Pool House, Scotland - “One of the best 101 Hotels in the World”By Vivien Devlin
“Where the birch burn meets the sea
After a long career in the hotel business Peter Harrison (who began training in Paris kitchens aged 16), his wife Margaret and their daughters, Mhairi and Elizabeth - purchased Pool House in 1991. They have spent the past sixteen years in a labour of love project to transform a former 2 star hotel into a Victorian-styled and romantically-themed Highland Lodge. The quietly sophisticated ambience is designed for city-stressed adults to relax, with children over the age of 16 welcome.
Through the reception hall, you’ll find
the very welcoming drawing room, traditionally furnished with ‘curl up and read’
armchairs and sofas, piled with cushions, marble fireplace with log fire burning
(on chilly days) and a superb picture window.
The sense of history prevails in many of
the public rooms, such as the Rowallan Malt Whisky Bar, named after Lord
Rowallan, featuring a full size billiard table, memorabilia and photographs of
the wartime training centre. A private dining room is named after the American
Liberty ship, SS Henry Bacon. The ship was attacked by enemy fighter planes en
route from Murmansk, Russia when packed with Norwegian refugees and an heroic
crew many of whom perished.
Outside a small country garden has been created along the path leading to two new suites. A small decking area has been created for a relaxing seat in the sunshine, looking out to sea. Peter and Elizabeth have been busy this year developing a flourishing Kitchen garden, for herbs, salad leaves, fruit and vegetables including potatoes and strawberries – so you can be assured of freshly picked, home grown produce at dinner. You will find it difficult to choose one
of the seven beautifully furnished suites, each of which offer a totally
different design, ambience, living space - each named after famous Loch Ewe
warships and aircraft carriers. They range in size and layout from grand master
suites to the Boat House and all are absolutely exquisite.
The Harrison family travelled to India to source unique, historic furniture, beautiful rugs, a marble table, carved studded doors and panels, bejewelled artwork, a traditional swing seat, and even a vintage rocking horse. The bedroom, flamboyantly dressed in crimson pink and gold, is adorned with a walnut kingsize bed and a silver hookah. The bathroom (like many of the suites) has a fabulous antique canopied Victorian bath, but also, for convenience, a modern walk-in power shower.
One of the famous and beloved suites in
the house is Diadem, which was given the design theme of the Titanic due to a
close family connection. Margaret Harrison’s grandfather’s cousin was the
Captain on board the tragic White Star liner.
The luxury bathroom has a bidet, antique loo and an elaborate glass bath and shower cabinet dating from 1912 (the year of the Titanic). Bathe in a very deep tub and shower under powerful jets spraying you from all sides. A very comfortable bay window lounge with period fireplace and sofa is perfect for private relaxation.
Dinner service is presented in style,
beginning with delicious canapés served at 7.30pm in the drawing room with an
aperitif. At this time of night the otters may be coming out to play and can be
seen from the window. After a five star dinner, breakfast next morning is fit for a King. The fabulous menu starts with Buck’s Fizz (champagne and orange juice) and freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice – genuinely squeezed from the fruit in the kitchen! . Follow this with a wooden bowl of creamy porridge served with cream and whisky, then your choice of classic bacon and egg, various omelettes or scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Add a cafetiere of strong coffee, pot of tea, toast and marmalade, and it’s a gourmet feast to set you up for a day exploring the Highlands.
Voted “Romantic Hotel of the Year, 2005”, Pool House is the perfect place for proposals of engagement and weddings and the hotel will assist you in arranging your own special event through award winning local wedding co-ordinator, Susan Smith of Highland Wedding Belles. An exclusive-use wedding for up to 14 guests can take over the whole hotel for a private party. They offer special romantic packages, with champagne on ice, flowers, candles and chocolates with breakfast in bed for a Naughty Weekend in one of the glamorous sexy suites. For any occasion, birthdays and anniversaries, Pool House can plan your own private house party here for friends and family, with day excursions, loch cruises and sporting activities all arranged.
From the guest book: “What can we say. The memory will stay for ever – we will definitely come back.” “Perfect relaxing escape, wonderful hospitality” “We loved everything, rooms, food, guests and especially our hosts, thank you” |
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Unique and utterly magical – this is the
Highland retreat for a romantic escape.
Dating back over 300 years, Pool House
has a fascinating background – in fact two separate histories in connection with
its previous owners and residents. Osgood McKenzie was born in 1842, the son of
Sir Francis, Laird of Gairloch. At the age of 20, he was given the Kernsary and
Inverewe Estates as a gift from his mother. His plan to create a garden from
forest, moorland and rocky seashore on Loch Ewe was certainly ambitious but he
succeeded as the founder of Inverewe, today one of the world’s most beautiful
gardens. Located just around the bay, Pool House was built by the Clan McKenzie
family and was home to Osgood McKenzie and his family for many years.
During World War II the house was the
base for Lord Rowallan in charge of the Highland Fieldcraft Centre at Poolewe.
Pool House was also commandeered by the Royal Navy as military headquarters from
where they co-ordinated the North Atlantic convoys. The important wartime
connection is commemorated in several themed suites and public rooms named after
the British and American ships which were based in Loch Ewe.
From Loch Carron north to Ullapool is
the region Wester Ross, featuring majestic mountains, fjord like sea lochs and
pretty fishing villages. Here you’ll find some of Europe’s most stunning
scenery, exhilerating hill climbing, deserted sandy beaches at Gairloch and
Gruinard Bay and Inverewe tropical gardens. While this may look very remote and
a long journey on the map, you don’t need to drive from the central belt. Many
visitors fly from London or Edinburgh into Inverness, rent a car and in less
than 90 minutes you will have reached your destination. En route, you will
experience a wonderfully scenic drive from Achnasheen to Kinlochewe and along
the pretty shores of Loch Maree.
Pool House is located in the village of
Poolewe on the shores of Loch Ewe, in a cove where the River Ewe rushes in to
meet the currents of the sea loch –and as the hotel brochure describes it - “
where the river feels the brine.” You could not be closer to the loch if you
tried - without getting wet. When the tide comes in, the water laps up the beach
beside the garden fence. This whitewashed, country cottage may not look very
grand from the outside but do come in. ….. 
This is also the library with a
fine collection of classic and modern novels, paperbacks and biographies. (You
may borrow a book, but please return it before you leave!). By the window, a
pile of art and travel “coffee table” books are just waiting to be browsed or
use the binoculars to spot seabirds and perhaps a few otters playing on the
rocks outside. The drawing room is where traditional afternoon tea is served
with perfection: expect quality leaf tea in a silver pot, scones, clotted cream
and jam, home made (and zero calorie, light as air), lemon cake. This was simply
an idyllic start to our stay at Pool House and an experience not to be missed.
It will get you into the mood of the gracious Pool House lifestyle.
From the moment you arrive, the
welcoming ambience is one of warmth and homeliness. Surrounded by beautiful
classic furnishings, rich fabrics, antiques, paintings, photographs, porcelain,
vases of fresh flowers - and not forgetting Smudgie the cat and Scampi the dog
- this is no ordinary country house hotel but the Harrison’s Scottish Highland
home, which is (thankfully) open to visitors. This very special place is
included in a list of the best 101 hotels in the world by Tatler magazine.
Loch Ewe was the site of the tragic loss of the
American Liberty ship William H. Welch in 1944.
Let’s start our tour
with the newly completed Nairana Suite, which has its own entrance down the
garden path, a stone’s throw from the lochshore. The lavish Indian décor and
regal furnishings are based on a Grand Palace of Rajasthan. It is truly
palatial, not so much a suite but an apartment, featuring sitting room, dining
area, master bedroom and bathroom.
If you are seeking a truly romantic
hideaway then book into Whimbrel, which again has its own entrance at the end of
the garden. This is the refurbished wooden Boat House now transformed into a
decadent Boudoir the centrepiece of which is the most magnificent, majestic bed
you will ever find in a hotel. It’s a replica of the bed which Napoleon gave to
Josephine - 14 people were employed to handcraft it. Here are elaborate gold
painted carved swans and fish, domed bed posts, complemented by a rich burgundy
bedspread and cushions.
Wake up in the morning here for
uninterrupted views of the river and loch from the bed. The sexy design is
kitschy and camp - complete with a couple of seductive scenes by Scottish artist
Jack Vettriano - while the modern Italian bathroom has a bath made for two.
Outside you can enjoy a dip in the private hot tub on the patio decking.
The suite is designed around a
first class ship stateroom, and features a seven foot square mahogany 4 poster
cabin bed, copies of original White Star lamps, pictures and historical
memorabilia about the ship.
The attention to detail in all the
suites is fantastic, with Victorian period radiators, fireplaces, and those
extra large period bathrooms. All have homely comforts including flat screen TV
(some with DVD) and radio, bathrobes, fluffy white towels, lovely bath soaps and
gels, tea and coffee tray, mineral water as well as a small decanter of sherry.
Over dinner there’s a turndown service to tidy the towels and prepare your bed
for sleep. Happy dreams!
The North by North West Restaurant again
has a maritime theme. A giant compass, painted with gold leaf, adorns the far
wall, while the blue ceiling twinkles with stars and the signs of the zodiac.
Around the cornice is a Latin text mural, which reads, “New World Map of Land
and Oceans.” The artistic décor was all painted by the family. The tables are
charmingly set for dinner, with white tablecloths, blue napkins, church candles
in oversized chandeliers, fresh flowers - a delightfully seductive setting. Head
Chef John Moir (husband of Mhairi Harrison), prepares a first class five course
set dinner each evening, focussing on quality local seafood – scallops and
lobster – lamb, venison. Vegetables, flowers and salad leaves are grown nearby
in polytunnels – collected daily for dinner.
And depending on the season you are here, the views from
the drawing and dining rooms are perfect for the glorious west coast sunsets, as
the sky turns orange and pink.
Many people will come to Poolewe in
order to visit Inverewe Gardens. Founded in 1862 it was painstakingly developed
over several decades by Osgood McKenzie and then his daughter Mairi until her
death in the 1950s when it was taken over by the National Trust of Scotland.
This exotic, tranquil place is a paradise of scent and colour, nurtured by the
warm gulf stream currents of the North Atlantic drift: Chinese rhododendrons,
Tasmanian eucalyptus, Himalayan blue poppies, New Zealand daisy bushes, Chilean
lantern trees, Californian violets, rock roses and a lot more besides. There are
woodland walks, walled garden, ponds and bird hides to explore.
The landscape all around Wester Ross is
rich in wildlife, red deer and eagles, and great for hill climbing and walking.
From Gairloch take a marine cruise to see seals, porpoises and minke whales.
Fishing and sailing can also be arranged nearby. There are golf courses at
Gairloch, Lochcarron and Ullapool. 
I have had the privilege to have stayed
in many divine hotels around the world. The very best places to stay certainly
do not need to be luxurious or 5 star with hot and cold running butlers,
swimming pools and spas. For a true pleasurable and leisurely experience, the
most memorable hotels offer less rather than more. All that is required is a
welcoming ambience, homely comfort and a genuinely personal approach in
hospitality. All this is what Pool House offers in abundance – and more. The
tranquil setting with loch views is the perfect tonic for a Highland break.