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Our favorite type of accommodation during our time on the road is a bed and breakfast. They allow us to experience the homegrown hospitality and really get to know the locals.
One of the smallest accommodations (in terms of number of rooms) we have stayed during our travels thus far is Blarcreen House near Oban, Scotland.
This 3-bedroom Victorian mansion, located on the shores of Loch Etive, is the perfect combination of history and tranquility.
The current house was built in the late 1800’s, although there has been a dwelling of some kind on the property for over 4 centuries!
The location, in the Scottish countryside by a beautiful loch, allows guests to get away from the hustle and bustle of some of the larger cities in Scotland and experience a calmness that truly helps you feel like you are on holiday.
Looking out on Loch Etive is a perfect way to feel at peace and to simply unwind!
The property is surrounded with endless acres of rolling green hills, which a plethora of local sheep and cows call home.
The sheep can be very vocal at times, especially in the evening hours, and it makes for a comical soundtrack!
You certainly can’t go wrong with any of the rooms at Blarcreen, as they are all elegantly decorated with beautiful mahogany furniture and offer loch and mountain views.
We were fortunate enough to secure a stay in Blarcreen’s most refined and luxurious room- The Loch Etive Room, which provided glorious and scenic views!
Our room featured a super-king size bed, which was a fabulous upgrade from the double beds we’d been staying in for most of our summer holiday in Europe.
A separate vanity room was a charming feature and I LOVED the bathroom!
As opposed to generic sample-sized toiletries provided at most accommodations, we were pampered with local organic bath products.
I took a relaxing bubble bath both evenings during our stay. It was glorious!
The shower was also wonderful!
B&B/Hotel owners, take note- this is what your guests want… being able to control the water pressure and temperature with ease made this my most enjoyable shower experience!
Sian and Garry are the most wonderful hosts and put great effort into making sure guests feel welcomed and comfortable. No details are left forgotten! Guests will find tea and coffee-making facilities in their room, along with cookies and a fridge containing fresh milk and bottled spring water, which we very much appreciated on our day trips from Oban.
The guest sitting room is a nice place to hang out by the log fire and peruse through books about the surrounding area.
A scrumptious full-Scottish breakfast is cooked-to-order and served each morning in the beautiful guest dining room.
One morning, we had to get an early start to catch a ferry to the Isle of Mull (pictured below; 30 minutes from Blarcreen House). Sian encouraged us to go as early as possible on the first available ferry to get the most out of our time on the island. Great advice!
In order to allow for our early morning departure, Sian had a continental breakfast prepared for us by 6 am! She and Garry are very hospitable and accommodating. If made by prior arrangement, freshly cooked 3-course evening meals can be prepared for a set price of £30 per person. Fine wines and spirits are also available. Also, if ordered by 8 pm the night before, the hosts are happy to prepare packed lunches, priced at £8. This is especially handy for those guests planning to do some day hikes in the area.
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Blarcreen House. Out of more than 30 hotels and bed and breakfasts we stayed at during our summer holiday, this was one of my favorites! The location and atmosphere were simply amazing and I strongly recommend you consider booking at Blarcreen on your next trip to the Scottish Highlands.
We’d like to thank Blarcreen House for their partnership, as they provided us with a discounted stay so we could share our experiences with you.
As always, our write-ups are an accurate reflection of the experiences we had.