This winter, guests heading to Skye will not just be treated to an extra night for free - as Kinloch Lodge offers a three-for-two deal - but also the chance of seeing the dancing light show of the Northern Lights, as the Met Office predicts a bumper season of aurora activity.
Guests staying at Skye’s landmark hotel for two nights will be able to add on a third night’s stay for free, including dinner and full Scottish breakfast. With an extra day, and night, there’s the time to savor that extra nip of whisky at the Bar, enjoy a dusk hike on Kinloch hill, or book onto one of Kinloch’s packages, taking in everything from foraging and bushcraft to wildlife spotting and whisky tasting. Or, thanks to the sun reaching its solar maximum, head out into the cool air of Kinloch’s grounds and keep eyes peeled to the sky for the Northern Lights.
Kinloch Lodge was originally built as a farmhouse and then used as Clan Donald’s shooting lodge, before being opened as a hotel by Godfrey, Lord Macdonald and High Chief of Clan Donald, and his wife, world-renowned cook Claire, in 1972. It is now run by their daughter, Isabella Macdonald, and offers a slice of true Highlands hospitality, with the spectacular restaurant overseen by head chef, Jordan Webb, where the daily-changing menu offers a taste of the island’s larder.
There are 18 rooms and suites, all individually designed. Every room is furnished with antiques and paintings from the Macdonald family’s history, be that portraits of clansmen or framed letters. These personal touches not only reveal the heritage and history of Kinloch but its ethos too, that of being welcomed into a family home. Some of the most extraordinary rooms are the suites that look out over Loch na Dal; each has a huge king-sized bed, a separate sitting room and a romantic roll-top bath. Many of the rooms have been refurbished in the last year, with new touches including tweed headboards woven by the local Skye Weavers. All rooms, however, promise a cosy night’s sleep with luxurious goose feather duvets and mattress toppers, and 400 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. Within the grounds there is an abundance of walks. Spend the days beachcombing down at the loch when the tide is out, or hill walking up to the former settlement behind the lodge, Leitir Fura, where the views defy description. There are countless routes to fill your lungs and plenty of vistas to take your breath away.
Price: from £500pp based on 2 sharing including 3 nights’ half-board accommodation. Valid from 1 November 2024 to 17 April 2025 (excluding 28 December to 2 January inclusive). For more information on Kinloch Lodge visit Kinloch-lodge.co.uk, or call 01471 833333.
