Dha Urlar

Try the whisky marmalade. The rooms are very good and the breakfast is lovely, and the spot just outside Bowmore is nice and quiet. Caroline is a perfect host, while her husband Jim is quite a character, passionate about Islay and full of knowledge.

We only stayed a short time, and wished we’d booked another day or two. The views are beautiful, the location is great, and the bed was fantastic. The curtains block out the light well, which is handy if you need a dark room to sleep. Breakfast was delicious, and Jim and Caroline served it with such kind, funny hospitality. We loved our visit.

We had the whole house to ourselves as a group, which worked really well. There are big guest-only living and dining areas with remarkable views over the Islay plains. Our room was very large and comfortable, with a spacious en-suite bathroom. Jim and Caroline went out of their way to make us feel welcome, and know the island extremely well. They made a varied, tasty breakfast at whatever time we asked. Jim also works as a tour guide and runs a local taxi service, so getting around was covered. We spent two wonderful nights here and couldn’t recommend it more.

The gardens and surrounding countryside were full of birds, including lapwings, thrushes, swallows and all kinds of finches. It’s a lovely spot for birdwatching. Although you’re out in the country, Bowmore is just a 20-minute walk away, handy in good weather if you want a few whiskies without driving. Jim’s morning map briefings were a highlight: he’d help us plan around the weather and seemed to know every sight, shop and business on Islay. The house and rooms were spotless, spacious and well appointed, and Jim and Caroline did everything they could to help us enjoy the holiday. Caroline speaks French, and Jim likes practicing his German, which might help visitors from abroad. Breakfast was made to order with lots of choice, and they happily catered for us fussy vegetarians. We loved staying here and would come back in a heartbeat.