Kinloch Lodge

Since we first opened our doors, Kinloch has promised and delivered heartfelt, family hospitality to guests from around Scotland, the UK and the globe. Our aim is to provide an escape that is as unpretentious as it is luxurious. We are rooted in our heritage and our community through the culinary bounty that Skye provides. Learn more about our exceptional suppliers here.

We live and operate by an ethos which, quintessentially, revolves around sustainability: the ability to exist constantly. It goes beyond our environment and also includes the people and communities within it.

Our commitment to sustaining our spectacular, yet fragile ecosystem is at the heart of everything we do: be it our kitchen garden and polytunnels, where we grow many of the herbs and vegetables you’ll find on your plate, our extensive list of biodynamic and organic beverage options, or our natural spring that provides fresh filtered water to all of our guests.

Sustainability is a journey, and we hope you’ll join us as we continue to evolve and bring together Kinloch’s rich history with the innovations of modern day.

Kinloch Lodge is a special place. It is somewhere to escape the noise and speed of modern life. Somewhere to relax and recharge, where you can take things at your own pace.

Nestled between a mountain and the shores of Loch na Dal, with views of the spectacular Cuillin mountains in the distance, Kinloch has a rich history. Built in the 1676 as a farmhouse, it was converted into a shooting lodge for the Macdonalds of Skye in the 18th century.

Used as a place of respite and then a family home, where Godfrey, Lord Macdonald and High Chief of Clan Donald, and his wife, world-renowned chef Claire, raised their four children (and countless beloved dogs), the pair converted it into a hotel in 1972.

The family spirit of Kinloch remains with their daughter Isabella Macdonald now at the helm, welcoming guests from around the world into not just a hotel, but her ancestral, family home.

Here you will find true Highland hospitality: roaring fires, an extensive whisky collection, giant beds and some of the best food Scotland has to offer.

Bedrooms
Each guest bedroom at Kinloch is unique. Across the North and South lodges, our rooms and suites are individually decorated in colours and textures that reflect Skye’s distinctive landscape.

Furnished with antiques, prints, paintings and family treasures, most have open views across Loch na Dal and out to the sea, or towards the majestic Kinloch Hill. No matter which one you choose, you’ll find a place to relax, rest and truly exhale on our magical island.

Suite
Our suites are the biggest rooms in Kinloch, all found in the South Lodge. With plenty of room for families or those just wanting to treat themselves for a long or short while, these rooms feature comfortable seating areas in a separate room and bathrooms.

With the most beautiful views over directly overlooking Loch na Dal, they are a perfect home away from home.

Luxury
Our spacious Luxury rooms are perfect places to retreat to for a quiet spell with a good book. Featuring sofas or armchairs, these rooms have large bathrooms with separate baths and showers.

Rooms in this category vary in style, those alongside the main North Lodge in our more recent extension feel crisp and bright, with plenty of light and great views. Those in the South Lodge are contemporary and full of character. All are special in their own right

Cosy Double with Sea View
These rooms offer spectacular views across the lawns towards Loch Na Dal. Rooms in this category may be found in our main North Lodge, where their grandeur is combined with lovely light, or the South Lodge, where the spaces are contemporary and full of character. All are special with quintessential Skye vistas.

Grounds
Kinloch’s stunning natural setting is often described as a world of its own, miles away from the pressures of modern life. You don’t even have to go much further than our doorstep to find our firepit and plenty of benches and tables to enjoy a crisp glass of wine in the sunshine or a warming dram in the mist.

While the entire island is ripe for exploration, we have an abundance of walks on the local grounds that require no driving at all.

Spend your days beach combing 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.

Events & Exclusive Use
Kinloch’s former life as a family home and its stunning location make it the perfect place for celebrating a special occasion.

Whether it is a gathering of friends, an intimate wedding or elopement or a corporate group looking for a restful spot for a retreat, we can tailor a package to suit your wants and needs. For larger events and groups, the hotel is available for exclusive use.

Dining
Food is the crowning part of the Kinloch experience. Feeding you well at every opportunity is something we take extremely seriously.

Since the early days at Kinloch, when Claire Macdonald’s mission was to make the most of the wonderful local produce on offer, Kinloch’s ethos has always been about flavour first. Unfussy seasonal cooking, simply prepared and generously served was our goal then and now.

This objective remains at the heart of chef Jordan Webb’s kitchen where our enthusiastic team of chefs bring extraordinary ingredients from an ever-growing list of local suppliers and our own kitchen gardens to your table. “Our goal is to make everything taste better than expected,” says Jordan.

Every meal at Kinloch promises to bring the island and its rich larder of seasonal ingredients to life for you: from shore to moor, mountain to sea.

Food & Drink
Whether you’re sampling a delicate consommé with langoustines hauled in from just off the coast this morning, tucking in to our award-winning porridge or enjoying a “Kinloch s’mores” with a dram while stargazing around our firepit, every meal at Kinloch is designed to excite your palate and bring you the best local, seasonal ingredients that Skye has to offer.

Our focus on flavour isn’t limited to our food. We also have a thoughtfully crafted wine list that includes some of the best organic and biodynamic wines from around the world, as well as our whisky bar with over 122 different bottles designed to comfort, surprise and delight.

Kinloch offers breakfast, lunch and dinner at set times throughout the day, while our all day dining menu can be enjoyed anytime. Our aim is to leave you both satisfied and wanting more.

The Misty Isle
The Isle of Skye is one of the most special destinations on earth. It can be difficult to separate history from myth here – tales of clan warfare, love and betrayal are seamlessly interwoven with interventions by mischievous faeries and forlorn ghosts – but it doesn’t really matter. The magic is in the beauty of the land itself.

Kinloch Lodge is situated on Sleat, the southern peninsula of the island, commonly referred to as the “Garden of Skye.” In our small patch, you’ll find abundant walking trails, outdoor adventures, castles, gardens and a museum devoted to our unique heritage.

Further beyond, Skye’s other legendary locations are a drive away. Our staff are happy to provide you with directions and recommendations to destinations both on- and off-the-beaten path.

There is so much to see, do and experience here – every time you return you will discover more. Skye has been home to Macdonalds for centuries, and yet even now we continue to unearth new and ancient wonders that take our breath away on a near daily basis. We are sure you will feel the same.

Wellbeing
The tranquillity of Skye makes it a perfect place to exhale. Imagine lying down for a massage to the sounds of lapping waves of the loch in the distance, or the soft raindrops on the roof.

Find your centre at Kinloch Lodge with one of our incredible wellbeing treatments offered by our much-loved in-house masseuse, Anita Myatt.

Anita, who has lived on Skye for nearly 15 years, provides her own holistic style of massages with oils she mixes herself. Leave yourself in Anita’s capable hands – you won’t be disappointed.

Wilderness
Experience the majestic wilderness of the island with Kinloch’s own guide: Mitchell Partridge, Skye Ghillie. Ghillies – “custodians of the countryside” as Mitchell describes them – are your guide to the wonders just outside the lodge’s doors.

Activities can be tailored to suit all ages, abilities and desires. Head into Kinloch Forest or the shores of Loch na Dal to forage for ingredients that might end up in your well-deserved post-outing cocktail; experience the thrill of catching the wild Scottish salmon and brown trout while fly-fishing; stalk deer on the hill and through the woods; or just enjoy the breath-taking beauty of the island on one of our Wild Walks.

Mitchell will be your guide, sharing skills, history, knowledge and ‘craic.’ Learn more and book an unforgettable experience.

Foraging
On the shore of tranquil Loch Na Dal and surrounded by native and abundant forest, Kinloch is perfectly positioned to provide bountiful foraging on the Isle of Skye and the Lodge’s own guide will show guests what can be unearthed.

Mitchell is delighted to share his local knowledge and ‘craic’; the crop depends on the season but with every step there’s a tasty treat to be uncovered.

Find edible mushrooms, wild garlic and sorrel in the forest, and along the shoreline, delicious seaweed, mussels, samphire and the unappetising sounding, but totally scrumptious, scurvy grass.

Against a backdrop guaranteed to take your breath away, this experience is a gentle morning where foragers are sustained by freshly picked nibbles and refreshing brews, like Bog Myrtle Tea.

There is also a chance to learn traditional firelighting skills, weather permitting of course. On returning to the hotel, guests will enjoy a specially-created foraged cocktail (or mocktail).

Fishing
Join our ghillie for tuition and guided fly-fishing. Mitchell’s fishing adventures assist our guests in their quest for the elusive wild Scottish salmon or more prolific sea brown trout in idyllic locations.

Wild Walks
Get off the beaten track with Skye Ghillie’s famous Wild Walks. Open your eyes to nature and the natural habitat of Skye’s abundant wildlife including eagles, otters, red deer, seals and dolphins.

Learn bushcraft skills to last a lifetime as Mitchell demonstrates traditional fire lighting methods, where to find wild food how to identify plants and fungi safely. All of Skye is steeped in history, and Mitchell will share these fascinating stories during your walk.

Stalking
Skye has a year-round deer management programme which makes for an abundant population and a unique opportunity for stalking. Stalking can be done with a camera or a rifle in and around the dramatic mountains in the north of the island where stags, hinds, roe bucks and does can be found.

Deer stalking calls for an early start – around daybreak – and can last up to 5-6 hours. Deer stalking can be designed for differing abilities, but it is advised you have a good basic fitness level.

Firearm familiarisation must take place before a stalk, where if inexperienced you may be asked to prove accuracy and competent firearm handling.

Website: www.kinloch-lodge.co.uk

Rooms: 19

Price: from 327 EUR per night