Mingary Castle, Scotland Hotel

Scotland

A stoutly fortified castle with a history dating back 700 years on the rockiest of outcrops jutting into the ice-cold waters of the west coast of Scotland is one of the more unusual places to find a gourmet bolthole. Yet with just four guest rooms, named after famed clans, including the Maclains – the castle was their seat for more than 300 years – it has to be one of the most memorable. Centuries of battering by sieges and apocalyptic weather left it in ruins until a three-year restoration saw it open as the most noble of places to stay – think drawbridges, cobbled courtyards and secret passageways leading to hidden chapels. But it’s not just a pretty, ancient, castle-like face; there’s serious award-winning food to be had in a restaurant overseen by Colin Nicholson, where the trappings of Scotland’s verdant west coast and countryside come to the fore in dishes that star hand-dived scallops, rump of hogget, Kilchoan pork and Isle of Mull cheese fondues.

Rooms include the dog-friendly MacDonald, with its hand-carved oak staircase that takes you to a first-floor bedroom and king-sized antique poster; the MacDougall, whose ensuite was once part of that secret tunnel; and the McCain Suite, whose two bedrooms come with king-size four-posters and views of the Sound of Mull. What makes it all even more special is the setting on the 12,000ha Ardnamurchan Estate, which means you’re surrounded by flora and fauna across moorland, mountains and wild coastline. Doubles from £275

Words by Alex Mead.

This Article was taken from the August/September 2024 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.