Monachyle Mhor Hotel

Tom Lewis’ cooking is beyond amazing, and the bar is cosy and lively for a cocktail before dinner. The design is great, and the staff are lovely. The hotel has a wonderfully charming, comfortably chic feel, in a beautiful, peaceful location. It was a favourite stop on our Scotland tour. We’d come back all the time if we didn’t live so far away. Ta!

The food is lovely, though the £95 price for a three-course meal felt a little high. Since there isn’t really anywhere else to go, I can see why it’s priced that way. Our room with breakfast cost £350, which also felt pricey, especially with the noise. We were in a clean, tidy ground-floor room with comfortable lodging, and the staff were kind and attentive. The setting is lovely, but we heard a lot from the room above: footsteps, things being knocked about and muffled conversation. The TV came through relatively clearly too, which got in the way of the calm, relaxing stay we wanted.

The team were the best part of our wee work retreat. Kier and his colleagues looked after us like royalty, and Lottie and everyone at Mhor took such good care of us. Thank you for hosting us, we’ll be back. The venue is special. The approach through the woods on the lochside road is beautiful, and the drive up to the hotel makes a great impression. Inside, there are comfortable spaces and warm fires. We had fresh cream scones with jam, and you can choose jam first or cream first. There was delicious coffee, tea and fresh Scottish spring water too, followed by a tasty lunch of carrot and ginger soup and sourdough sandwiches. Thank you all, from Will and The Smiddy Team.

We loved the setting and enjoyed sitting in the lovely living room in an outbuilding, but we were disappointed overall. Friends recommended the hotel for a special occasion. We’d seen the farmhouse rooms online and thought they looked lovely, but ours was tiny, with no fridge and a very uncomfortable bed. We both woke with sore backs. We went down ten minutes early to have a drink before dinner, but the bar area was small and not very relaxing, with guests and staff constantly passing through. We waited half an hour past our booked time for a table, with no update or apology from the staff. The quaint dining rooms include a corridor-like area, where we were seated amid constant staff traffic. It didn’t feel calm or relaxing, as we’d expected from Monachyle. The food was nicely presented and good, but portions were so small that we both left hungry. The waiting staff were friendly and attentive. For over £500 for one night’s dinner, bed and breakfast, it didn’t feel worth the price. We wouldn’t rush back.