Kinloch Lodge

Kinloch Lodge sits on the edge of Loch na Dal, with the ragged Cuillin ridge rising behind. Once a 17th-century hunting lodge for the Macdonalds of Skye, it opened to guests in 1972 and has built a reputation for relaxed, well-run hospitality. The original building still houses several of the bedrooms and the lodge’s main reception rooms, which feature open fires, antiques and framed clan portraits. Across the courtyard is a second building with more rooms, some with loch views. The overall feel is that of a private home that happens to serve very good food and put you in easy reach of the island’s main sights.

Much of the draw is the dining room. The kitchen focuses on local ingredients—venison, scallops, seaweed, wild herbs—sourced from nearby crofts, waters and woodlands. Breakfasts are substantial and thoughtful, dinners multi-course but unpretentious. Guests can also arrange guided foraging walks with the lodge’s ghillie, who points out edible plants, mushrooms and shoreline shellfish.

Kinloch’s location on the Sleat peninsula means it’s well placed for both walking and sightseeing. Armadale Castle is a short drive away, as are the ferry and distillery at Eilean Iarmain. Further afield, day trips to the Quiraing, Neist Point or the Fairy Pools are all manageable.

Service is warm and informal. The lodge is still run by the Macdonald family, whose personal touch shows in everything from the whisky list to the dog sleeping beside the hearth.