Review of the White Heather Hotel in Kyleakin, Isle of Skye, Scotland

On our recent trip to Scotland, we drove up into the highlands from Edinburgh. Our rented Volvo station wagon seemed huge relative to the narrow roads and narrow lanes of the larger roads, so the process of driving was frankly exhausting. Therefore we were especially glad to arrive in Kyle of Lochalsh, drive over the Skye Bridge, and alight in the picturesque village of Kyleakin. We had reserved two rooms at the White Heather Hotel, which we found right away.

I chose this hotel because it had nine rooms and would therefore be a little bit more "hotel"-like than a tiny B and B. Also, the location seemed lovely and the reviews on tripadvisor.com were excellent. It is a white stucco exterior building with two stories; I had memorized what it looked like based on photographs on the web. What I did not realize is that the entire town consists of very similar buildings! In fact, these eggshell colored buildings of one or two stories contrast with the green hills and the dark water to make a striking picture, especially when the sun shines obliquely from a low angle on the scene.

Checking in

The front door of the hotel is an inviting clear glass swinging door, leading to a small registration booth with "Ring bell for assistance" posted there. We rang the bell and indeed, our proprietress, Gillian Glenwright, appeared instantly as if by magic. (Later we met Craig, her spouse and collaborator.) Gillian appeared so quickly that we did not even have time to peruse the large collection of leaflets and brochures about local sights and attractions or study the maps posted on the walls. (We looked at them later.)

She was very friendly and cheerful in a genuine, non-cloying sort of way, and gave us an informative briefing about the facilities generally and our rooms specifically. She explained about the car park, which consists of several spots in front of the hotel and several more behind. We were always able to find a parking spot, which was a relief. (Parking is tight throughout the entire United Kingdom.)

Gillian also showed us the "hot line" telephone to her house next door in the event of an emergency during the night. This was very helpful, as was the fire emergency information posted in each room. We felt immediately that we were in competent hands at the White Heather Hotel.

Our Rooms

The bedrooms are upstairs and the public rooms downstairs, so this hotel would not be suitable for persons unable to manage stairs. This posed no difficulty for us. There were a couple of spots on the stairway where people six feet tall or so would need to duck their heads slightly, but these were clearly marked and Gillian warned us about them.

One of our rooms had a double bed (a "double room" in U.K. hotelspeak) and was on the front of the building with a very nice view of the hills and the town, as well as boats on the water nearby. The other was a "twin room" (two twin beds) on the back of the building with mostly a parking lot view, but a slight view of the water if you worked hard at it! The twin room had less light and was very quiet for sleeping, while the double room would become lively with the sound of seagulls and fishermen revving up their motorboats in the morning. Each room had a lovely tray with an electric kettle and everything needed to make tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, plus complimentary cookies (biscuits) that were replenished daily. (I did not lose weight on this trip, that's for sure.)

Although the rooms were not huge, they were certainly adequately sized for our needs and the beds were comfortable. (The beds seemed especially comfortable in contrast with the spartan dormitory beds we had been sleeping on at the University of Edinburgh.) Each room had its own attached bathroom (an "en suite" room in U.K. terms)--one with a modern shower and one with a bathtub with shower over. The bathrooms were not ultra-modern, but they were very clean and well-kept. Each of the bathrooms had a window that opened, which was a nice plus.

Also in each room was a comprehensive "welcome packet" with information about the hotel, emergency instructions, local churches, stores, banks, restaurants, etc. This was all well-organized and professionally presented. Our twin room also had a small refrigerator and our double room had a hairdryer. Each of our rooms had a television mounted on the wall and the twin room had a DVD player. (We never turned on our televisions, although they might come in handy on a really rainy day.)

The Best Part - Breakfast!

The routine at the White Heather Hotel is to fill in a card left hanging on your doorknob to indicate what you would like for breakfast the next morning and what time (from 8 am to 9 am) you will be eating. It was fun to fill out the card each evening, choosing among different types of egg dishes, breakfast meats, bagels, croissants, tomato, beans, mushrooms, etc. In addition, toast is always provided, fruit juices and cereals are available.

Breakfast is served in a simple but lovely room with a nice view and plenty of light. The place settings are attractive but not fussy. And all the food was delicious. Once again, Gillian sees to everything and everything is just right! Breakfast is a great time to get some last minute advice about the day's activities, routes to various places, and other tips. Even for people like me unused to conversation prior to 10 am, it was pleasant, unhurried, and something to look forward to.

Other Amenities Available

There are two "lounges" (sitting rooms) with books, DVDs to borrow, board games, and comfortable places to sit. One has a collection of menus for recommended local restaurants.

There is a kitchen area for use by guests, but we did not use it so I have no details.

Wireless internet is available for use by guests at no extra charge and there is an iMac computer that guests can use. We used the wifi a lot and it worked pretty well. If it had been critical to have a strong connection, we could have moved closer to the router.

There are several restaurants easily within walking distance of the hotel. Many more restaurants are available a short drive away on Skye or over the bridge in Kyle.

The hotel is non-smoking throughout.

Affordability and Value

Although well-known for its history and scenic beauty, Skye remains fundamentally a rustic island with large uninhabited areas, many one-track roads, and relatively few modern structures. There are just a few "posh" small hotels. Most people stay at modest older hotels, like the White Heather, or at smaller B and B establishments or in hostels or even campgrounds. One comes to Skye for a sort of rustic, back to nature experience and not to stay in a resort.

That said, the White Heather Hotel strikes an excellent balance between comfort and the rustic spirit of Skye. It is also near bus stops, restaurants, coffee shops, but still affords great views of the water and mountains.

During the absolute peak vacation time (August 10-14), we paid 362 GBPs for our two rooms for four nights. This was 113 GBPs per night-47 for the single occupancy room and 66 for the double occupancy room. Our total bill in U.S. dollars for the four nights came to $736 and that included a 2 percent fee for using a credit card. This is less than $100 per night per room, which is good value for such a prime time and prime location. In addition, it included a generous cooked breakfast every day.

Bottom Line Recommendation

If you are touring around in Scotland and want to spend a few nights on the Isle of Skye, the White Heather Hotel in the charming village of Kyleakin is an excellent place to stay. It offers very good facilities, competent and very friendly proprietors, and a delicious breakfast for a reasonable rate. It also has parking and wifi. Our family would definitely stay there again if we were so lucky as to visit Skye again some day.

Details

The White Heather Hotel
The Harbour
Kyleakin
Isle of Skye
IV41 8PL

Proprietors: Gillian and Craig Glenwright

Telephone: +44 (0)1599 534577

Website: http://www.whiteheatherhotel.co.uk

E-mail Address: info@whiteheatherhotel.co.uk

Expect a prompt, helpful, and professional reply to your e-mail inquiry.