Intro

You don’t need us to tell you that this is a fantastic area of Scotland: the big country scenery just goes on, mile after mile, view after view. It’s an area from which we have returned sunburned in summer and walked-out in winter.

Even in spring and early summer the mountains – and there are some glorious ones here – Beinn Eighe, the Torridon mountains, the Cuillins of Skye on the horizon – are snow capped and magnificent.

You can go on wildlife cruises, boat trips to Skye, browse craft shops and book shops, dine superbly, explore nature reserves and even play golf. And you don’t have to have a big wallet with which to do it!

Stay here for around £60-70 a night for a couple, and enjoy some good real food.

The hotel

By the harbourside of Gairloch – famous for its sweeping sands – Charleston House offers guests a lively and rather cosmo base. Good cooking is at the heart as you’ll read below; the restaurant is called The Creel and is integrated with the house’s accommodation.

When we checked-in good old Ella was chanting her Night and Day classic and a party of French and German visitors (who later told us how much they had sought-out this kind of place) were quaffing wine in a corner of the rustic Bar. Your hosts are John and Morag Walmsley and John is a cheery chap indeed.

“Come away in! Did you have a good trip? Let me help you with that. Would you like a drink?” Yes, yes, yes and yes, said we, thinking... hmm... we like this place already!

In the bar area there’s a small corner dispensary bar, welcoming log fire, open beams, lots of pine, a bit rough in places but all good rustic taste in a well-loved, decent-taste fashion.

Down a step from the bar area is the Dining Room, although there is an open window between here and the bar so diners don’t miss out on the atmosphere. Plenty of space, polished pine furniture, wooden floors – and not laminate! – original watercolours, candles, soft coloured walls contrasting with rough stone, and the scent of home-made bread drifting through from the kitchen.

2007 is the Walmsley’s 8th season here, although John has had connections with the area for decades. It will be their last season, we expect, which is a great shame but the couple recently were presented with the 'Well Done & Fare Ye Well!' gold medal in The Scottish Hotels of the Year Awards 2007 - marking their excellent service. Morag is Scottish but her mum’s family were Italian and this love of good food “no doubt comes from there!” she tells us, her hands unknowingly mimicking the kneading of pastry.

“I’ve gradually worked away at establishing the reputation of The Creel and enjoy truly the challenge of creating new recipes, especially for fish – which is so fresh here! Loch Ewe scallops come in from John Grant daily. Meats are superb quality and come again locally from Kenneth Morrison in the village. My Aga is busy all day cooking or roasting, lamb for instance for tonight, or baking bread. I love it all!”

The bedrooms

The house has 4 non-smoking bedrooms situated on the first and second floors of the house and overlooking Flowerdale Bay. You can enter via a smart hall, or through the bar / restaurant. Parking is easy.

There are 3 Double Rooms and one Twin Room, each with en-suite bath or shower rooms. Ours had a splendid free-standing slipper bath set in the window and some nice bath gel so that we could have a good hot soak while gazing out at the goings-ons outside.

Rooms are fresh and relatively simply furnished with comfortable pine beds and pine fittings, but in a very up-to-date nod to technology there are flat-screen TVs, phones and wireless internet access. In Gairloch! Our laptop whirred into business as efficiently as if we were in a downtown business hotel.

The bedooms also have original features such as cast iron fireplaces, have hospitality trays, clock radios and hairdryers. We slept well indeed and enjoyed the clean and uncluttered homeliness of the room.

Dining

As reported above, Morag is at the helm and the kitchen is her domain. We stayed for dinner on a busy Saturday night. Cool jazz featured on a programme of music well-chosen by John, adding greatly to the vibrant atmosphere.

The dinner menu (2 courses £20, 3 courses £25) was handed to us as we relaxed by the log fire in the rustic chatter of the bar area. Oysters, fish soup, scallops, organic salmon, game, langoustines, hake, lamb, steaks… how inviting it all looked.

Tummies rumbled as we sipped our organic Red Kite beer from the Black Isle and a Glenlivet malt whisky. A short while after ordering from delightful local girls – full of conversation – we were shown through to our table in the nicely spaced Dining Room. Other guests were dining at chunky bench tables in the bar.

The starter of Seared Loch Ewe Scallops with Crème Fraiche and Sweet Chilli Sauce came on a square plate and was roundly declared a delicious success; the scallops butter-soft and yet roast edged and modern in style with the well chosen chilli accompaniment. Home-made soda bread was spot-on.

Managing to resist another fish course – the creel-caught langoustines looked wonderful at the next table – we chose flavoursome and generous Rack of Ross-shire Lamb with a Cinnamon Crust served with Courgette Risotto. And chose well: Morag’s cooking is adroit and resourceful in its attention to detail.

Beneath old lantern lights and dried hops we enjoyed the relaxing mood and were persuaded to have pud: Panna Cotta with Macerated Strawberries. Maceration sounds pretty severe but the delicate dessert kept up the high standards.

John serves wine at the table – often his choice of the evening, in a nice house-party style. We went with the flow and had a couple of glasses of Capercaillie-label (‘Scottish born, Australian made’) Hunter Valley Semillion, and a Rioja for good measure; both charged at a fair £14 a bottle but served by the glass if you prefer.

Late in an enjoyable evening, after a stroll round the harbour, and as Days of wine and roses drifted up from the bar, we clambered up the stairs to bed... at peace with the world.

Breakfast

was, quite simply, perfectly fresh and perfectly delicious. Spoff Highland muesli, freshly-squeezed orange juice, organic yoghurt, home-made marmalade for the home-made bread, traditional porridge ("made the family’s way"); Achiltibuie kippers were available but we chose the grill and enjoyed crisp, dry bacon as part of a cooked breakfast the like of which many a posh place simply can’t seem to muster.

In all we award a GoldPlate™ and BreakfastRosette™ (terrific results for a small, unpretentious place) meaning that we highly recommend dining here, while new national food and drink guide GoodFoodScotland has awarded a sound recommendation.

Leisure

The great outdoors beckons – although Gairloch has some specific local attractions and services, too. The links below will give you some ideas. We would say – get out on the water if you can; don’t miss the Beinn Eighe reserve; enjoy the motoring on usually quiet roads; and visit Gairloch’s quirky book and craft shops!

Links

We hope you find these local links useful:

VisitHighlands.com

NTS Inverewe Gardens

Gairloch Marine Life Centre & Cruises

Sail on the yacht Ventura

Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve

AromaSciences – fabulous local perfumiers

Gairloch - Skye cruise / ferry

The Reviewer’s View Gary McLean

“There has to be a good reason for this Guide to include a place. Here we are delighted to tell you about a grown-up little place in the glorious northwest where memorably delicious cooking is served in a cheery place where you can stay for a very reasonable outlay. I’ll certainly go back and would happily stay here for a break, safe in the knowledge that a duff meal would be highly unlikely and that in any weather the bar will provide a warm glow in the evening! Plus - and this is an important plus - they are lovely, lively folks.”

Readers’ Reviews

“This place is fabulous. I arrived weary and hungry, and was greeted with great warmth. My room was spacious and comfortable, and the food was wonderful. I’ll be back!” - Keith Lawrence, 2006

"Arrived at the hotel, after a long weary drive. Shown to my beautiful room, had a lovely hot bath overlooking the harbour and a clear blue sky. Felt geatly revived. My mobile couldn't get reception but was given hotel phone to use so that I could reassure my husband and children I had arrived safely. Despite being fully booked, I was fitted in for dinner, which I am truly thankful for, as the memory of the most delicious scallops I have ever tasted is with me still. After a lovely meal, I retired to the very comfortable guest lounge, with a lovely glass (or two) of house red. The lounge is great with sofas just made to curl up on. It was such a treat being looked after, and Morag and John are very good at that. After a fantastic nights sleep, had the full works for breakfast, which kept me going all day. This would be a great place to come as a couple or family, but I think the next time I visit I will just come back myself!" - Patricia Christie (Scotland), 2006

“I have regularly stayed with John and Morag since they took over Charleston House. Every visit has been a memorable occasion and I was always greeted with a friendly and warm welcome. The accommodation has all recently been refurbished to a very comfortable standard. The food that Morag produces, particularly lobster, langoustines, steaks and cheeses, are to die for. This couple seem to have the magic ingredient to bring to Charleston House a very relaxing and carefree atmosphere that very often only proprietors can bring to an establishment. Nothing is too much trouble for them. In short Charleston House is a little gem that used to be hidden away and, selfishly, I thought the less people know about this place the better, but now it is receiving the attention and acclaim that it truly deserves. This will mean that when I visit Scotland again (soon I hope) then I will have to book that little bit earlier to ensure my place at Charleston House!” – Graham Hobson (England), 2005

Awards / Look & Book Box™ status This hotel has been reviewed by the Guide and any HotelReview™ awards are published above. Any star grading has been awarded by the Scottish Tourist Board. As the hotel is an Accredited Member of HotelReview™ | Scotland the Look & Book Box™ features are ONLINE.

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Disability Information: Bedrooms are unsitable for whelchairs, sorry. The Creel restaurant has ground floor access.

Ghàidhlig: Bidh Ghàidhlig ri fhaighinn an seo a dh’aithghearr! Tapa leibh.

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