Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 20 on 10/04/2005.

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Joys of living on an island

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Kilmichael House
Glen Cloy, Isle of Arran
Tel: +44 (0)1770 302 219
The Isle of Arran is renowned these days for several principal things: quality food and drink produce; it’s the family home of first minister Jack McConnell; people call it ‘Scotland in miniature’ and as a favoured holiday destination it has a couple of very good hotels. Of these, Kilmichael is the highest rated (a finalist in The Scottish Hotels of the Year Awards 2005) and is certainly the most historic. It offers seven elegant and rather beautiful bedrooms.

Kilmichael House is listed as a building of historic and architectural significance and is the oldest house on the island. Situated at the heart of grounds granted to the forebears of its builders by King Robert the Bruce all the way back in 1307, it occupies a very picturesque, tucked-away spot known to have been inhabited long before that.

The name Kilmichael indicates the site of an early Christian missionary presence dedicated to St. Michael.

Today, Geoffrey Botterill is your front-ofhouse host, assisted by his attentive manager Helen. Anthony Butterworth who with Geoffrey owns the house is chef and at the guide we much recommend his cuisine – founded on natural and often very local produce, prepared in a style that allows the flavours to shine through. Throughout the house expect cleverly-chosen colours, Oriental rugs on polished wood floors, objet d’art from the owners’ travels. Play the big grand piano while sipping an aperitif?

Toravaig Hous.....

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By Dominic Roskrow

Section : Best of Scotland

Page number : 54