Glencruitten House

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Introduction

Every room at Glencruitten is named after a Scottish myth. The selkie, the Ghillie Dhu, the Cailleach, the kelpie. It's a folklore theme run right through the house, and there's real charm in it. The Ghillie Dhu room, for one, takes its name from the old forest spirit said to guide lost travellers safely home.

The house itself dates to 1897, built for James Gemmel Boutein and later worked on by Sir Robert Lorimer, the architect behind a good chunk of early 20th-century Scotland. It keeps its Baronial bones. Panelled walls, a proper library, the kind of woodwork they don't really do any more. There are nine rooms and suites in the main building, split across two wings, plus four off-grid villas dotted through the woodland. Each villa comes with its own hot tub, sauna and a cold plunge bucket for the brave.

This is a catered house rather than self-catering. Meals happen at Aithir, the dining room, and afternoon tea is a bit of an institution here. The grounds run to 17 acres of woodland and a pond, with a few resident alpacas about the place.

Best of all is the setting. Glencruitten sits a mile east of Oban, close enough for the ferries and the seafood, far enough to feel properly out of it. A lovely base for the west coast. Worth the detour even if you're only passing through to catch a boat.

Facilities & Services

Rooms come with a Nespresso machine, tea and coffee, and a fridge with milk and water. Bathrobes, hairdryers and unlimited Wi-Fi throughout. Aithir handles dining, and afternoon tea is a fixture. The 17-acre grounds have woodland walks, a pond and resident alpacas. Electric car charging and free parking on site.

Bedrooms

Type :

Ghillie Dhu Retreat

Details :

The Ghillie Dhu Retreat takes its name from the old Highland forest spirit, a gentle sort by all accounts, said to guide lost travellers home rather than lead them astray. The room sits in the main house. A super king bed, a sitting area and an electric fireplace for the evenings when the weather closes in. Big windows look out over the woodland and the estate library below. The bathroom is the bit most people remember, a proper ensuite with a free-standing bath, basin, shower and WC. Built for a long soak after a day on your feet. Quiet, and good for two.

Type :

Wulver Den

Details :

Wulver Den takes its name from the Wulver, a creature out of Shetland folklore. Part-wolf, but a kindly one in the old stories, said to leave fish on the windowsills of the poor. The villa sits in a quiet corner of the estate, built for people who'd rather see no one. A super king bed, a double sleeper couch and a wood-burning stove for the colder nights. The bathroom's a good one, with a free-standing bath, shower and a heated WC. Out on the private deck there's a hot tub, a sauna and a cold plunge bucket. Properly secluded.

Type :

Kelpie Spire

Details :

Kelpie Spire is the one up in the turret. It takes its name from the kelpie, the water spirit of Scottish legend. The draw here is the free-standing bath set right into the round turret room, with windows wrapping round and views out over the forest, the gardens and the sea, with islands beyond on a clear day. A king-size bed, a sitting area and an electric fireplace for the evenings. There's a Nespresso machine, a fridge with milk and water, and bathrobes. A lovely spot for two, and the best view in the house if you ask me.

Type :

Morag's View

Details :

Morag's View is named after Morag, the guardian spirit of Loch Morar, which happens to be the deepest freshwater loch in Britain at over 300 metres. The room sits in the main house. A king-size bed, a sitting area and an electric fireplace, with big windows looking out over the woodland, the gardens and the sea beyond. The ensuite is a good size. There's the usual Glencruitten kit too, a Nespresso machine, a fridge with milk and water, bathrobes and an iron. A calm room, and the outlook is what you're booking it for. Worth asking for a clear day.

Type :

Selkie's Haven

Details :

Selkie's Haven is the family room in the main house, named after the selkies, the seal-folk who shed their skins to walk on land. Some of the most-told stories on the west coast, those. It's set up for four. Two king-size beds, a dining area and a sitting area, with one and a half bathrooms so there's no morning queue. An electric fireplace and big windows looking out over the woodland and gardens, with the sea and islands in the distance. USB points, a Nespresso machine and Highland Soap toiletries. A good shout for a family or two couples travelling together.

Location

Glencruitten House sits on Glencruitten Road, about a mile east of Oban in Argyll. The ferry terminal, the busiest in the CalMac network, is roughly a five-minute drive. Oban railway station, with daily trains to Glasgow Queen Street, is a little over two miles down the road.

Good to know

None of the rooms or villas are self-catering, so plan to eat at Aithir or in town. Most fireplaces are electric rather than wood-burning. Check-in is from 3pm, check-out by 11am, and booking runs through Mews. A couple of the newer villas were still being photographed when we last looked.