About this hotel
General information
Inverlochy Castle sits at the foot of Ben Nevis amid some of the finest scenery in Scotland. Lord Abinger built it in 1863 close to the site of a 13th-century fortress. Queen Victoria stayed in 1873, sketched the landscape at length and noted in her diary that she had never seen a lovelier or more romantic spot. The castle became a hotel in 1969.
The spacious rooms are furnished in classic English style, with warm, sunny colours, bright fabrics, antique pieces and paintings, and windows framing the Highland scenery. Dinner is Seasgair, a seasonal tasting menu overseen by Michel Roux Jr. There is plenty to do for adults and children among the glens, hills and lochs of western Scotland, and the castle has a billiards room, meeting rooms and a setting for weddings.
Location
The hotel lies in the western Scottish Highlands, three miles (about 5 km) from Fort William, at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain. The Caledonian Sleeper runs overnight from London to Fort William, and the castle has its own helicopter landing site.
Sports & leisure
Lochaber is known as the outdoor capital of the UK, and the hotel arranges golf at the 18-hole Fort William Golf Club, whitewater rafting, Canadian canoes, kayaking, sailing and windsurfing, mountain biking, clay pigeon shooting and, in winter, skiing and snowboarding. There is fishing on Loch Arkaig and Loch Blar, walking, photography outings and wildlife tours on the Achnacarry Estate.
For children
Children have games and the billiards room indoors, and outdoors woodland walks, rowing on the loch, clay pigeon shooting and tomahawk throwing. A children’s menu is available through room service, and child-sitting can be arranged.
Restaurants & bars
The castle kitchen is overseen by Michel Roux Jr, with a single sitting and one menu each evening.
- Seasgair — a five-course seasonal set menu built on local produce, opening with champagne and canapés in the Great Hall
- Mary Shaw’s Table — the same menu shared around one table in the Library
- Lounge — light lunches, soups and sandwiches by the log fire
- Afternoon Tea — the traditional ritual of pastries, sandwiches and scones
- Factors Inn — a country pub on the estate, ten minutes’ walk from the castle
Rooms
Rooms and suites are spread between the 19th-century castle itself, the converted stable block beside the Victorian walled garden, where eight rooms have a balcony or terrace, and the separate Gate Lodge. Interiors are classic English, with antique furniture and paintings.
Rooms have Peter Reed Egyptian cotton linen, a mirror-framed smart TV, bathrobes and slippers, Penhaligon’s toiletries, bedside USB charging, Wi-Fi, a Bang & Olufsen speaker and the castle’s own mineral water; room service runs around the clock in the castle.
Ghillie’s Closet
A compact single room on the castle’s first floor with a box-room layout: the bedroom is windowless, the bathroom has a window. For one guest or an older child.
Small Double Room
An intimate room for two with a king bed, a seating area and a shower bathroom, overlooking the castle gardens and mountains.
Large Double Room
A bedroom with a king or twin beds, a sitting area and a bathroom with bath, some also with a separate shower; views of the gardens, loch or mountains. For up to 4 guests.
Superior Double Room
A roomy bedroom with a king bed, antique pieces and a seating area, and a bathroom with bath and shower, overlooking the gardens and mountains.
Junior Suite
A bedroom with a king or twin beds, a living room (some with a fireplace) and a bathroom with bath and separate shower; views of the gardens, loch or mountains. For up to 4 guests; one can be combined with a Large Double Room.
Suite
A king bedroom, a separate living room and a bathroom with bath and separate shower, with views of the gardens, loch or mountains. For up to 4 guests.
Small Walled Garden Room
A ground-floor room in the converted stables opening onto a terrace in the walled garden; the bathroom has a roll-top bath and separate shower.
Junior Walled Garden Suite
A large suite with a lounge area, a private terrace or balcony and a bathroom with roll-top bath and shower, looking over the garden to Aonach Mòr or Ben Nevis.
Walled Garden Attic Suite
The largest walled garden rooms, on the upper floor under angled ceilings, with sleeping and seating areas, a balcony facing the mountains, a bathroom with bath and rain shower, and a coffee machine.
Gate Lodge
A self-contained Victorian lodge at the gate of the estate, with a double bedroom, a small single room, a living room, a kitchenette, a bathroom and a shower room. Suits a family of three.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.