Largest, freshest oysters Ove ever had. Phenomenal lobster. Perfect risotto. Melt in your mouth salmon. Everything exceptional. Dreaming of the day I can return and enjoy the golf, food, and spa.

My parents and I stayed at the Machrie Hotel from 5/28/24 to 5/31/24 on the third leg of our…read moreEuropean trip. Included with the hotel is a restaurant with some seriously amazing food and coffee (where we've eaten several times) and a golf course, though we don't play golf. A very old school hotel, and the only non-Marriott brand hotel that we stayed at during our two-week long European trip, we were in lodge 3 in rooms 45 and 46. The lodge is basically like a very small apartment with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living space, and a kitchen, where the golf course is in your backyard. Pros: +Comfortable bed +Fast Wi-Fi +Amazing views of the beach and golf course +Short distance from the airport +Coffee machine, amenities such as milk and sugar included +Excellent on-site restaurant +Best shower pressure I've ever had at a hotel +Cozy robe and slippers provided +Nice little kitchen +So much cattle all around Cons: -No microwave -My TV didn't work. Not a big deal overall, since there was a working one in the living space and I didn't come all the way to Scotland just to watch TV anyway -My room looked like it sustained visible water damage in the past and was painted over poorly Food choices at the restaurant included risotto, scallops, lobster mac and cheese, and Texas style pork belly. Drink choices were mostly mochas and cappuccinos. We had a really great stay here and we hope to stay here again next time we visit Islay!

The ship is very cool. The Finlaggan is like a luxury cruiseliner for the journey back to the…read moremainland from Islay. But I can tell there are logistical challenges with keeping the business afloat. It was broken for days prior to my ride with uncertainty about how I was going to make it off the island. The waiting room for walk-ons is nothing special. There is wi-fi there and feel free to stroll about Port Ellen but there is no storage locker around. Having a heavy suitcase with me, I had to board last (after all the cars embarked) as the elevator is from within the carport. The ship itself is nice - multiple levels, well adorned and with a very nice servery with a full Scottish breakfast on offer. The views from the outdoor decks are breathtaking and for me it was a last chance to salute my favourite distilleries on the way back. The bus from Kennacraig back to Glasgow is timed with the ferry arrival with plenty of buffer so don't feel the need to rush off. Bon voyage!

Hands down, my preferred travel option when visiting the isles. Navigating the process from booking…read moreto boarding is extremely user friendly and fast. Follow the signs and experts and you will be in the main cabin enjoying a delicious meal. I know what you are thinking, just how good can food be on a ferry.....let me tell you. Go to the cafeteria and try something. I happened to catch the breakfast and lunch service. So I got to experience a full English breakfast and a steak pie.

A wonderful stay! The Glenegedale House is a perfect place to stay while exploring Islay. We…read morestayed in a front room - comfortable and a nice view. The hosts are welcoming and gracious. We have the memorable Seafood Platter for dinner one night - everything was sourced locally. The breakfast oatmeal with local Scotch was amazing.

We traveled across Scotland for over 3 weeks, and this was our favorite stay!…read more Glenegedale House (Emma and Graeme) gave us the most beautiful memories for a lifetime. The wonderful experience started even before we arrived. Their pre-arrival communications assured us our upcoming stay was in the best hands...and upon arriving, we quickly learned that the accommodations, culinary experiences, and Islay insights for all our local day trips would be world class; and, they were!!! Glenegedale House is such a cozy, inviting house, exceptionally well-appointed throughout, including the wonderful bedrooms that inspired us with a real sense of tranquility. Glenegedale is also surrounded by the stunning natural beauty of Islay. Graham and Emma are excellent chefs and each meal was a culinary masterpiece...incorporating fresh-caught seafood, other locally-produced foods, and Islay's amber elixirs into an amazing experience. From Graham's special Islay porridge, to the seafood platter that included scallops someone on Islay dove for that day...Graham and Emma make each guest feel extra special. We will never forget the presentation and the deliciousness of each meal. Their knowledge of Islay and their deep relationships across the island, also added to our visits to historic sites, distilleries, and craft shops. We amended some of our itinerary, based on their insights and we're so glad we did. They've given us a much better appreciation for the island and the people of Islay. This was an extraordinary experience because of our stay at Glenegedale House. We give Glenegadelle House (Emma and Graeme) our highest recommendation and will definitely be back as soon as possible.