Scarista House
‘Excellent food’ and a ‘lovely’ welcome await visitors to Tim and Patricia Martin and Neil King’s former manse overlooking the Maldivian-blue seas and sugar-white sands of a bite-shaped cove. More
Good Hotel Guide Review
‘Excellent food’ and a ‘lovely’ welcome await visitors to Tim and Patricia Martin and Neil King’s former manse overlooking the Maldivian-blue seas and sugar-white sands of a bite-shaped cove. ‘You’d never guess you were in the Outer Hebrides.’ Arriving guests are treated to a delicious afternoon tea of ‘tasty vegan scones (with advance notice)’, ‘scrumptious’ Victoria sponge and proper leaf tea, served in the library by ‘delightful’ local staff. Squashy sofas and walls of books and photos fill this ‘homey’ room and the drawing room upstairs. Bedrooms have a similar mix of antiques and modern furniture, ‘good bedside lighting’, well-stocked hospitality tray. ‘Ours, in the converted outbuildings, had glorious sea views and a powerful shower. All that could be heard at night was the muted sound of the sea.’ Dinner, cooked by Patricia, using organic, foraged and home-made produce, is ‘pleasingly inventive and utterly delicious’. Garlicky Harris langoustine; spinach-beetroot dumplings; cinnamon ice cream. The cooked breakfast is ‘almost as good’, with the addition of a ‘tasty’ buffet (‘excellent home-made granola’) and ‘good strong coffee’.
Hotel details
Address
Scarista
Isle of Harris
Western Isles
HS3 3HX
Scotland
Telephone
01859 550238
Bedrooms
6. 3 in annexe.
Open
3 Apr–23 Oct.
Facilities
drawing room, library, 2 dining rooms, free Wi-Fi in most bedrooms and all public areas, wedding facilities, 1-acre garden, unsuitable for disabled.
Background music
none.
Children
all ages welcomed.
Dogs
allowed in bedrooms and 1 public room.
Credit cards
Amex, MC, Visa.
Prices
per room B&B single £165–£180, double £230–£248. Set dinner £50. Advance 1-night bookings refused.
Other reviews
Good Hotel Guide articles about
Scarista House
- USA Today: 20 of the most beautiful hotels in Scotland
- Visit Britain: 10 utterly romantic hotels to stay in the UK
- Independent.co.uk: Britain’s Best Hotel Rooms with a View
- Huffington Post: Ten of the Best Scottish Hotels
Guide Book Vouchers
This hotel accepts discount vouchers which entitle readers to a 25% discount off their normal B&B rate for a single night’s stay. Each printed copy of the Guide contains six vouchers worth in total about £150.
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